Horological Meandering

To quote FP Journe from a recent interview in Forbes "There are only three things I think about. Watches, watches, and watches." I sometimes get the sense that perhaps more than a few purists members think along similar lines. Given that most of us probably aren't currently running our own independent watch brands, have any of you ever wondered if perhaps this sort of single mindedness might be a problem ?

Ever had a nagging doubt that perhaps you were putting just a little too much of your time, attention and money into these little metal marvels, and not enough into other perhaps equally important things in life ? Ever perhaps promised yourself to go cold turkey - pare the collection down to just one (or a few) core pieces, but instead ending up browsing once again through SteveG's macro photography, and deciding 'actually a nice ultra thin is just what the collection needs'

Any of this sound familiar ? What do you think.

There is always a risk of expending excessive resources on watches. With regard to spending money on watches, we have seen many statements along the lines of "as long as all my other expenses are covered I have no problem spending the surplus on watches." I think the same goes for time: if you are not depriving yourself of work, family, exercise or sleeping time, then it's fine to spend as much time on watches as you can enjoy. That being said, it's also important not to fall into a habit of spending so much time that it stops being rewarding.

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"If you are not depriving yourself of work, family, exercise or sleeping time, then it's fine to spend as much time on watches as you can enjoy"

A perfect hypothesis: nothing more need be said. After all, what's the alternative? Another television show? More overtime at work?

It is also worth reflecting on the different facets offered by this interest.  Unlike some other 'collecting' hobbies, perhaps, there is depth and breadth available to those who want it, and at all levels of 'entry': from the schoolchild with a rudimentary collection of 'FlickFlack' watches, to the keen horology student without a single watch, to the world-weary European nobleman with a vast collection of museum quality timepieces. 

What other interests, for example, may be served simultaneously? Reading? Read books on watchmaking, watchmakers, collections, brands. History? Learn about the history of timekeeping; its value, its problems and mankind's ingenious solutions to those problems. Business? Buy, sell, trade, arbitrage. Socialising? Enjoy clubs, events, GTG's, online friendships, 'live' friendships. Maths, or science? Watchmaking, watch design, astronomical computation, materials analysis, testing. Handiwork? Try your hand at tooling, enamelling, gemsetting, strapmaking. Art? Engraving, painting, cloisonné. Writing? The world can always use another watch journalist, author, even forum contributor - and so on, and on, and on.

Always in all things, however, subject to that caveat: if you are not depriving yourself of work, family, exercise or sleeping time - and not necessarily in that order!

 

Cheers,

pplater.

Too narrow a focus means that you miss out on so much else.
Of course, I do acknowledge that some people prefer that. This message has been edited by mrsnak on 2010-10-10 14:51:16

Paint a fair discription of me!!!

interest in watches can become an obsession/addiction (notice all the usual suspects that are on this site every day).  However, one of the benefits of this interest for myself is that it brought me to this site.  Due to work I do not travel more than a couple of weeks a year.  This site has allowed me to communicate with people from Australia, Europe, Asia, etc.  I get to experience events through pictures and stories from across the world, as well as get points of view different than mine that are colored by age, experience, and cultural differences.  All from the comfort of my home.  We all need something to do with our free time, and as stated previously once the more important things are addressed, this is one of my favorite ways to spend it.

Stewart