The Collector’s Dilemma: Which Watch To Wear? From Tinder Dates To BBQs
Collecting watches is a pleasure, but choosing which to wear for each occasion is an art. Watchonista offers an entirely subjective guide for your sheer enjoyment.
Being spoilt for choice is a good problem. Especially when you are considering timekeepers, as watch collections grow, decisions need to be refined to adapt the right wrist ornament to the occasion. Here are a few key moments to flaunt your good taste, your unique style, and your personality.
For a Tinder date
First, this will strongly depend on which country said date is taking place. In Russia or the Middle East, it’s the perfect “time” to pull out your fully diamond-set jewelry piece… or maybe just don't go out at all. In Switzerland, a timepiece from the holy trinity (Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, or Vacheron Constantin) – embodying your great horological taste – will be appropriate if you are looking for a life-long romance. Most probably, the proper choice may be to sport a plastic Swatch in order not to show off the size of your inheritance and to concentrate the attention on your great personality.
In the US, a great sporty mechanical chronograph displaying your adventurous side AND your watchmaking know-how will do the trick. If you are a woman, do not hesitate to wear a nice mechanical timepiece to show off you know your stuff too – but don't overdo it as you do not want to scare away your date's virility.
To manage the BBQ
A straight forward situation where an adventurer’s watch – rugged, shock resistant, and fearless is required. A diver will do the job well. Why a diver? Because perhaps you fancy a cliff jump in the sea after the BBQ?! You can always assert your style with a great classic like Longines or IWC. Or opt for an independent crowdfunded brand like Brew or Baltic to show you are paving your own road, far away from common conventions – just like the way you flip your burgers.
For the beach
The obvious choice here. Something from the crown, of course. Rolex or Tudor, aka the kings of the beach. Or its ancestral rival, the Omega Seamaster. Both immediately identifiable and inevitable, they will surely make their mark around you. If you’re on your yacht? Do whatever you want. It's your yacht, your rules!
For the golf course
Often spotted on fairways and greens, Audemars Piguet seems like the right choice. A great occasion to go in match play between the brand-new Code 11.59 and the proven Royal Oak. Maybe Richard Mille will come into play as an outsider.
For an intercontinental flight
The perfect occasion to wear your Dual Time, Worldtimer or UTC. The choice is infinite here. Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Montblanc, Breitling, Frederique Constant, the list is endless… It all depends on which class you travel in. Once more, you can decide to flaunt an independent brand like the Speake-Marin Dual Time or a beautiful blue Nomos Dual Time to set yourself apart.
For a formal dinner
It is all about context here. But it is the ideal occasion to wear your favorite dress watch. Preferably in gold or platinum to stress the importance of the event for you and show the respect in which you hold the guests present. If you want to really stand out, go for a vintage pocket watch in gold with an enamel dial from the late 19th century. It should raise some eyebrows as you pull it out – discreetly or not – at the end of the meal before stepping in the smoking room with your cigar and your glass of Cognac.
For a collectors' dinner
This is the moment when you can unveil your most striking piece. The rarer, or even unique, it is, the more it will stick out in your fellow collectors’ mind. Now is the time to go to the vault to wear your 17 million-dollar Paul Newman Paul Newman, your Tourbillon Souverain from François-Paul Journe, your Aeternitas Mega or Crazy Hours from Franck Muller, the Vianney Halter Deep Space Tourbillon or your AK-06 from Akrivia. Enjoy yourself, share your passion, initiate debates and endless conversations. This is YOUR time!
The choice is yours!
At the end of the day, the choice offered here varies primarily according to countries and contexts. The decision of a watch is in no case definitive or dogmatic. The most important is to remain yourself, wear what you’re passionate about, and stake your claim and shoulder it. Be authentic and take pleasure in your choices as they are the pillars of a collection that reflects your personality. Make your own choices and stick by them in all circumstances!
Have a great weekend!
(Photography by Liam O'Donnell & Pierre Vogel)