This is one of the things about watches that I find very appealing - they definitely morph over time, for me at least. Seeing a watch in the metal is very different than seeing a picture, owning is very different than seeing/holding, wearing for a week, a month, a year, a lifetime, etc all change a perceptions considerably.
As the saying goes, "for every beautiful woman, there is a man who is sick of her". While I have been lucky enough to meet a woman and a few watches that disprove this, I can see its wisdom. A lot of women are nice to look at in magazines, may be fun to chat with in a bar, and a whole different story to marry.
In my watch life, where polygamy is not only tolerated but encouraged, I am still dating.
Now off to dinner with my soon-to-be-wife...
Steve