Why Watch Fanatics Photograph Their Watches

Pingtsai delves into the fascinating psychology behind watch enthusiasts' compulsion to photograph their timepieces, exploring motivations beyond mere pride. This article frames watches as silent companions to life's sublime moments, prompting reflection on why these objects become such compelling photographic subjects. It invites readers to consider the deeper connections between horology and personal expression.

Why Watch Fanatics Like Taking Pictures of Watches

Here is a familiar scene: It’s a beautiful sunny day out on a leisurely Sunday morning. Perhaps you are out on your boat, enjoying a peaceful drive through the countryside or on the patio sipping coffee and catching up on emails. Life seems pretty uninterrupted in that moment and your personal pleasures have a chance to take a front seat to your undivided attention. Occasions like this are sometimes so enjoyable because they are rare. And watches can serve as the perfect witnesses and companions to bits of blissful awareness that remind us simply, life is good and being alive is sublime.

Rolex GMT Master: Dr. Strong

Omega Ploprof: Ruckdee

Photographing watches at the beach: AndrewH, Dr. No & TimJ caught in the act by Cazalea

Serendipitous Subjects

So why do we like taking pictures of our watches so much? Does it have to do with pride, artistic expression or mindless escaping? Watches are ideal for playing mascot to the good things in life because they are symbolic of time, an invaluable commodity that seeks to hold presence, all the other things in life that are worth having and experiencing. They are quiet counterparts that faithfully allow us the freedom of self-expression in the “purest” form without judgment or contradiction.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Date: deBalzac

Tokens of Pride

Perhaps one of the reasons why watch enthusiasts like to photograph their timepieces is because they are proud of them. A watch purchase can sometimes be a long, laborious process with a great deal of thought, resources and time invested so when the journey comes to fruition, the fruit of all the labor begs to be shared. A proud first-time Patek owner is as shamelessly shutter-happy as a new parent with offspring. Similarly, scoring a rare vintage Rolex is also a prideful moment that needs to be captured and shared. 

Patek Philippe Aquanaut: beejo

Watches can also serve as reflections of personal success and perhaps all the professional things that we did right. There’s a natural insuppressible desire to let success shine and be publicized. It’s self-validating and can feel real to you, but a picture provides proof and makes it real to everyone else. 

Montblanc Villeret Monopusher Chronograph: Andrewluff

Sharing an incredible image of a Panerai, JLC or Rolex and taking credit for it is a tremendous source of pride for many watch collectors so it’s not difficult to see why they can be suckers for watch pic praise. One way to get on the good side of a fellow Purist? Compliment him on his watch pictures. It’s a great way to introduce yourself and join the conversation. If it’s a good compliment, or even a bad one for that matter, chances are, they’re not going to forget it.

Rolex Seadweller: Fernando 

Documenting Reality  

Individuals armed with cameras and an urge to use them also have a desire to document what they see. Photos capture details as they are in exact form. All of a sudden, others do not have to be where you are to see what you are seeing. Our mental recollections are humanly flawed and may not always present the clearest of images. We may try to describe every nuance of the new Girard Perregaux that we saw until we’re blue in the face but our efforts will still fall short of a single photograph that took a fraction of a second to produce.

Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 Moon Phases Blue: Blomman

Panerai Radiomir: AnthonyT

Pictures have the power to bring hearsay to the forefront of reality which is kind of ironic since a photograph is merely a representation and not the actual thing. But it can make things that are talked about and heard about seem more real. Also, many of the stock photographs that press releases dish up are so over-edited and stylized that they don’t even look like real watches anymore and instead resemble a sort of cartoonized version of the watch. In these instances, first-hand pictures taken by the watch community definitely make the pieces seem more life-like, presenting them in their natural habitat so admirers can actually imagine what they would look like on their wrist instead of your desktop wallpaper.   

Panerai Radiomir: Fernando

For the Fun of Creative Expression

If you’ve ever submersed yourself in the exercise of taking watch pictures, we mean the "really serious composition and lighting tinkering", you’ll know just how much fun it actually is. If you have yet to try it, we’ll have to warn you of the possibility of losing yourself. Although you will find it fully joyous for yourself, it will be equally (or more) annoying to your loved ones, especially when dinner is waiting on the table and you are locked away in a dark corner with lamps, light boxes, and macro lenses. We’ve seen many Purists venture down this path but emerge with impressive photographic skills.

MB&F HM3: Andrewluff

Girard Perregaux Olimpico: MattS

Rolex by Amanico

Just a Few Basics

Props and fancy photographic gadgets may become an added expense but you don’t always need an expensive camera to take great pictures of watches. Many of our community members have posted incredible shots that were taken with a cell phone camera. Admittedly, if you want to take clear close-up pics of the movement, you will need an adequate macros function. And if you want to minimize glare, you should have a light diffuser. But these, among a few other things like composition, background, angle and light are just the basics and can be achieved on a budget. Being mindful of the simple basics can drastically improve the look of your watch pictures.

