Q: How did you get into watch collecting?
I met one of my close friends during freshman year of college. His dorm room was just down the hall from mine. One day, I complimented him about a watch he was wearing, prompting a lengthy discussion and show-and-tell of his collection. Before I knew it, I was browsing Amazon for a watch of my own.
Q: What was the first watch you ever owned?
A humble Seiko 5. If we're talking about the first serious and informed purchase, a Seiko SKX173, which will never leave my collection.
Q: Do you have a watch with a particularly interesting story behind it?
I stumbled upon a vintage US Military field watch while thrift shopping. It's the MIL-W-3818B model, likely produced by Benrus and stamped June 1964. Needless to say, I walked out of the store with it. I'd imagine there are plenty of interesting stories, if only watches could talk!
Q: What is one piece of advice you have for someone just getting into watches?
My advice comes in the form of two cliches. (1) Collecting is a marathon, not a sprint. I've gone through times where I have "binge-purchased" watches, and in every instance, I ended up regretting at least one purchase. Pace yourself and try to avoid the temptation of the impluse buy - in my experience, impulse buys rarely turn into keepers. Before making a purchase, ask yourself honestly, am I buying this because I am truly in love with it, or am I buying this out of boredom or to temporarily fill the void of desire? Patience and discipline are hard, but worth it. Having said all that, sometimes a deal is so good, you just have to pull the trigger without thinking too hard (just make sure you can actually afford it). Sometimes rules are meant to be broken! (oh no, not another cliche). (2) Collecting is all about the journey, not a destination. This is a life-long hobby. Even when you attain your grail watch, you're not going to all of a sudden stop collecting. Your tastes will change over time. Your budget will fluctuate. You'll make great purchases and bad ones. You'll learn a lot along the way. Embrace the journey!
Q: What brands have been getting your attention lately?
I'm a huge Seiko proponent. Their pricing has moved up-market in recent years, but I still think they offer great value for the money, as well as certain features that you simply won't find in most other brands in the sub-$1,000 range (such as incredible dial work, Zaratsu finishing, reliable in-house movements, etc.). Tudor is my most recent love. They're certainly a premium brand in terms of price, but I still love the value proposition and their committment to producing modern tool watches while honoring their remarkable history. They're doing what vinatge Rolex perfected, and I'm all for that.
Q: What is your grail watch and why?
To be honest, I've never been big on the idea of a grail watch. Reason being, I don't think there's a single watch out there that will make me feel complete, that will be the "end all, be all" if I attain it. All that being said, I'm currently very smitten with the Chopard Alpine Eagle. Why? Well, just take a look for yourself! Chopard is also an industry leader in ethical materials sourcing and environmentally-friendly production methods, they're a family-owned business and treat their employees well - so it's all the more easier to get behind a brand like that.
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