TimeCaptain’s mojo: Radiomir Black Seal Acciaio – 45 mm PAM00183

There are people out there who don’t know about mechanical timepieces. They don’t care about watches and they don’t wear proper watches. I call them “muggles”. You might be married to one! These are the people that give you a confused look when they find out that you paid $7,000 for that amazing device on your wrist. I suspect that muggles account for at least 90% of the population. Consequently, hardcore watch fanatics often feel alone, isolated and misunderstood until they find refuge on a good watch forum.

To begin with, muggles have some good reasons for their indifferent attitude toward luxury watches. What the hell does a watch add to your life? It (could) cost a fortune, it tells time less accurately than every mobile device that you carry, it requires maintenance, it may have insurance costs and it can’t even access your e-mail account. That’s pretty lame, eh? Well, that’s the attitude of most people anyway.

It’s certainly not my attitude, as you know. Back in the day, mechanical wristwatches were worn out of necessity. Railway engineers, pilots, and other professionals depended on them to keep track of time because there were no electronics in the old days. Today, mechanical watches are mere luxuries, and they can be very expensive luxuries. Many good watches cost thousands of dollars whereas most people would consider spending over one thousand dollars on a novelty to be a helluva lot of money. So, why would somebody lay down so much cash on a mere luxury? What don’t the muggles understand?

TAG Heuer Carrera Caliber Heuer 01

A watch is a tiny marvel of mechanical engineering. The art of watchmaking is centuries old, but modern technology has introduced cool new materials and design elements. A mechanical watch movement can be made up of well over 100 tiny parts and wearing such a device gives me a lot of satisfaction. Even though a mechanical watch may be off by 7 or 8 seconds per day, this is still 99.999% accuracy, which amazes me. Although a mechanical watch serves no practical purpose in today’s electronic age, such a watch represents human achievement, craft, and heritage. Top watch houses invest mega millions into the design and production of their watches, and these watches represent something special even if their technology is used for pure luxury. For me, it’s all about what the watches represent. And it is not all about price tags and deep pockets. My pal, Michael, blogs for WatchPaper and I recently told him about a client who asked about my modestly priced watch and opened up a nice conversation. Michael said, “It validates one of the pillars of why I think watches are important in the first place. They signal not just status, but your seriousness, your sincerity”. He summed it up perfectly. Wearing a proper watch, whether entry level or high end, is about expressing your appreciation of the whole watchmaking world and philosophy — an appreciation of style, legacy, and human ability. It is about enjoying a mechanical device simply for its coolness.
I have often compared watches to cars, but now I like to compare watches with art. Think of an expensive painting — a Monet or a Picasso or whatever. You could buy it if you had deep pockets. You could hang it on your wall. You could stare it. What would it add to your life? It wouldn’t make your house bigger or make cocktails. It wouldn’t play music or stream videos. But it would certainly bring pleasure to the right owner. For someone who loves art and history, the painting could provide an escape and transport that person to a different place — if only for a few moments at a time. The painting could help its owner relax and provide a reason to reflect on its meaning. The painting could represent an achievement because its owner had to work and save to buy it, and he had to spend time and effort searching for it.

Longines Heritage Diver 1967 (L2.808.4.52.6)

This is precisely how I feel about watches. When I look at one of my nice timepieces on my wrist, I admire the case and its finishing. I enjoy seeing the hands in motion. I think about the fine engineering of the movement that powers the watch. I appreciate the style and fit of the bracelet. I think about the history of the company that made the watch. For me, a watch is like a piece of art on my wrist — powered by a tiny mechanical engine. This little mechanical artwork gives me all sorts of pleasure throughout the day. The enjoyment from the watch justifies a large expense for me. It makes me feel good.

Another “justification” for buying an expensive watch is the hobby factor. Many guys join golf clubs, buy ski passes, ride motorcycles or travel to football games. A small percentage of guys, such as myself, enjoy watch collecting as their hobby. I can justify a certain amount of spending on watches because I don’t have any other expensive hobbies. And while one guy may enjoy weekends on his fishing boat, I would be happier strapping on a new timepiece in the morning. To each his own, right?

Rolex Datejust II

Watches are tangible goods that retain some value after being purchased. They certainly depreciate, but higher end watches certainly depreciate less than cars, for example. Let’s say you buy a new Rolex for $10,000. You wear it for 2 years and then you get tired of it and you want to put your money into something else. You can probably sell for your Rolex for $7,000 or so. Your real cost of owning and enjoying a Rolex was only $3,000. That’s only $125 each month for the pleasure of owning a world class timepiece. That’s nuts! I spend more than $125 on coffee each month! You can’t even have a nice dinner for $125. Here is another “justification” for buying a luxury watch — it will still be worth something after a couple of years of enjoyment.

You should never have to justify anything you do or buy, of course. But if you’re into watches like me, you will face some bewildered muggles when they find out what you spent your bonus on. I present these “justifications” for those situations where you want to explain the (lack of) logic behind your big purchase. There is no point in trying to convince someone that THEY should buy a good watch, but you can at least explain why spending many thousands of dollars on a watch is not as crazy as it may seem.

TAG Heuer Carrera (39 mm) Calibre 6

I have reached a point where I don’t need to justify having expensive watches to myself anymore. I enjoy them — plain and simple. I once sold nearly all of my expensive watches in an attempt to restrain myself. It took no more than one day for me to start building up my collection again. I enjoy watches the way that many people enjoy art, music, cinema, yoga or hiking. Watches are my escape. When I need to take my mind off real issues, I read up on watches and dream of my next target. When I get dressed in the morning, I am excited to select the right timepiece for that day’s events and outfit. When I am at work, I periodically look at my watch and admire it, which makes me feel good. I love how I can enjoy my watch collection while I am at work! I enjoy discussing watches with fellow watch freaks. I enjoy learning about watches. I enjoy blogging about watches. When I am thinking about watches or fiddling with my watches, I forget about the many pressures in life. And when I acquire a new watch… well, that’s a real rush.

So despite what the muggles think, there are plenty of excellent reasons to indulge in a luxury watch purchase. It all depends on how much pleasure you will derive from said purchase. Show this blog to your wife — maybe she will admit that you should allow yourself that new Panerai you have always wanted. Enjoy your shopping and thank me later. As always, the fun is in the search…

Yours truly,
TimeCaptain