Lovely essay on collecting. Got me thinking - perhaps a deep dive for a future topic…
Going back to the Reformation, is there any credence to the idea that Arabic numerals are more “Protestant” while Roman numerals are “Catholic”.
Obviously, none of this has mattered for neigh on 200 years, but at its origins, it’s worth noting that the Reformation coincided with a time when Arabic numerals gained popularity in scientific and commercial contexts, aligning with Protestant emphasis on practicality and progress. Apparently those Protestants (especially in northern Europe) claimed to value functionality over ornate traditions, which might explain their preference for Arabic numerals on scientific instruments and clocks during the 16th and 17th centuries. Especially in Switzerland. Whereas in Catholic regions, ties to classical antiquity might explain the continued use of Roman numerals on clocks and watches…?
Or, is this all a big stretch. I can’t find any book in my collection that makes mention of this so it could all be whack, but my gut says there is something there. HELP Tony :)
Interesting idea, I've been thinking about this since I saw your question, since the roots of Swiss watchmaking are so intertwined with the early Protestantism/Calvinism of the country. It's something I'd like to dig into further and ask some real horological historians about (Rebecca Struthers comes to mind, and she's done a lot of research in this area, especially as it relates to ~16th-century British watchmaking). It feels like you might be onto something. This is one of the biggest reasons I find watches so fascinating. Cultural preferences like the one you suggest usually emerge from broader intellectual, theological, political trends, but can reflect in these little objects.
So sad about STP. Perhaps it’s nostalgia for Fossil (I still have a “gold plated” blue dial watch from the late 80s) or that they were someone besides Sellita and ETA in lower end automatic Swiss watches but I’d really liked that they existed. And were American owned - which could have really fed a renaissance. So many opportunities missed.
Finally catching up on my reading after a week of work travel (with some watch exploration fit in). I think thhis was one of the better summations (maybe the best?) of collecting that I have read. Of course maybe its just because it aligns with my thoughts quite well…but this feels just about right to me.
I don't really want to be known as a collector or a dealer. Yes, collector seems a bit fusty…but dealer seems a bit skeevy (with exceptions). I buy vintage -- preferably broken, fully-depreciated examples -- mostly old Grand Seiko, Seiko auto chronographs, and some '60s Omegas. Fixing things is my main goal. My watch rolls are named: Good Enough, Good Enough - cheap, Need Work - I plan to fix, Need Work - bring to watchmaker, Looking For Parts, Testing, Could Sell, and Selling.
One way to judge is (in American taxation terminology) if one files a Schedule C. Do you often declare a loss or a profit? My Good Enough rolls have expanded (in worth and number), and I tend to declare a loss. So, that data point tilts me towards collector. I should sell more of them after I fix them.
Thank you. I'd love to show you, but I am in Mexico City for a couple months and only brought a couple that are mostly Need Work - Cheap. Most of those are now in repair shops. I've found there to be impressive watchmakers here. My recent IG posts discuss: https://www.instagram.com/robhalliganprojects/ I don't yet know how good the work of these guys will be, but I wish I brought better watches to have them fix. All good fun.
I am certainly not in the right tax bracket to be in the market for that rose gold Tourbillon Daniel Roth (i.e., I actually pay taxes on ordinary income), or any Daniel Roth for that matter, but I feel compelled to say that the warm hues of the rose gold case coupled with that textured pink gold dial on that taupe strap had me feeling some kind of way. I find myself going back to that photo over and over; what a great looking watch - a pink on pink time only with that dial texture would be quite special indeed.
Super article! I would like to think a watch collector is someone like a friend of mine (cough cough) who bought a pie pan gold Omega Constellation in the '00's not knowing a thing about watches, just thinking it was 50 years old and that was cool. Then being horrified twenty years later realizing it was the benefactor of a horrible redial and the spire of a Frankenwstch. What to do? Double down. Get it redialed right, and not be afraid to tell someone and own it like the stepchild it is. It's my friend's Frankenwatch and it will be my friend's son's to carry it into the century mark!
Lovely essay on collecting. Got me thinking - perhaps a deep dive for a future topic…
Going back to the Reformation, is there any credence to the idea that Arabic numerals are more “Protestant” while Roman numerals are “Catholic”.
