Homage to homages
When I started my watch collecting journey, I frankly didn't know much about the brands out there. This piece caught my eye in a forum post back in 2014 or so, and I bought it not realizing it was essentially an homage to a Nomos Tangente. (I was in fact unaware of the Nomos brand whatsoever at that time). I wore this frequently, with its workhorse Miyota movement and it even survived flying off my wrist on the dancefloor at my wedding (spring bar let go).
As the journey honed into a more focused and studied hobby, this piece began to hide in the back of my watch drawer with a bit of impostor syndrome. I put it on today with a smile as many memories swept back into my mind. The more I learn about watches the more I tend to see what appear to be homages out there, often micros adding some personal flare to tried and tested designs. Some more "on the nose" than others. Is this the inevitable consequence of an increasingly crowded marketplace? Does it matter? Certainly could see where the the "pride of ownership" factor is diminished perhaps if the piece takes nearly no effort to obtain. But if you wear it in good health, and create lasting memories that it might one day spring back to life, then perhaps that's the more valuable aspect anyway.
Watch enthusiast, occasional racecar driver and scuba diver, full time dad, wannabe photographer
Nice dose of perspective. All the horology and history associated with watches are great for filling a brochure but can feel shallow and cold, when you take it off at night and look into the dial, compared to life memories attached to the watch. They are accessories after all.
I think it's the reasons behind purchase, and the experience with a particular watch which provide the value. Regardless of the pieces I can afford(and I'm fortunate), there are a couple of pieces I own that aren't expensive that I wouldn't trade for any other watch out there. Ownership and relationship are a very personal thing.
“I put it on today with a smile as many memories swept back into my mind”
All that matters.
I often buy an homage if I am interested in the original that inspired it, as an affordable way to test the waters without spending a fortune. Kind of accidentally, I have often found myself perfectly happy with the homage and then reluctant to spend big bucks on the originals. There are exceptions, but I am at heart a bargain hunter and get a thrill from saving $$. No embarrassment for me, I find joy in all of it. The memories that go with the watch cannot be replaced and go beyond branding imo. Enjoy your watch no matter what anyone else thinks. Your opinion and experience is what matters! Cheers! 🍻
You are speaking loudly to the choir and the congregation here. I love the Nomos Tangente, particularly the dial. The only thing I love more are the 3000 dollars it would take to buy one. I appreciate the German craftsmanship and the in-house movement, but let's face it, that dial wasn't "inspired" by anything except possibly the numerals 2, 4, 8, 10, and 12. I just happen to like it, and those numerals are going to look exactly the same on the Nomos or my $25 Hemsut quartz copy. And the Hemsut even has a bonus that no Nomos will have, namely dirt specks and tiny paper crumbs on the dial. They're annoying, but not $2975 annoying.
Your watch is a beauty, BTW.
I often buy an homage if I am interested in the original that inspired it, as an affordable way to test the waters without spending a fortune. Kind of accidentally, I have often found myself perfectly happy with the homage and then reluctant to spend big bucks on the originals. There are exceptions, but I am at heart a bargain hunter and get a thrill from saving $$. No embarrassment for me, I find joy in all of it. The memories that go with the watch cannot be replaced and go beyond branding imo. Enjoy your watch no matter what anyone else thinks. Your opinion and experience is what matters! Cheers! 🍻
This is pretty much what I meant to say, with a few things added in my own comment, so I'm glad you said them first.
“I put it on today with a smile as many memories swept back into my mind”
All that matters.
I don't even need the memories to enjoy cheap watches.
Touché mates n well shared indeed. So what if it's a cheap or cheaper, homage watch even. N just because it's an expensive watch doesn't mean it tells 'better' time either... Great watches needn't come with even Greater price tags.