Reasons for the Watch Buying Hiatus

 

Comments

[Gary]

I agree with what you said, Jeff. I suspect all of your watches are far nicer than the average watch wearer would ever hope to own. Wear them in good health and enjoy them.

[Gary]

Even G-Shock quartz watch collectors can be obsessive:

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f17/unhealthy-obsession-g-shock-1652826.html

I particularly like the comment by xevious on page 3. It sounds like something Jonny Bardo (aka Jonny Casual) would say.

[jonnybardo]

You say "Paneray" I say "Panerye" - but which is correct? Gary's watch guide doesn't have Panerai listed.

[Angelo]

Also, I've been saying "O-MAY-GA" my entire life---the Oldsmobile compact car and the watch. Is it really O-ME-GA?

[Gary]

Ariel Adams at ABTW calls it "Panerye."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Oxoe2CLRop0

[Gary]

Angelo - The watch pronunciation guide says it's "o MAY guh," which is how I've been pronouncing the Greek letter since I took engineering in college.

I've heard lots of Brits and Aussies pronounce it "o MEE guh."

http://www.watchtime.com/reference-center/watch-brand-pronunciation-guide/2/

[jonnybardo]

I think that's right, Gary. It might be an American vs. English/Australian thing. Brits got it wrong again. LOL.

[Ulysses]

I pronounce it "Oh-Meg-ah".

I was wandering around the city a few days ago. I tend to do my best thinking when I am walking somewhere - it doesn't matter where, but i've always had this desire to keep moving, and I think it influences my thoughts. I was thinking about what it is that people leave behind, and what people become known for. First of all, most people would say their kids are the greatest creation they'll leave to the world. Maybe so. I don't doubt it is because of how much we love our kids, but since most people can have them, they're not doing anything that hasn't been done before by other parents. You could leave behind a vast collection of cars or watches, but again, these are material objects and anyone willing to earn enough money can have them. For some, that is all they want their possession to tell us; that they are loaded and can afford it, and damned be how gaudy or kitsch that possession is. What an empty existence those people must lead.

There is no personal input that is uniquely "you" in these products we covet. Yes, we can enjoy them while we have them, and we can customise them to our tastes to reflect our values but we are all unique individuals and no amount of searching or customising will result in something as unique as ourselves. I came to the conclusion that the greatest thing we can leave behind of note is something we personally create that is unique to us; a story, a theorem, an artwork, to name a few possibilities.

Dedicating yourself to higher tasks like spending more time with your kids will ultimately be far more rewarding and fulfilling than chasing that elusive grail.

I don't know what the future holds in store for me, but as time goes by I am becoming increasingly aware of the fact that we all have a limited time on this Earth, and I would rather relentlessly pursue knowledge and love than material things, and perhaps if I am lucky, by the end of it all i'll be able to distinguish myself from the woolly flock of Humanity.

[Angelo]

True point----if you have children, spend time with them. I'm a single parent to a 10 year old. I bought a weekend house and one of the reasons was to force the two of us to get away from the city for Dad/Son weekends once in a while---we tend to use that place from April-November. There's no cable TV, no internet. It's a small house on 3 acres and it's off the main road by a couple miles (and the "main road" in that area is a two lane country road). There's a lot of walking to be done and a river we can wade in. We do have a DVD player and VCR and we bring movies and old TV shows to watch at night. Spend time with your kids because life is too short. I know how fast the first 10 years of his life has gone. In a few years, he won't really want me as a pal---he'll want to go his own way with his friends. 10 years from now, he'll be 20 years old, perhaps a few years away from having his own children. Yes, positive memories are more important than things. Do yourselves and your kids a huge favor by cherishing time instead of things. That said---my 10 year old does love my watches and has managed a little collection of his own:)

[jonnybardo]

I imagine that you're a great dad, Angelo.

Ulysses, I agree with you although don't think that focusing on the higher/more important things in life and "chasing the elusive grail" of a watch are necessarily mutually exclusive. The problems comes, and only comes, when the latter replaces or obfuscates the former - when it is a surrogate for those more fulfilling activities and practices. So in a way if watch collecting becomes "chasing the grail," then it veers into that territory.

But I think you are right: what is most fulfilling in life, in my opinion, are two general areas: human relationships and engaging in one's own creative passion, with an emphasis on "creative." We could call these "primary" aspects of life vs. "secondary" aspects which are hobbies and other stuff that doesn't have a lasting or deep impact (this could include a job one works just to pay the bills, although if you're lucky then your job dovetails with your creative passion).

To bring that back to watches, if it stays as a playful hobby to be enjoyed as just that--play--then it is basically harmless and can even augment the more primary activities of life. But when it becomes primary, well look out (see "Archie Luxury").

[Gary]

Since you're not on a "watch viewing" hiatus, here's the new Citizen F900 GPS watch.

http://www.ablogtowatch.com/citizen-eco-drive-satellite-wave-f900-watch/

[herculodge]

Gary, I like that new Citizen series a lot but at 2,400 dollars, I'll stick to my Promaster Sky.

[Gary]

I think that's a reasonable plan, Jeff. Although the F900 is more high tech than your Promaster Sky models, I actually prefer the look of the latter.