A personal connection is what keeps watches in your collection
Andrew O'ConnorI often find myself reflecting and realising that I lead a very lucky life. Sure, there are ups and downs, but at this stage in my professional career, I’m focused on the two fields that I enjoy most: music and horology. I think as human beings, we often make comparisons between things that we know and understand, even if the two things being compared are vastly different. Performing music and collecting and writing about watches really have little to do with each other, but I know that I’m not alone in being a working musician and appreciating watches. Several documented famous musicians are open about sharing their watch enthusiasm, and I have made many musician friends over the years who are also watch people (some of whom were definitely brought to the dark side by yours truly).
The most immediate connection we often make is the attention to detail and craft required to make both watches and musical instruments. If you’re reading this, you likely love to observe the details of your timepieces, appreciating the craft and creativity that goes into making each watch unique. The same can be said for musical instruments, with craft and creativity manifesting themselves not just in the aesthetics of an instrument, but in its functionality too.
Taking guitars as an example: there are so many available in various shapes, sizes, colours, and functions that make them suited to different playing styles, musical roles, and the preferred comfort of different musicians. Some are very general, making them suited for a wide range of people and applications, and some are very specific, aimed at particular genres of music with a singular goal in mind.
Money
Much to the dismay of my finances, both fields can be quite exhausting on the bank account, as both musical instruments, watches, and the various associated accessories can be quite expensive. There can very easily be an internal compulsion to acquire new things in an attempt to satisfy various wants and needs, however valid or manufactured those wants and needs may be. When it comes to watches, I know I’m not alone in a desire to experience a wide range of watches, constantly searching for the next watch that scratches that dopamine-deprived itch.
For some, this very quickly leads to very rapid acquisition of watches, and then often selling watches that either aren’t what was desired, or are left behind as collection goals and preferences morph and change. My personal experience with this has not been too taxing, as most of my watches hang around, but I have sold a few as I have decided to move on to something else. It’s not that these watches weren’t great watches; they just didn’t suit my wants and self-manufactured needs as time went on.
In general, I tend to be a very goal-oriented person, and I think that has only been amplified as I’ve gotten older and family life has morphed and changed. I feel that having a large number of things can be exhausting to keep tabs on, and if something isn’t being used, it is wasted money and space that should be moved on in order to make room for things that matter. As I attempt to be more purposeful with my watch collecting, I have contemplated how to manage keeping my watch collecting in check, and do my best to only have things that I know I’ll use. This led me back to my music career and the equipment I use.
Guitars and GADAs
Going back to my luck in life, I have been very fortunate to have met many of my musical heroes. Not just famous musicians, but people well known within the bass world who are highly regarded within the industry for making some of the best instruments and equipment available. I have sold some of my musical equipment over the years, but the majority of the instruments I have currently had with me for a good number of years, even beyond a decade.
It didn’t take much contemplation to realise that these instruments have stayed not just because they are great instruments that work well with the music I perform, but because they have entered my life through fostering positive relationships with the people who made them, and having them tailored to my specific wants and needs.
I began to think about how this applies to my watch collection, and looking at my favourite watches, and why they’re my favourites. I twigged that the most important watches are the ones that have a personal connection not only to me, but to the people in my life and how they were acquired. This may seem obvious, but for me it goes beyond having watches that mark occasions in life. My favourite watches all have some sort of story, personal interaction, or reason for existing in my watch box.
As I’ve discussed in a previous article about my Omega Aqua Terra, that watch was sold to me by a dealer who eventually became a friend, as we bonded over the same mutual love of music and watches, as prior to working in watches and jewelry he pursued a music career. My Tudor Black Bay Pro was purchased during a trip to Seoul with my wife, but then survived a less relaxing and very trying, eventful trip to Mexico (it is now dubbed the ‘adventure watch’ after a boat tour fiasco).
