The Watches We Don’t Wear
“Watches are made to be worn” is a mantra repeated frequently by people like me. To own a watch and not wear it in our community is borderline shameful. As enthusiasts, we take pleasure in the little scratches and signs of wear that a well worn watch picks up, and many of us adhere to the principle that if a watch isn’t being worn regularly, it’s time to move it along, list it on the forums, and replace it with another that hopefully finds a more regular role in the rotation. I’m a believer in wearing watches – that should go without saying. I have a watch box full of watches that I genuinely enjoy having on my wrist. At this point it’s a well cultivated collection that, I think, reflects my taste and personality, and I’m lucky enough to own a handful of watches that give me a real sense of pride in ownership when I put them on. I’m not one to baby my watches or only bring certain pieces out on special occasions, and I certainly don’t have a Safe Queen, which I have to admit is one of my favorite terms of art in our hobby. Alas, I’ve never purchased a watch purely for investment purposes and dropped it off at the bank, with promises to visit around the holidays, or maybe for an anniversary. But I do want to normalize the idea that we can own and enjoy watches that we would never think of wearing. I think most collectors, if they gave it some thought, would be able to identify a watch or two (or more) in their collection that they don’t wear – ...