FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Every Watch Tells a Story – want to tell yours?
Zach BlassAs watch collectors and owners, we all have, in some form or another, an emotional connection with our timepieces. And if, like me, you have hunted after many watches over the years, then you know that the journey can be, at times, more interesting than the destination. When we attend a watch meetup, one of the first questions we ask another is “what watch are you wearing?”. But the more fascinating and inevitable follow-up is the how and why. How did you get the watch? What drew you to it?
We have previously tackled this very subject in our video series Every Watch Tells a Story that asks real watch lovers in the Time+Tide watch community to tell the story of their watch. Although many of us around the world are still facing lockdowns and restrictions in terms of getting together in person, we wanted to extend the opportunity for you all to share your very own watch stories.
To have your story featured on the site, reach out to [email protected] with the subject line “Every Watch Tells a Story” and shoot over your very own watch tale for a chance to be featured on-site. Normally, this series is a filmed segment with members of our community. But with everything going on right now, we figured we would extend the series into a written format as well. Ideally, your submission will be comprised of 500-1000 words and tell the backstory of a watch, why it is special to you, how it arrived in your collection or an adventure you took the watch on in the past.
The best stories delve into the narratives of the watch, so your take doesn’t have to be heavy with specifications and technical data. To get more familiar with what we are looking for, you can simply watch the video above. Also, in the Instagram era of watches, we know many of you are savvy with a camera as well – so some beautiful shots of the watch would be a much-appreciated addition to your submission.
True story, while not published under the segment byline, my very own reader submission on the story behind my Seiko SBWA001 (the original Spring Drive watch from 1999) actually laid the groundwork for me to join the Time+Tide team as a contributor, then eventually become a full-time writer, and presently the Deputy Editor.
Like collectors hunt watches, at Time+Tide we actively hunt for intriguing stories about the watches worn by members of our community – so we would love to hear from you!
We look forward to reading your submissions and have a great weekend,
Zach
Watch meme of the week: the hot-topic of date window positioning
Watch collecting is a game of details, with even the smallest of design elements having large impacts. It is amazing how polarizing a date complication can be. The mainstream market and utility-driven collector demands the presence of a date window on their watch, while design purists believe a dial is better left without one. When a date window is introduced, the next point of scrutiny is always its positioning and colour scheme. Traditionally, people are most used to the 3′ position and ideally the date disc colour-matches the tone of the dial. The next most welcome position is at 6′, with many believing its placement maintains the symmetry of a dial. But we also commonly see date windows at the 4′ position, and this is, by far, the most controversial position in the eyes of collectors. While the meme above may say otherwise, the placement is due to a caliber’s design. The question is, does it bother you? And if it does, why do manufacturers keep designing calibers that require the date window to be there? For me, it is a case by case situation – I wouldn’t immediately write off a watch with a 4′ date window, but I do, however, prefer the 3′ and 6′ positions. What do you think?
Wrist shot of the week: John explores the mountains with his Rolex Explorer ref. 214270
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With their unobtanium status and ever-climbing secondary values, some may be tempted to baby their Rolex watches. Not John (@watcheswithjohn). He captured the gorgeous scenery of his hike, with his now discontinued 39mm Rolex Explorer ref. 214270 tucked between his glove and jacket sleeve in the foreground with snow-covered mountains setting the scene in the background. If you know the legendary backstory of the Everest summiting Rolex Oyster Perpetual that inspired the Explorer line, then you know that this is exactly where this professional Rolex watch is most at home. Great shot John, and kudos to you for actually bringing it along on your hike.
Recommended attending: Worn & Wound Windup Watch Fair & WatchTime New York 2021
For the first-ever recommended attending in the Friday Wind Down, I want to give a shout to an event-packed watch weekend happening here in New York City. If you are in the area, I would recommend checking out both the Worn & Wound Windup Watch Fair and WatchTime New York 2021. Both events present a great opportunity for those in NYC this weekend to get intimate with a variety of watches that retail at a wide range of price points.
To learn more about the upcoming Windup Watch Fair, click here.
To learn more about WatchTime New York 2021 and buy tickets, visit here.
Our favourite Time+Tide coverage of the week:
The Pink Dial Project auction lot overview
October 25th marks the inaugural launch of The Pink Dial Project, a fundraising auction involving a long list of top watch brands in partnership with our friends at Revolution, Fratello Watches, Loupe This, and The Eye of Jewelry. In an effort to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer, each brand has been prompted to spotlight the colour pink – referencing and paying tribute to the breast cancer awareness movement (with all funds raised going to the Union of International Cancer Control). To check out all the lots, you can learn more about the participating big box brands here and the indies, micros, and sleeper hits here.
VIDEO: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon collection expands with stunning dial variations
In 2020, we all gushed over the Master Control series that Jaeger-LeCoultre had given a facelift. They were clean, endearing and simple in a way that could never come close to being boring. In 2021, we’re treated to an expansion of another old favourite in the Master Ultra Thin Moon, with that first black dial version being joined by a crisp silver sunburst, glorious champagne, and an intoxicating petrol blue. To learn more, you’ll have to check out our video review above.
We are so besotted with our “Night Surfer” Zenith, and this video shows why (and it proves Andrew’s in 🇨🇭 too)
Hi, and greetings from Neuchâtel, Switzerland! It’s not like I needed to prove that I’m here (after all, Zenith totally outed me on their Instagram with a super-fun interview with me and CEO Julien Tornare), but it’s more a case of being so stoked about it, I’m taking every chance to catch it on record. And when Marcus, our Amsterdam-based Creative Director joined me briefly for a gig, I grabbed him and said, let’s go shoot some Swiss stuff! The magic was back. A country I’ve visited more than I ever could have imagined is now a place I officially miss when I’m away from it for years on end. And so, the intro to this Night Surfer review starts where I am right now – just outside the Beaulac Hotel, on the shores of Lake Neuchâtel. To check on availability of this watch, hit here. – Andrew