About the Author: Zach S. is a United States Marine Corps Officer and Product Photographer from Maryland’s Eastern Shore. When he’s not training or doing photography he enjoys reading and writing on a myriad of topics.
I first became interested in watches when I saw a Breitling ad in National Geographic. Something about the connection between machines, adventure, and exploration got to me, and I began to seriously consider watches. Now, ten years later, my watch box is full and I consider my collection fairly rounded out. I don’t yet own all the watches I want to own, but I have learned a few lessons along the way. Here are 10 of the most important lessons I learned going from not owning any watches, to assembling a pretty robust (but still relatively affordable) collection:
This one is the easiest rules to understand. Your first watch is your only watch, so pick something you can wear all the time. Something versatile. If you spend most of your time dressed casually, then go with a watch to match. If you find yourself dressed up more often, find something versatile that looks good dressed up as well as dressed down a little bit.
I know initially you’re going to perhaps want something spendy. Something you saw in a fancy advertisement. But there’s nothing wrong with affordable watches. Brands like Timex make a great range of everything from field watches to chronographs. They’re durable and often look really good. Don’t let their drug store pedigree scare you off!
While I don’t believe in looking to buy something just because you’re bored or it’s on sale, occasionally you’ll see a great price on something you totally forgot about, or something that was previously out of reach. Keep an eye on the 8 zillion promos and sales that seem to happen these days. Watches, even affordable watches, seem to get excluded a lot. But sometimes the promo gods will throw the doors open on a wristwatch you’ve had your eye on.
These styles of watches go great with most casual outfits and are very easy to dress up and down with a strap change. They’ve got tried and true rugged good looks, and they’re also notoriously easy to read. Casual? Yes. But they’ll be something you reach for time and time again.
As you collect, you’ll get a lot of cool watches that might be a bit too specific looking to wear every day. That’s okay, because along the way you’ve filtered down your preferences, and you almost certainly will end up with a watch you prefer and want to wear daily. It’s hard to find that one daily-workhorse from the beginning though. You’ll get there!
Everyone makes a fuss over retro styled dive watches… BUT… get a retro dress watch instead. They’re cheaper, just as authentic, and that’s what everyone wore anyway. Ever see a Mad Men character wear a diver? Nope. Go with something clean, simple, and classically sized (read: 36 – 40mm). They elevate just about any look. From chinos & a polo, to full blown suit & tie.
I’ve acquired three or four really cool old watches for virtually no money at yard sales. There are plenty of old gems hiding out there. Of course, the current health-situation means it’s probably not the time to go picking through other people’s for-sale belongings in their front yard, but for future reference? Yard sales can be gold mines.
I honestly never even thought of this until I got a vintage Bulova, but there’s something really warm and pleasant about a gold watch. Most of my watches are on the sporty side, so it’s nice to have something that feels a bit more sophisticated.
I don’t know what it is, but they’re just cool. There’s something about walking around in the summer with something that looks like it was worn by Jacques Cousteau on your wrist. Bonus points if it’s a chunky 1970s looking monstrosity.
When you first get into this hobby, mechanical movements will feel like the best. There is something about the tiny artistry that goes into the wheels, gears, and springs which make mechanical and automatic watches go. But there’s a ton of cool quartz watches that are way more accurate and durable (like the admittedly spendy, ISO certified, designed for search and rescue/salvage diving Marathon diver shown above). Wristwatches are one of the few markets where technological innovation has led to more efficient, more economical products, yet a good chunk of the consumer base clings to the old, less advanced technology. But there are plenty who recognize the absurdity of this, and wear a quartz with pride because of it. Don’t automatically write off a quartz watch. There are some great ones out there!
While there are plenty of reasons to wear a watch, you’re in essence wearing a highly antiquated piece of technology on your arm. So don’t take it so seriously. It’s a hobby, not a quest. Don’t be afraid to have some novelties in the box. My mickey mouse watch is one of my most worn.
Big thanks to our man Zach for passing along all that he learned in the above post! Are you a newbie to the watch game and want even more tips for how to get started? Head here for a few more.
Interested in the watch box shown in this post? Some of you have asked. It’s from Amazon. Just thirty bucks.
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