Hello friends and happy holida-
Nope, missed that window.
Happy new yea-
Nope, missed that too.
Hope the winter hasn’t been too ba-
Nope, it’s actually spring now.
… … …
Well then just hello! It’s been a while. I have an excellent reason as to why this is so many months after my last post: I’m a dad now! That’s right, my wife and I had a baby girl earlier this year, and needless to say that’s where my time has been spent. Early fatherhood has been a wonderful experience, though I will say that to a baby, time is a total myth, so half the time the day feels like night and vice versa. But everyone is happy, healthy, and looking forward to the warmer weather (though it did snow up here in Boston recently…in April…ugh).
Today’s topic is one that came up in conversation recently with a friend, and it centers around big time events in our lives and how we go about choosing what to wear on our wrists for them. Specifically, I’m here advocate against committing one of the biggest no-no moves I think there is in the book of watch-wearing:
Don’t borrow a watch for a special occasion.
Please, I beg you. Don’t do it.
The reason this is what we’re talking about today is that over the last couple of years, I’ve enjoyed several major personal milestones. I got engaged, got married, started my family, and for each occasion, I’ve had a watch to go along with me. Each has been a piece that I’ve owned, and with the exception of the Breitling Superocean Heritage I wore when I got engaged (why I thought the 46/56mm looked good on my very average wrist I’ll never know), I keep each special occasion watch in my collection no matter what.
For my wedding, as I wrote here before, I wore my vintage King Seiko 45-7000; for the birth of our daughter, I wore my Kurono Tokyo Special Projects Ochre/White. Neither is particularly expensive given the current landscape of watch pricing, and the KS I even got for less than $300 years ago. But they’re very me watches, and they made sense for me to have on in those moments. I enjoy being able to open up my watch box, see those pieces, and instantly be drawn back to those incredible moments.
When you borrow a watch for a special occasion, you lose that attachment as soon as you return the watch. It’s a shame, really, because those memories go right back along with it. To be clear, I understand the urge folks feel to borrow a watch for whatever the big day may be, especially if that watch is expensive, high end, or, god forbid, luxury. But the value of the watch has nothing at all to do with its worth to you, the wearer and experienced of those moments. Take, for example, a wedding day. You borrow a Rolex, maybe even a gold day/date, from a *insert someone here who has more money than you or is a watch dealer*, and you wear this gorgeous, expensive, and decidedly-not-yours timepiece. You have the day and time of your life, you take pictures, you shake hands, and the watch is there for every minute of it. It’s not something you think about all the time, but every now and then, you glance down, smile, and go back to enjoying your special occasion.
The next day, you package up the watch and give it back to its rightful owner. No split custody, no visitation, nada; it’s just gone, never to return. And so too do your memories go with it, back on another person’s wrist or in their box. The statement and impression you made while wearing that watch - maybe even showing off a little bit - wasn’t really you, but rather a display of something you wish you could be.
“But Mike,” I hear you say, “it shouldn’t be that deep.”
Exactly! It shouldn’t. It shouldn’t at all. Which is why the type of watch one wears for an engagement, wedding, childbirth, graduation, promotion, etc., doesn’t have to hit any sort of impressionable standard; people don’t have to look and say, “Oo! Wow! He’s got a Patek!” People don’t have to look or think anything about the watch at all. It’s your day, it’s your memory, and that’s why I firmly believe that what you wear should be your watch. Not a friend’s, not a dealer’s, not one from some cheesy watch lending service (ew). Your watch. And to be clear, this can include family pieces that have been passed down or gifted, as those often make the best pieces for these kinds of things. But either way, it shouldn’t been borrowed, and I’d wager a guarantee that a borrowed watch makes only for regret.
