Well it doesn't come with a sunroof.....

Recently, a watch I had worn for literally decades of my life broke.
I found myself watch shopping for the first time, in a long, long time. I pretty much wore the single watch I had, almost all the time.

You know what struck me?

The amazing similarities between "Watch" shopping and "Car" shopping.
The psychology applied in both buying and selling the watch is very similar.
First you decide what size watch you want.

Small-"sub-compact"
Medium-"All purpose Sedan"
Large-G-Shock-Size- "Monster Truck".

Then much like many vehicle choices, you embrace what "life style" you want the watch to represent to yourself and the outside world.

Geeky-Digital Watch with Calculator-"Nissan Cube".
Sporty-Because you live life on the active edge...."Sports Car".
Dress Watch-Luxury Vehicle. There are some places you won't want to wear it or park it. But it is comfortable and looks great.

It may be of interest to Prius owners that I ended up with a Hybrid of watches. A "solar" digi-analog. Supposedly sunlight will keep the watch battery charged....indefinitely. We'll see how that works long term.

But really, if you want some of the same "fun" of vehicle purchase? But don't want new car payments? Go buy a watch. It's a lot cheaper and somewhat similar experience.
And you won't have to negotiate a deal or have a salesperson go back and forth with his manager to get the best price.

And in the end? You'll know what time it is to either catch the bus or expect your Uber ride.

 

Like I said, I hadn't shopped for a watch in a long, long time. I was kind of amazed at the world I discovered. You can just about pay whatever you want for a watch, from literally less than $7 to literally multiple thousands of dollars. There are easily watches that can exceed the price of vehicles.

I ended up, over the course of about a month, buying 4 different watches. My favorite thus far is a Timex which cost less than $40.

 

" I have less patience with someone who doesn't wear a watch than with anyone else... " -Malcom X


Well I can't argue that in todays world with cell phones, computers, NOW the ever growing future of "smart watches", things are changing. You certainly don't NEED a watch to keep track of time anymore.

But for me? When my watch broke I was so use to wearing one that it just didn't feel right.

I personally hope, that despite the fact that we may of already reached a point where a mechanical or digital, "watch" is not a necessity as far as a chronological tool, we continue to produce them and embrace them.

If for no other reason than I like watches.

I hope that their popularity, which does amazingly still exist, continues.

They may be the future, but I'm a dinosaur in a way. I'm not a huge fan, nor do I own a "smart" watch. Tools of which, time keeping is nearly the least of it's functions. But with all that "smart" watches can do? They may be what is primarily on peoples wrists in the future.
Then I suppose I can tell stories of a time when watches were actually wound up like mechanical toys, and most offered all the information of basically The Time...and The Date.

But I'm with Malcom X....
I'd like to see watches, and watchmaking continue....by any means necessary.
I like watches...because I like watches.

 

My recent through the looking glass journey into the world of "watch collecting" and I'm going to say, check those watches out. I discovered that some very unassuming, pedestrian looking "vintage" watches can have some jaw dropping value.