Omega Speedmaster: Nilomis

Sometimes it’s all about the mood that you end up creating and not the precision and accuracy in detail. Photography is another form of art and if you look at it as an artistic expression, you can develop your own style or signature look that’s unique and interesting. With new macro lens attachments and cell phone cameras progressively improving in functionality and the unlimited creative possibilities that exist, taking really good watch pictures is something that any watch fan can achieve.

Panerai Luminor: Anthony T

Patek Philippe 5950: dom007 

Omega Seamaster 300: MattS

Panerai Radiomir Black Seal: WilliamM

A Hobby in a Hobby

A watch can take on a different look and feel depending on the way it’s photographed. Perhaps straight on the watch looks rather conventional but from certain angles it reveals completely different characteristics that are a lot more dynamic and interesting. Seeking out these undiscovered perspectives through the magic of photography is part of the fun and adds another dimension to watch collecting. Many watch enthusiasts are also motivated by the desire to improve their photography skills, to take even better pictures and get that next portfolio-worthy shot that will be Wristscan winner of the week.

F.P. Journe: AnthonyT

Beat Haldimann H1: KIH

It is worth mentioning that little nuances about a watch that show up in pictures do not always reflect positively on the watch or even the watchmaker. In some cases, flaws are revealed which aren’t detectable by the naked eye. Although pictures can bring out the best in a watch, they can also bring out the worse since there is nowhere for the less-than-perfect finishing job to hide. Of course, we can’t forget that there is always Photoshop.

Escape

Just like with any hobby, focusing your energy, thought and time into an activity that transports your mind and has its own personal reward can be a great escape from the daily stresses of life. Although you may not realize it, one of the reasons that watch fans often enjoy taking pictures of their watches is because it forces you to focus on one thing which can be a welcomed respite from other things. It can be all-consuming at times and steal a bit of time away from family members but everyone needs an escape from time to time and constructive activities are always better than self-destructive ones.

Group table shot from a Rolex gathering in London 2014

It is an undeniable fact that one of the main reasons why we all visit the forums here is to see pictures of watches. We want to be awed and left speechless at the beauty in the design and mechanics of horology. We want to see all the new releases, as well as the old discoveries, what you are choosing and how you are wearing it. The saying goes that “Pictures are worth a thousand words,” but in reality they convey so much more. For what would PuristSPro be without all your proudly displayed wrist shots and watch-posed vacation pictures?

Hublot Big Bang: Andrewluff

Omega Speedmaster: Nilomis

Rolex Submariner: MattS 

How could our beloved virtual hangout exist if it didn’t have the personal touch from your thoughtful photo journals and the camaraderie of those impressive table shots? The very best part is that your watch pictures are everlasting. Collections will come and go but the photos you create have permanence and can be enjoyed forever. For that, thank you.    

Group table shot: Ares501 

Rolex Daytonas: Fernando

Casey

Below some of our community members shared thoughts and tips and why they personally like taking pictures of watches. 

Why do you take pictures of watches?

Cazalea: I take pictures of almost everything, within reason. Maybe too many things. Like my Aperture library is now 73009 images. Only 13,000 of those are watch photos. I can’t see as well as I used to, and photos let me see the watch more clearly than I might otherwise. Like this dial - I had no idea it had lions and GSs on it. You can't quite see them with the naked eye.

Robin: So i can admire them whenever they are not with me (I mainly take pics using my smartphone). Also to share them on PuristSPro and my other social media accounts such as Facebook and Instagram.

Blomman : Many reasons. To be able to enjoy the beauty of a watch even if I don’t own it or wear it at the moment. But the most important reason is to be able to share the watch with others.

Nilomis: Initially was to share a watch with a small group of friends, sometimes asking for advice, sometimes just for showing a new acquisition. Later was to post on watch forums and finally I found Ppro.

Jocke: The pleasures with clock photo is that when I come home after a long workday that are not as creative as I step into my own little world and vanish away my watches. To be a little creative and create a picture is really satisfying, I would say. But you have to be a little weird to appreciate this but there is one already in their surroundings when collecting watches.

Can you put into words, the personal satisfaction you get in taking and viewing watch pictures that are your own?

Cazalea: It lets me experience the watches that I have sold. And those that are “lost” somewhere around the house, in the safe, or on my bench. The photos remind me of the places that I have been and the people I have met while wearing the watch. And refresh the emotions of joy or distress when the watch was sold. Or joy (or distress) at still having the watch. All without having to actually get the watch out, set it, and put it on. Yes, it’s a vicarious pleasure but nevertheless it’s fun. I’m a bit of a recluse, and my “normal” friends aren’t very watch-loving, so the photos let me share with people I might not meet in person.