The preconception that special occasion watches need to be expensive is one that I think pushes along this urge to borrow or loan something for the big day; to someone looking for a memorable watch to wear, it’s not the value of the watch that makes the memories, but the memories that make the value of the watch. In fact, I tend to like to lean towards not wearing the most expensive pieces I own to special events or occasions; I like to not have to worry about the watch, and then any fun times had really feel like a bonus of ownership. If you’re thinking of getting a watch for something significant in the future, but you’re on a tight/tight-ish budget (talking less than $500 here) then here are some more affordable watches/watch brands that I think are worth considering:
Seiko:
This is an obvious place to start. Seiko’s been a go-to for affordable watches as long as most people can remember, and I would say to take a look both at vintage and modern offerings. For modern, if you’re looking on that fancier side but something you can wear daily without making too much of a scene, consider the Presage reference line.
For vintage, you need to be careful and on the lookout for Feikos, but if you’re buying from a reputable vintage shop/dealer, and you come across something like this super thin quartz Lassale for $100-175, you’d be hard-pressed to turn it down.
Timex:
If you want classic, this is for you. The Timex Marlin hasn’t changed much in the last 50 years, and with modern updates on reissued models, you’ll get a great vintage look without the hassles of dealing with old vintage movements. Really hard to beat for under $220, and a manual wind dress watch is always a deep cut.
Orient:
The Bambino is Orient’s flagship, entry-level dress watch, but I really only mean entry-level for the pricing at a few hundred bucks. As far as the watch goes, it’s something that anyone can and should consider having in the collection, especially in that copper/salmon dial layout. These watches are still highly undervalued IMO, and Orient often has coupons or sales going on to take a little more off the top for you. Also you get a see-through caseback, which is a nice touch and fun little party trick.
Swatch:
Yes, you read that right. Swatch is typically known for being the top of the bargain hill, producing watches by the thousands that are often cheapish but oddly either collectible and/or endearing. When I went digging around the Swatch site, I was pleasantly surprised to find some references that punch way above their pricing (sub $200) when it comes to both looks and versatility. If you want to go the wacky route - and I mean that affectionately, as Swatch makes some super fun pieces - then go right ahead! But for something a bit more restrained, the Hepcat and the Unavoidable (idk why these are the names, don’t give me that look) are my two picks:
Casio:
Casio isn’t as wild of a choice as many would think - even for something as formal as a wedding. It’s tough to pick just one, but between both the digital and analog models, Casio’s affordable catalogue is one that has won over even the snobbiest of snobs. I’ll always have a soft spot for the digital pieces, but for something more subtle and classy, not to mention an absolute steal (less than $80), my top pick is the MTP-1302D-1A1V. Again though, who names these things?
Baltic:
Last on our list is a French microbrand that I’ve been a fan of for years now. Baltic is, without a doubt, one of the best value propositions on the watch market today (they’re not paying me to say that, but it would be nice if they would). For less than $400, you really can’t do better than the Baltic HMS. Specifically, I would say the Salmon dial, but they have a number of options to choose from. This watch has pretty much everything I love and look for in a special-occasion-turned-daily-wear (36.5mm case, 46mm lug-to-lug, 20mm lug width, automatic movement), and it’s a steal at this price point.
Some of you will wonder why I didn’t mention more microbrands, and it’s purely because that market is so deep and often challenging to navigate; if microbrands are more your speed, have a look at this guide from Teddy Baldassarre. Just know that this covers both affordable and, well, less affordable options.
Some of you may also be asking, “Where’s Hamilton?” or “Where’s Tissot?” I’m here to ruffle some feathers and say that at their current retail prices, both Hamilton and Tissot aren’t the greatest value anymore. That’s a longer conversation to have, and both brands are still respectable, popular, and solid to own, but I just feel that for what you get, and for the sub $500 budget we’re talking about here, both brands leave a bit to be desired. Oops.
So there you have it. A bunch of options, all affordable, with brand heritage, and sure to last you well after the special occasion has come and gone. Being able to look at your watch and have those memories flood back is something that you truly can’t put a price on, whether large or small. Friends don’t let friends use loaner watches - but they do reach out for advice! If you have someone in your life in need of some watch advice, and you’re not sure where to steer them, feel free to reach out and I’m happy to help if I can. Who knows - maybe we’ll pull one more person down the watch rabbit hole with us.
Thanks as always for reading; wherever you are, and wherever you’re going, many thanks for stopping by.