Obviously, none of this has mattered for neigh on 200 years, but at its origins, it’s worth noting that the Reformation coincided with a time when Arabic numerals gained popularity in scientific and commercial contexts, aligning with Protestant emphasis on practicality and progress. Apparently those Protestants (especially in northern Europe) claimed to value functionality over ornate traditions, which might explain their preference for Arabic numerals on scientific instruments and clocks during the 16th and 17th centuries. Especially in Switzerland. Whereas in Catholic regions, ties to classical antiquity might explain the continued use of Roman numerals on clocks and watches…?
Or, is this all a big stretch. I can’t find any book in my collection that makes mention of this so it could all be whack, but my gut says there is something there. HELP Tony :)
Interesting idea, I've been thinking about this since I saw your question, since the roots of Swiss watchmaking are so intertwined with the early Protestantism/Calvinism of the country. It's something I'd like to dig into further and ask some real horological historians about (Rebecca Struthers comes to mind, and she's done a lot of research in this area, especially as it relates to ~16th-century British watchmaking). It feels like you might be onto something. This is one of the biggest reasons I find watches so fascinating. Cultural preferences like the one you suggest usually emerge from broader intellectual, theological, political trends, but can reflect in these little objects.
So sad about STP. Perhaps it’s nostalgia for Fossil (I still have a “gold plated” blue dial watch from the late 80s) or that they were someone besides Sellita and ETA in lower end automatic Swiss watches but I’d really liked that they existed. And were American owned - which could have really fed a renaissance. So many opportunities missed.
100p. Just bought a red dot zodiac diver from the 80s/90s actually. Basically a TAG Heuer rip off but a cool watch.
Finally catching up on my reading after a week of work travel (with some watch exploration fit in). I think thhis was one of the better summations (maybe the best?) of collecting that I have read. Of course maybe its just because it aligns with my thoughts quite well…but this feels just about right to me.
thanks for reading paul :)
I don't really want to be known as a collector or a dealer. Yes, collector seems a bit fusty…but dealer seems a bit skeevy (with exceptions). I buy vintage -- preferably broken, fully-depreciated examples -- mostly old Grand Seiko, Seiko auto chronographs, and some '60s Omegas. Fixing things is my main goal. My watch rolls are named: Good Enough, Good Enough - cheap, Need Work - I plan to fix, Need Work - bring to watchmaker, Looking For Parts, Testing, Could Sell, and Selling.
One way to judge is (in American taxation terminology) if one files a Schedule C. Do you often declare a loss or a profit? My Good Enough rolls have expanded (in worth and number), and I tend to declare a loss. So, that data point tilts me towards collector. I should sell more of them after I fix them.
i love the names of your watch rolls, i would love to see photos of these!
Thank you. I'd love to show you, but I am in Mexico City for a couple months and only brought a couple that are mostly Need Work - Cheap. Most of those are now in repair shops. I've found there to be impressive watchmakers here. My recent IG posts discuss: https://www.instagram.com/robhalliganprojects/ I don't yet know how good the work of these guys will be, but I wish I brought better watches to have them fix. All good fun.
I am certainly not in the right tax bracket to be in the market for that rose gold Tourbillon Daniel Roth (i.e., I actually pay taxes on ordinary income), or any Daniel Roth for that matter, but I feel compelled to say that the warm hues of the rose gold case coupled with that textured pink gold dial on that taupe strap had me feeling some kind of way. I find myself going back to that photo over and over; what a great looking watch - a pink on pink time only with that dial texture would be quite special indeed.
"paying taxes on ordinary income" as a tax bracket is brilliant and hilarious please don't be mad if i use that in the future
Super article! I would like to think a watch collector is someone like a friend of mine (cough cough) who bought a pie pan gold Omega Constellation in the '00's not knowing a thing about watches, just thinking it was 50 years old and that was cool. Then being horrified twenty years later realizing it was the benefactor of a horrible redial and the spire of a Frankenwstch. What to do? Double down. Get it redialed right, and not be afraid to tell someone and own it like the stepchild it is. It's my friend's Frankenwatch and it will be my friend's son's to carry it into the century mark!
haha hell yea