50 goals a vintage watch collector should aspire to: Part 5/5
Fine WatchesCollector's Insight41. Own a ‘Yuck Fou’ watch: Since I don’t like publicly swearing- you can figure out what I was trying to say.
Everyone needs to own a watch so badass, so unique, that everybody will be like – OMG.Wow. I am thinking of a watch full of diamonds or even a watch with an extraordinary case design. Basically you should own one watch that is so out there that it is not only completely different from your other watches in your collection but also one that literally will blow others away.
It doesn’t have to be pricey. Just different.
(Picture credit: Mattioandre).
42. Own one watch with radium numerals or radium lume plots: Yes we know that Radium is not safe but unless you take the plexiglass off and inhale the dial (or sleep with the watch often) your pretty safe despite new reports that say otherwise. Radium has a few benefits that later luminous material like tritium or supernova today simply does not have.
One is the effect it can leave on the dial and hands, turning hands into a nice green tone or the radium lume itself turning various colors. Radium has a warmth often missing in tritium lume and I believe if your a vintage watch collector – you need one dial that has radium.
43. Own a watch with special interwoven design or a so called Milanese bracelet: A friend of mine recently told me the following: that in the future watches will be judged on the bracelets that you were them with (Mr. A). I could not agree more with him. There are some incredible bracelets out there, from Milanese fine ones (see below) to interwoven ones that all make the watch just much more special. Missing.
44. Own one with watch with multi scale dial: If your into chronographs, this is a must have goal in my view. Early chronographs had wonderful multi-scale dials. For example early Rolex models like the 6034 and 6234, and 2508 had both the tachymeter and telemeter scales on the dial in fine gilt. These early chronographs are charming and represent complex dial manufacturing at its best. Missing.
In the same light to own one watch with Pulsation dial. Pulsation dials have something interesting about them. The spacing of the numbers intrigue me not to mention its practically of your in the medical profession.
45. Own a pocket watch: A real watch collector will own at least one (if not several) pocket watches. After all, telling time when on the go started with the pocket watch. Long out of favour – I personally think they will make a large comeback – especially the modern cased ones from the 1950s and 1960s with complications. The large advantage with a pocket watch is that you get a much larger dial and legibility factor than with any wristwatch. Not to mention that a pocket watch with minute repeater, split seconds and perpetual calendar will cost a fraction of a wristwatch. Missing.
46. Own a Rolex Explorer: Yes as watch collector I want to cover many bases within Rolex. Behind the Submariner and the GMT Master – the Explorer is my favourite line within Rolex. Again I am attracted to the purity of the shape and clean dial layout with 3, 6, 9 numerals. Many sought after Rolex models feature the Explorer dial which originated of course with the Rolex Explorer.
The Rolex Explorer has an incredibly strong history (that matches the GMT in my view) and I still think most explorers, especially the early ones (6350, 6610), are undervalued.
47. Own a world time watch: The world is becoming smaller. Barriers are being broken down (even if we are in a current phase of protectionism).
Airlines are affording everyone increased travel. A world time is becoming essential today. More than ever. There are so many great world time watches out there. My dream is a Patek double crown world with cloisonne 2523 with a map of America or Asia. I would also be happy with a world-time pocket watch from Patek too. Or Rolex in Pink Gold.
48. Own a flat evening watch: A watch collector should view watches much like the rest of the world views fashion. What I mean by that is that you don’t go to a fancy dinner without a jacket (or tie). Well it the same in watches. I am amazed how many watch collectors don’t own a elegant evening watch is extra flat. For me a flat evening watch (that is time only) should be part of every basic watch collection much like you need at least one blazer and tie.
49. Own a minute repeater: Of all the complications this interests me the least (but realise as a watch collector you need to own one eventually). Although I find the idea fantastic and its origins certainly made sense – I don’t find it that practical (but then again you don’t buy vintage watches for their practicality). For me this complication works best in a pocket watch rather than wristwatch (partially because I can’t seem to think of a vintage watch that has an attractive minute repeating function). Happy to be proven wrong. Missing.
50. Own a watch that suits your personality: This might be a basic and obvious point – but I am amazed (even with my own errors) how many watches I have bought that don’t reflect my personality (luckily they almost all disposed of). I think it is the biggest compliment when a fellow collectors tells me in a sincere way that my watch suits me. Every watch collector should have at least one watch that really reflects his personality and style.
Sometimes that journey to discover just what the style is takes a very long time.
Here are another 10 goals that narrowly missed by Top 50.
(click on the goals to see the pictures below).
- Own a Omega Speedmaster: It’s an Icon & doesn’t need to be unscrewed for winding.*
- Wear a bi-color watch: Long out of fashion but is making a comeback slowly.
- Enjoy a 1970s design watch: Unusual design period that has it’s charm
- Own a Vintage Vacheron Constantin: Vacheron made some killer watches.
- Collect a quartz watch: It almost brought down the mechanical watch industry.
- Own a Rolex bubble back: It all started with this model.**
- Own an AP Royal Oak: An Icon even if I prefer Nautilus.***
- Own an underline dial, exclamation point or double Swiss: devil is in details.
- Have two times on one dial: This layout has always fascinated me.
- Own a watch with no winding crown: Discreet and cool.
Credit: *Hatem ** Weezergallery *** Tempus2/Elvio
