Time to make a start

Well, this is my first foray into the world of blogging. Whether this'll keep me occupied for long or not remains to be seen, but whilst this does hold my attention, I aim to write some vaguely interesting and possibly witty lines about watches, my thoughts on them, and what they mean to me.

Firstly, a little background information about me. I'm British, fortunate enough to work in an excellent watch shop, and have a passion for all things horological. I'm a huge fan of Rolex and Omega, and as much as I love the mid to high end of the market, I also like honest, well made entry level watches as well, especially brands like Rotary and Citizen. I don't think I've ever had much choice in liking watches - I was pretty much raised in a watch shop, and from an early age, I found timepieces fascinating, with my Dad commenting that I was a "clock-obsessed toddler." Apparently I kept a close eye on the stock, and would be able to know exactly which ones had been sold. However, my passion had remained fairly dormant up until about two years ago when I got my first job at the local Rolex dealership, which sparked off a drive to learn more about watches and how they work. I've learnt from both the managers of the shop, as well as the fine community at www.rolexforums.com - hell, I've learnt nuggets of information that people who have been in the jewellery industry for close to 30 years didn't know. I've been able to pick up a great deal of information in a very short period of time, and I have some fairly solid opinions on what I like and don't like.


Anyway, I'm a fairly strong believer in the notion that you can tell a lot about a person by the watch they wear: perhaps you'll come to your own conclusions about myself and my collection as well. I have a rather modest selection of watches for the time being, but they are my pride and joy.

The first one, and the centrepiece of my collection is my Rolex Datejust 116200 - stainless steel, self winding chronometer rated movement, Oyster bracelet, polished steel bezel and a black arabic dial. Has a nice weight to it, measures in with a case diameter of 36mm, and has a classic look with a contemporary twist. People often have strong opinions when it comes to Rolex, as well as a lot of preconceptions, but I think this watch is as far away from the flashy, gaudy, impractical watch that people often think of when the word "Rolex" is mentioned. Here it is:



Pretty, no?

The other two watches in my possession are both Rotary chronographs, one in similar style to the Rolex Daytona, and the other in the style of a Breitling Navitimer. I got both of these for less than £100 each, and for the money, I challenge you to find a better watch in terms of looks, prestiege and quality. I'm currently wearing the leather strapped one as my daily beater - there's nothing more comfortable than a leather strapped watch on a hot summer's day.







Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy the future articles I write.

Much love

The GMT Master