Why Watches (Horology) are Cool

I love watches. As a 24 year old with other young adult friends, I bore my friends when I talk about my SKX009. I talk about how much I love the Pepsi bezel, the day-date, the deep navy of the dial, and the automatic movement. For the price, my SKX is the best diver on the market. That paired with the fact that it’s discontinued, well come on then. Yes I speak lovingly about this watch, but for most people, they don’t get it – so why be so interested in watches?
Watches are not just something that you put on your wrist that tells the time. No one even wears them to tell time anymore, I certainly don’t. Companies like Rolex, Tissot, Seiko, and many others hold heritage. Those companies through the years have upheld a tradition of excellence. To not just be good at what they do, but be the best. It’s not like wearing a pair of jeans from The Gap or H&M, there’s actual tradition and merit to these companies and what they represent. They are better than the garbage produced by MVMT, Daniel Wellington, and Vincero brands. No one should be paying $200 for a quartz watch from China.
And yes, I understand that most watch wearers prefer the aesthetic of a watch, rather than what the watch is made out of but generally with the real watch brands you pay for what you get. You spend five figures on a Rolex and you can resell it worn for a similar if not better price. What in this world keeps value as well as a legit watch? If you spend big money, on a watch with a great movement, that watch can be passed down through generations and generations as long as it’s maintained well by the owner. Watches are forever!
And watches are just forever interesting. I’ve been wearing my SKX as my daily driver for over a year. When I’m bored, I take it off my wrist and just stare at it. It’s beautiful. All the colours, the movement, the Wave of Kanagawa carving on the back. It almost seems intimate. I will always remember the moments where I’m waiting for a bus, train, or plane – in a terminal just staring at my watch.
Newcomers may think that watches are a difficult hobby to get into, where in reality it’s not. Sure, it’s not for the broke student and I do think that it’s important to have some kind of income before you start collecting but there are plenty of great pieces that you can acquire for under $100. They won’t have an automatic movement, but it’s your first watch – just wet your whistle in the horology game.
Watches are tied to the different stages of your life. My dad bought me watches on my two university graduations. I remember the watch I wore to Japan. If I ever get married, I know what watch I want to wear that night, and the watch I would want to get buried with when I die. The world of watches are amazing and I can’t wait to get rich, so that I can invest in a real collection to share with future generations.
If this has piqued your interest and you also want to get into collecting, send me a message, I’ll get you sorted out!

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