What was the watch that got you into watches?

Probably a Timex mechanical (no quartz back then) that was purchased from the carousel display on the counter of the local drug store.

Two of them:

my brother had a cool gray Swatch with Roman Numerals. Always wanted him to give it to me but nope.

The other was a Gucci black dress watch that I bought in a department store. I recently gave it to my daughter.

Mine was this snoopy red baron watch that I took out of my older brother’s room. I was five, the battery was dead, and I kept staring at it as I made the clouds and plane go around and around by rotating the crown.

I don’t own this one or any other one anymore.

Thank you for sharing your story ✨

The watch that lit my fire was the Seiko pilots watch ( world timer) lcd 1977 unfortunately I don’t have it anymore…….

Such a complex watch!

Actually quite easy to use, one button to bring up the map then another to change the zone!

A true multi one timepiece 👍🏻

It was a wannabe Submariner for me... I'm so basic

The Ric Flair Rolex! Whoooo!

When I was 8 my father gave me this VC Ref. 2013 but I broke it skateboarding and threw it away.

Just kidding. 😜 I've always worn a watch, even as a child. I believe one of my first watches was one of those with the red LEDs that lit up when you pushed the button on the side. An old Timex maybe? Pulsar? I can't remember the brand.

That’s not basic that’s tasteful. We all are starting somewhere and there isn’t really a basic way to get into the hobby. Thank you for sharing your story ✨

I never cared for watches as a kid. I had cheap Casios and Timex watches in grade school. The ones you bought at KMart and Sears. The watch that really got me into quality timepieces was the Baume & Mercier Hampton on a steel bracelet. This was in the very early 1990s. As a family treat, my parents would drive us to the only luxury mall in the area. It was a 30 min drive, but to a kid, it seemed like 2 hours. We would get to walk the mall and just window shop at all the cool higher end stores. That’s where I would always go into Bailey Banks & Biddle, a jewelry store chain that has gone bankrupt. I would always try on that Baume & Mercier tank style watch. It just reeked of luxury and pretentiousness that attracted me as a kid.

I got this as a Christmas or birthday present when I was about 11. Way too big for me then. Put it in a box in the closet. Somehow kept it through many moves and years. Just got battery replaced. So glad I kept it!

Thank you for sharing that childhood memory. I really enjoy how watches are often standing for those kinda stories that we always gonna carry on with us, like that watch on the wrist

I like that “explorer-style” bezel and that you were able to keep the watch

Deep breath 😮‍💨 Ok, here it goes……… for me it was the Apple Watch.

I’ve always been a gadget guy. I did have an appreciation for some watches, especially the ones on screen like Bond’s Omegas but I was more interested in the gadget aspect rather than the watch itself. The Apple Watch was the first watch to me that was truly a gadget that could do so much. And that got me used to wearing something on my wrist. That was Step 1 on my journey.

Step 2 was exploring the various faces on the Apple Watch. I actually had no interest in all the widgets and app complications on the face. If I wanted to access something, I would open an app. I preferred the face to look like a watch. And each of those watch faces have a lot of influence from horological history. This made me curious to explore the history behind the design decisions.

This led me to discovering Ikepod, a Swiss watch brand designed by one of the lead Apple Watch designers. I loved the look of these. They were unlike any watch I’ve seen before and I could see the Apple Watch connection. These were way to expensive though so I appreciated them from a distance.

Step 3. Fast forward six years. I’ve been wearing an Apple Watch all this time. It’s coming up to my wedding and I want to purchase a watch for the occasion. Stars align, Ikepod is now relaunched at a sub 1k price point. I buy it and I’m now hooked. I start researching more into the hobby, picking up new pieces here and there. I might have dived in a little too fast at first but I think we all make that mistake. I revisit some of those Bond gadgets and can now appreciate the beauty of the watches themselves and obtain a 1999 SMP.

I will never dis anyone with an Apple Watch (I still wear mine from time to time) and my Ikepod is my profile cover. These two pieces are an important stepping stone to a long journey of discovering this wonderful hobby.

Not enough TAG on here. The Aquaracer in particular is maybe one of the best first watches you can get. I have been eyeing that green on green titanium one for a while

Seiko 6309 bought from a dealer on Maui after diving Molokini crater around 1984. Still have it.

Also have the original GL831 band.

Swatch watches from the 80's-90's. My Dad's Wittnauer and Seiko

It's the first one I bought myself and it's been with me a cool 19 years

Damn that's beautiful, did you ever change the gaskets? And what happened to the dial? I see some discolouring there, looks nice in my Opinion. I am just curious because I have a small (or big ) gshock Problem and I am always wondering how long these mfck* last. The Dw6900 is my favourite model because of its comfort ( it is just perfect for my wrist) and its easy usability of the buttons for example in the Gym when I time the rest period between sets. I own lots of squares and a Mudmaster and other models but if I could chose only one it would be this one. Not to forget the iconic color combination and 90s vibe in this particular model.

All the best Mr. Willcortes_v

I like your story and individual preference. I wish you all the best for your upcoming wedding and this special choice!✨

We should give TAG some love in this community. I like your colour choice!

Such a beautiful diver!

Cartier Ronde Solo 36 mm . Received as farewell gift from co-workers.

One of the watches that I still want to add to my collection

Mine was a citizen eco drive I got as a gift. I think it was $150 at Costco 😂

Awesome @Seikokalle I agree with your take on the DW6900. I am a huge fan of the square as well. So I shared a bit of the back story on this piece before but it was my first purchase after graduating from US NAVY bootcamp. When on deployment we were painting the ship and in the ruckus I banged my watch against a corner of the bulkhead and knocked the watch off my wrist landing inside the Navy gray paint bucket. The GShock button still has paint to this day 19 years later and when I was changing the gaskets a few years ago while doing a battery change I got some paint and modded the dial with the same gray color additionally I hand painted the module's LCD in a sunset pattern in honor of all the awesome sunsets the watch and I got to experience during my career in the NAVY. Needless to say there's a reason why this is a watch of choice by many folks in the military. They can take a beating for decades and keep going no problem.

That's awesome man, nothing better than a watch used for its purpose, I think yours tells a story and is part of your history. That's what it's all about.

My first big boy watch was a tag F1 but I’m sure my first watch was a yellow gshock bape 6900