Robin: Whenever I travel and am not with the watches I left at home or when I leave my watches  in the bank vault, I will miss them alot. Seeing these  watches  on pics makes me smile a lot  It's  the next  best thing to wearing them or holding them in my hands.

Blomman: I am not a photographer, more of a point and click kind of guy, so if a photo comes out good I get a personal satisfaction by that. In photos you see/discover other parts of a watch than you may not see when holding it in your hand.

Nilomis: I obtain a great satisfaction when I believe that I could capture on a picture the watch as much as close as I saw it with my own eyes. Since I always believe that the next picture will be better, I seldom view past pictures of my own watches.

What is the biggest challenge when taking watch pictures?

Cazalea: (a) Reflections and (b) dust

Robin: Lighting - sometimes too dark and often too bright in boutiques. Watches with Anti-reflective coating on the glass are easier to take photos but after time, these AR coating  get scratched so it's pros and cons.

Anthony T: The biggest challenge is getting enough lighting.  It doesn't matter if you have a super duper camera and no light.  The picture will come out horrible.  Light is king when taking watch pictures.

Blomman: Light and reflections.

Nilomis: Two challenges: To capture what I'm seeing and avoid to take standardized (think about regular watch advertise catalogs) pictures.

Can you offer a personal tip for achieving the best results?

Cazalea: Clean the watch. Set the watch. Don’t forget the date. Reset the watch on the right time - I don’t know how often I am off an hour or a day - and if you have more than one watch in a photo people will notice. Clean it again. Put it on your wrist right-side-up. Take lots of pictures and be prepared to take them again as soon as you look at them on your big screen (i.e. don’t tear down your setup until you confirm). Clean the watch again and shoot some more. I don’t do much post-processing although I do have Photoshop and other tools.

Robin: I mainly use smartphones to take  pics of watches. I will recommend the latest smartphones  such as the Samsung Note 4 or iPhone 6 - their effects are great for quick shots! Lighting is key - avoid reflection on the glass or poor lighting that produces a grainy effect.

Anthony T: Use additional lighting to achieve the best results.  I like to use slide illuminators as my light sources when taking my pics.  But I've found that taking pictures of watches inside your car during a sunny day provides extremely superb results.

Blomman: Take many photos, try different settings/ways of taking your photos.

Nilomis: I summarized my tips here:

wristscan.watchprosite.com /

Jocke: It is to be careful and try different angles with the watch and light. Photographing glass and highly polished surfaces are among the hardest thing you can be doing. Reflections are your biggest enemy as it is these you should get rid of one way or another, even something as simple as diffuse the light with a plain white printer paper can give a good result.

What camera or cameras do you use? Do you have any favorite gadgets?

Cazalea: iPhone6 and Sony DSC-HX300.

Robin: I normally use my iPhone 5S. for better photos i sometimes use my Canon P12 but to be honest my iPhone  is as good or better! 

Blomman: Compact camera: Panasonic, Lumix DMC-LX7

Nilomis: For static shots I use a Canon Mark II with a 100mm L lens. For all other shots I use a Canon EOS M with a 22mm lens or the camera of my iPhone 6.

Do you have any favorite gadgets?

Robin: Yes! Those smartphone clip-ons for macro shots! cheap,  fast and good!

Blomman: The “Borat system”. 

Nilomis: iPhone 6 Plus

Can you share a favorite picture that you have taken and tell us why you like it?

Cazalea: Favorite shot of 13,000? Wow. Maybe my secret setup - I can’t remember every seeing anyone else photograph their watch on aluminum foil. The first time I tried it, in 2007 with a Datejust, the photo convinced me there was hope but I hadn’t found the secret of celebrating the reflections instead of fighting them.

Six years later I got another Rolex, and with this shot I think I nailed it. I haven’t worn this Daytona more than 10 times in 2 years but it was worth buying for the photo. I hope it makes you look for more than a few seconds. No dust either! To me it conveys mystery, depth, light, randomness, order and precision. With a hint of color.

(Closer view)

Robin: It has to be the caseback of my  Montblanc Villeret grand feu enamel  chronograph. the Hunter back  made  it more difficult  to get the right lighting as it effectively  cuts out  half the light source but with just the right lighting (natural sunlight near a window) and a steady iPhone 5S, i managed this shot which shows the beautifully  finished  calibre  13.21 

Blomman: JLC Memovox: One of my absolute favourite shots. The shot was taken a few years ago during a hike in the Swedish mountains with friends. It is not the sharpest or the most detailed shots I have but it is taken at a spot I love, together with dear friends and the motive very much reflects the core essence of my watch passion at that moment…

Nilomis: This one:

 g

I like this picture, because I believe that it represents on a nice way the Speedmaster Moon Watch with a "moon" look. Of course, as I stated previously, my favorite picture will be my next one.

Thank you to the exceptionally talented PuristS that offered their thoughts, insight and photography tips in contribution to this article!

Leave a comment below and tell us, "Why do you like taking pictures of watches?"