Angelo writes:
Looking at this Seiko SUN007 watch again, something occurred to me about the discussions we've had about transitioning collections from Invicta to Seiko (or others). I must be nuts, but I actually wake up thinking about things like this. Anyway, my analogy this time isn't with cars----it's with friends, old and new. Invicta (Let's call him "Buster")is like the childhood friend you grew up with. He might have lived on your street and the two of you walked to school and had play dates. He was really good at sports----not the best student academically, but wildly popular and you benefited from some of his popularity because the two of you were good friends and lived near each other----being seen together a lot. He was far from perfect----not the smartest and sometimes unintentionally said hurtful things---but the upside was he was a great football player and all around pretty nice guy---and the girls loved him.
You went away to college and later started a career and maybe moved away from the town you grew up in. Buster's fan flamed out. He might have had a football scholarship to a small school but things didn't work out and he dropped out of college, moved back to the town and is working at a low paying job and has generally faded into the background.
At times, your new friends and new life have collided with the old----you've been out with friends and run into Buster at a bar in town or at a sporting event or something. He's embarrassed you in front of the others by saying things that show ignorance and narrow mindedness----these new people wonder why he's your friend. But you know him very well----you defend him the best you could. You know he has a good heart even if he behaves like a bull in a china shop sometimes.
You still see value in the friendship even though others don't understand it. You and Buster share a past. Still----you don't see him nearly as much anymore----you've moved on. When you do see him, some of the good times are rekindled for a moment---but then he says or does something that reminds you why your new friends, the Seikos, get most of your time now. You and Buster can never be separated completely----Buster is part of your life and always will be---but he's moved off the stage and is now in the background. And the more time goes by, the further into the background he seems to move.
I may have to sell some more Busters.
Posted by: herculodge | January 27, 2013 at 06:58 AM
Ha, appropriate analogy Angelo. I might blog about this but the other day I thought I might call Buster up - I opened up the watch box and thought, "Today's an Invicta day...why not?" I tried on a few but just couldn't bring myself to wear any of them.
I suspect that I'll keep a few of my Invictas long-term - maybe half a dozen - but it is at the point where I haven't "called Buster" for a couple months and really see no reason to do so.
Posted by: jonnybardo | January 27, 2013 at 07:07 AM
Before taking my wife out last night, I tried on some Busters but wasn't feeling it. I ended up wearing my Seiko Velatura SNDA59. My wife forgot about her insistence that I wear the SUN007.
Posted by: herculodge | January 27, 2013 at 07:23 AM
Maybe you should chart the correlation between which watch you wear and your "luck." Maybe you should listen to your wife, or maybe when you don't listen to her and follow your own path your "luck" is better.
Posted by: jonnybardo | January 27, 2013 at 08:22 AM
Yep. I remember the days when I was in my late teens and early 20s. I'd drive around with the windows open----stereo blasting my favorite new album for my passengers and I to hear----as well as anyone within a block of the car. Now? I usually listen to talk radio and when I do put some music on, it's generally with the windows up, at a reasonable volume. Is this maturity or is it "getting old?" I suppose with the biggest, boldest Invictas, I'd pull my sleeve up a little for the world to see the watch. With some of my other watches----including an older Seiko that belonged to my late wife's father----or a Kinetic----or even some of my intricate Aeromatics or bold Tauchmeisters---I'm wearing the watch for me. If the sleeve is covering the watch, it stays there until I need to know what time it is---or until I am the one who wants to look at the watch.
Posted by: Angelo | January 27, 2013 at 10:31 AM