My favourite composer is Igor Stravinsky, and there is a great photo of him rocking a Cartier Tonneau while holding his pet cat. Before being a cat dad myself, this photo alone made wanting to own a Cartier at some point, and when I had a black cat of my own, I wanted to recreate that photo. Unfortunately, I never got to as my beloved black cat passed away right before a trip to Paris. On that trip, I did manage to make the unplanned addition of my Tank Américaine to the collection, which has now cemented its place not only as a tribute to my favourite composer but also as a bit of a memory of a beloved furry family member.
The big box brand conundrum
With big brands, though, as much as we may gravitate towards them, I can’t help but think any personal connection is self-manufactured. I can love a watch as a totem to aspects of my life, but I do not have any direct personal connection to someone at Omega, Tudor, or Cartier that made me a devoted fan of the brand. Much in the same way, one can go to almost any music store and get a very usable Fender or Gibson: they do make good instruments, and plenty of famous musicians have played their entire careers on them, but they are largely mass-produced instruments made to appeal to their known audiences.
Whether it is the Les Paul of your dreams or the Submariner you always coveted, it doesn’t mean they aren’t great products, but these objects’ sole existence doesn’t make them special; it is the importance placed upon them by their owners that makes them meaningful.
When it comes to the watches from micro/independent brands, I feel that these sentiments change. My Dietrich SD-1, for example, was meant as a celebration of completing my academic studies. I hadn’t owned a modern dive watch, and I am not a diver in any capacity. I’ve had periods of regular lap swimming and competing in some triathlons, so that was the basis of my wanting to own an aquatic-focused watch.
Emanuel Dietrich has made his name in the industry for designing watches for other brands, and then starting his own with its own very unique design language. Seeing him apply this design language to a fun diver that wasn’t so serious greatly appealed to me. In the aftermath of my purchase of the watch, I have since been in touch with Emanuel and the team responsible for the watch on a handful of occasions, all of which have been incredibly positive.
My Arken Alterum Year of the Dragon follows a similar arc. I was already a fan of the Arken Alterum, but when Kenneth Lam announced a limited edition for the Year of the Dragon at British Watchmakers Week 2024, it was a model to celebrate Kenneth’s mixed Chinese and British heritage. 2024 was also the year that my daughter was born, and my wife’s family is originally from Hong Kong. With the remaining pieces allocated through application, with potential buyers explaining why they wanted to add this limited edition to their collection, I explained how the model resonated with me, in addition to red being my favourite colour. My application was not only accepted, but Kenneth sent me number 33, as 3 is a homonym with life in Chinese.
Again, I’ve had similar correspondence with Kenneth via social media as I have had with Dietrich, but when I met him at WindUp NYC this last year, I was greeted with an exceptionally warm hug as soon as he saw the watch on my wrist.
I see these interactions as very similar to my relationships with the instrument and musical equipment manufacturers that I have relationships with. Through these professional relationships, I have been able to accumulate a collection of tools for my trade that are tailored to my playing preferences and goals. Not only does that make them incredibly personal, but it also serves as a catalyst to foster positive relationships with these people. With microbrands and independent brands, the watches they produce are watches created in the founders’ creative vision. These watches will ultimately not be for everyone, but for those who resonate with the brand’s creations, there is an opportunity to connect with the watches and the people on a level that simply is not possible (or at least not easily obtained) with large brands.
With an open mind and some patience, I think the biggest asset to small independent brands is the personal connections clients can make with the product directly, and then by proxy, the connections with the brand founders. The positive interactions I’ve had with brand founders whose watches I own have made their place in my collection incredibly solid. Going forward, I’m inclined to let products, creative visions, and people be the main guiding light for my collecting, as experience has indicated that these were the most satisfying ownership experiences. I’ve already met some amazing people who make some stellar watches that are on my short list.
Closing thoughts
It likely comes as no surprise that a positive community atmosphere is one of the most important things that we as humans can foster. With that, get out there, go to some watch events, handle as many watches as you can, and talk to as many people as your social battery can handle. I believe this will result in the most positive watch enthusiasm experience one could have, and the highest success rate of watches staying in a collection.