Tim

Back in 2016, I started getting more and more interested in watches thanks to a friend that had just purchased a Panerai. Before then, I never really paid much attention to them as they just seemed like an unnecessary accessory. I mean, I could tell the time on my phone just fine, right? However the more digging I did, the more I really began to respect the minute details of the dial and case shape as well as the intricacies of the mechanisms. I was quickly hooked. Big, chunky watches were very fashionable at that time, so one of my first serious watches ended up being the IWC Big Pilot 500901. It had a lot of character and class as well as a useful power meter missing in other brands. I then wanted a watch winder that could match the quality of the watch and came upon Wolf 1834. I had done an incredible amount of research on watch winders at that point and felt that Wolf 1834 hit upon everything I wanted at a very reasonable price point. Plus I loved that the winder matched the black and silver aesthetic and that it was expandable to attach on more winders to keep up with my budding collection. The picture here shows the watch maintaining full 7 day power thanks to the winder. One of my favorite geeky things that helps relax me is to watch the power meter go up over time as it winds! How cool is that?!

I was originally drawn to IWC because I wanted something that was high quality without the pretentious reputation. I wanted something unique that people didn’t immediately recognize, so that it could fly under the radar. I’ve always been one who appreciates subtlety and function over flash. IWC and their big pilot line spoke to me as a tool watch without the drama.

Honestly since 2016, I have turned into quite a watch collector and that watch specifically has moved on in exchange for others to allow me to cultivate my taste. I view watch collecting as a fun hobby filled with great people who are as geeky about this stuff as I am. It’s a way I can connect with others to collectively share our passion and stories.

I absolutely would love to pass on the joys of watch collecting to future generations. One of the reasons why I’ve been so active on Instagram and different forums is to pass on my own experiences of collecting to others on their own unique watch journeys!