Vox Populi: What’s Happened When You Gave Watch Advice?

As a Watchonista reader, you probably have friends who perhaps might not be as initiated into the watch world as you are (and maybe even look at your obsession as a bit nuts). But who do they turn to when they need timepiece advice? That’s right, you.

This situation is doubly true for watch journalists.

That’s why we quizzed Watchonista reporters and other colleagues in the timepiece media with the following question: What’s happened when a “civilian” has asked you for watch advice?

As the busy Editor-in-Chief at the helm of Hodinkee’s editorial efforts, James Stacey still manages to find the time to help a friend connect with the perfect watch:

“Depending on the level of nerdery your subject possesses, helping someone else pick a watch is a bit like helping them pick their favorite song from your favorite album. In some cases, the friend in question will know each song and simply disagree, and in others, they won’t even know the band.

“In a recent example, I was given a workable hypothetical budget and an understanding that the subject did not want a big dive watch (although one has to question why they came to me given this caveat 😉). We texted back and forth on the quartz vs. mechanical issue.
 

“They didn’t want the latest gadget, so we had to decide if they will derive any enjoyment from keeping the dang thing running and on time; if not, quartz is the move. If they have graduated to the additional fuss, service, and possible life-changing hobby of mechanical watches, then you have to be ready to get specific

“In the end, my friend went with a quartz CWC Royal Navy Diver, a bit of a deep cut but part of a beloved genre, and I believe they chose very well.”

Veteran journalist and author of the highly acclaimed book Watch Spotting: The Collectors, Watchonista’s own Editor-at-Large Rhonda Riche shared a more cautionary tale about offering watch advice:

“Some of my relatives decided that they wanted to buy their brother a nice watch to commemorate a milestone birthday. I had never seen this person wearing a watch, so when I suggested that it would be an inappropriate gift, they insisted that a watch was a traditional gift.
 

“I gave them a list of solid watches to consider (you can never go wrong with Seiko or Citizen) that suited his laid-back but outdoorsy lifestyle.

“They ignored my advice, bought an overly expensive and flashy watch, and are still disappointed because the birthday boy never wears it. No good deed goes unpunished. I guess I’ll never be an influencer.”

The Co-Founder, Executive Editor, and Chief Creative Officer of the popular Worn & Wound site, Zach Weiss has a few aces up his sleeve when it comes to steering people to out-of-the-box watch brands with broad appeal.

“As someone with too much knowledge about watches, it’s very easy to go too far down the rabbit hole with someone looking for a simple suggestion, so I stick to the basics: how much can they spend, and is there a general style?
 

“More often than not, I’ve found that Junghans and NOMOS Glashütte are great suggestions. People just appreciate the clean, mature designs. They don't need to know about watches to understand them.

“For sportier recommends, I find that bracelets can be difficult for people to size themselves or find someone to size locally, so I usually suggest something on a strap.”

As Watchonista’s Executive Editor, Mike Espindle’s story helps take the wind out of a watch journalist’s sails on being a “famous” watch expert:

“My story relates to the importance (or lack thereof) of my byline. I had a friend ask me about the Piaget Polo timepiece when it was re-introduced a few years back. Before I answered him, I asked him where he found out about it.

“He told me he was on a business trip in Chicago and there was a magazine in his room that covered the Polo and then-spokesman Ryan Reynolds. Now, this is a very good friend of mine who knew exactly what I did for a living… which at the time included writing about watches for a luxury lifestyle magazine distributed throughout the fine hotel industry, including nicer Chicago hotels.
 

“I told him, ‘Dude, you already know what I think about the watch because I wrote the story you read.’ The Piaget section was on the following page, so he never saw the first page with my byline… but still. His apologies and admitted Ryan Reynolds man-crush aside, he ended up with a very nice Polo for himself at the end of the day.”

The founder of the watch-enthusiast Red Bar Group and Editor-at-Large for Revolution, Adam Craniotes takes on all comers when it comes to doling out watch advice.

“As the resident ‘watch nerd’ in my extended circle of friends, family, and acquaintances, I am the go-to guy for any and all horological questions, recommendations, and suggestions, and you know what? I love it.
 

“I have received queries from the parents of pre-teen boys wondering if it’s okay to get them a Baby-G because it’ll fit better (it won’t), and I’ve been consulted by my friends with means who are looking to dip their toes into the deep end of the pool (no, you’re not walking into an F.P.Journe boutique with a suitcase full of cash and walking out with a Chonomètre à Résonance, relax).

“Regardless of the ask, I treat each inquiry with equal thoughtfulness, because as frivolous as this all may seem, I’m hoping that by helping to plant the right seeds, I’m increasing our ranks, one collector at a time.
 

“My most recent consultation came via proxy: A friend asking on behalf of a friend. The individual in question (an art gallery owner) was looking to move beyond the anonymity of their Apple Watch, and wanted something with a strong design language that would identify them to other watch collectors as someone in the know. It had to be mechanical, capable, and not overly spendy. My recommendation? A Papar Cenote.

If you are an opinionated Watchonista reader interested in sharing your thoughts on a variety of watch topics, please send us an email at contact@watchonista.com. We can’t wait to hear from you!