Watch Porn

"(Men's) wardrobes consist mainly of suits, shirts, sweaters and jeans, so a watch is one of the few places that you can express your personality, or the way that you are feeling"

I've recently revived my interest in watches. Perhaps fetish is a better word?  The article linked above goes some way to explaining why. There are other reasons.

A few of my favorites...


First off, the Omega Speedmaster Professional, the first watch on the moon. "The Speedmaster Professional remains one of several watches qualified by NASA for spaceflight and is still the only one so qualified for EVA."  'Nuff said. I prefer the leather strap to metal.  Manual.  Something about the ritual of winding the watch daily.  This watch manages to have a lot in the way of bells and whistles and still manage to retain a sleek elegance.  This is my personal favorite.  To quote the Guardian article again, "Men are, intrinsically, nerdy; they love nothing more than an item that not only looks good but has myriad functions and a construction that will have taken a lot of craftsmen a lot of time."


Steve McQueen was said to have worn Rolex for the most part. Specifically the Explorer II.  Good enough for me. Having said that, I find the Rolex for the most part a bit...I don't know, they lack a certain subtly, they seem too bulky to me.  Having said that I came across a Rolex Oyster Perpetual All-King in a recent issue of GQ and thought so much of it I bought the considerably down market version made by Seiko.




Two other watches have recently caught my eye.  One is the Luminor Marina, Steel with black dial, pictured here on the right.  A divers watch, designed in the 30's and 40's for the Italian Navy.  I like a watch with a clear, simple face, preferably black.  I respect the function, craftsmanship, and history as much as styling.


Styling goes a long way.  As has been pointed out, with laptops and phones at our fingertips just about every second, a man wears a watch now just as much as a function of style as to tell the time.  And what better styling than that of the 30's and 40's?  Stowa, a German watch, is a timepiece straight from somewhere between 1930 and 1950.  Classic, elegant, with a clear, simple face.  I think the Partitio, pictured here on the left, might be my favorite.  A similar watch is the Hamilton Valiant.  I bought a Citizen Eco-Drive a few years back in a similar style.  I like that it's solar powered, I don't have to worry about the battery.  I had the band replaced with a black leather one.


I'd never own a gold watch, or worse, one encrusted with diamonds.  New money, as Mama used to say.  I have nothing against a metal band, but prefer leather.

I've been warned by a friend that this way lies madness.  Fine, but every guy should have at least one watch.  And that watch should do more than just tell the time.