Our poor Manly Watch Guy frets over the 75 watches he’s purchased over the last 6 years, at least 26 thousand dollars' worth of substandard wrist jewelry and if he had only known that for far LESS money he could have had a righteous collection, one that reflected his true soul, two Breitlings and a Panerai for the bargain price of about 16 thousand dollars, leaving him with a collection he truly wanted and ten thousand in the bank.
What a lachrymose state of affairs, regretting what should have and what could have been. Had only Manly Watch Guy knew then what he knows now, true happiness and contentment would have found him. And I have a bridge to sell him in the Mojave Desert. Pound sand, baby. You are doomed to a life of eternal melancholy.
Everyone at the count of three, let our hearts bleed for Manly Watch Guy.
No matter how many times I try to help my son (who is now 9 years old) by telling him about my perceived mistakes, so that he doesn't have to make the same ones----nothing I say will ever have even a fraction of the effectiveness of him making his own mistakes----or in other words, living his own life. I've said it before Jeff-----you didn't throw money away on the watches you bought (and sold). Everything we do builds on what we've done. Everything we WILL do builds on what we're doing. Take away any of it, and things can collapse like a house of cards with an industrial strength vintage Lasko fan aimed at it. Or go down like dominos. Have you pick. This is "Back To The Future" stuff----take away those Invicta and Nixon purchases from your past at your peril. I wouldn't do that.
Posted by: Angelo | February 20, 2014 at 01:28 PM
Angelo, indeed you are right, which is why I had some fun with the post.
Posted by: herculodge | February 20, 2014 at 01:30 PM
Yes, and I have a theory that will shake you to your very foundation, disturbing your roots even. I believe you should think back to the date that your beautiful daughters were conceived. I believe that your better half was turned on by a masculine watch you were wearing that day----an over the top, Vegas style power peace that screamed "I'm a man, you're a woman, let's get tribal." Of course, I don't have to tell you the rest----it's history. If your regrets about not saving all of that money for a "bold but classy Panerai" ever get to you----think about the fact that some macho Invicta might have helped bring two beautiful children into this world.
Posted by: Angelo | February 20, 2014 at 03:45 PM
That should have read "power piece" not "power peace."
Posted by: Angelo | February 20, 2014 at 03:46 PM
I both enjoy your self-deprecating humor, Jeff, and agree with Angelo's words of wisdom (except for the idea that a Vegas-style watch inspired your wife's amour; I don't know her a all, but I would hope that had nothing to do with it).
I've come to accept the fact that there's an evolution to my watch biography, a gradual process of climbing the ladder. This implies two things (among others):
1) That there's no skipping steps; I need to go from A to B to C to D...even if I know I'll get to D, I need to go to B and then C first, if for no other reason then I won't truly appreciate D unless I've experienced B and C first. In terms of watches, I went from "A" (Pulsar, Invicta) to "B" (low-end Seiko) to "C" (mid-range Japanese watches, micro-brands) to "D" (low-end Swiss) etc.
2) There's no end. Well, there is to some degree; I'm fairly certain, for instance, that I'll never own a Richard Mille, probably never a Patek Philippe Nautilus. But I'm fairly certain that I will own an Omega, probably a Breitling. Where it breaks down for me is in that $5K+ range. Will I ever own a Panerai? A lower end Patek? Etc. Who knows? Actually, part of the fun is not knowing.
Posted by: jonnybardo | February 20, 2014 at 04:11 PM
My wife is indifferent to my watches and is happily oblivious of all my buying, trading, selling, etc. However, she is very aware of when I help clean the house or not.
Posted by: herculodge | February 20, 2014 at 04:15 PM
I'd replace one of those two Breitlings in the power trio with an Omega (Seamaster or Speedmaster).
Posted by: Gary | February 20, 2014 at 04:18 PM
Jeff, what you wrote is 100% true for me as well - both the secret world of watch obsessing, buying, and selling, and my wife's love of me doing house-cleaning. It reminds me of a book a female co-worker apprised me of:
http://www.amazon.com/Women-Cambridge-Womens-Pornography-Cooperative/dp/0811855511
Posted by: jonnybardo | February 20, 2014 at 04:59 PM