When your grail watch wears you instead

Tom Austin

At some point in your watch-collecting journey, the notion of a grail watch comes along: that almost unachievable, almost perfect watch that will represent the apex (and perhaps the end) of your watch-collecting journey. Unattainability has different levels, of course: for some, something like a TAG Heuer Aquaracer or a Tudor Black Bay is already a ridiculous luxury that’s way out of reach. Let’s make no bones about it: three to four grand is a hell of a lot of money for a watch to anyone.

But for others, the quest for one’s grail watch often involves increased levels of rarity and value – the kinds of sums that even a millionaire would get nervous about – or a waitlist so long that your hairline has departed by the time you get an allocation. One thing unites us all, however, and that is how, instead of you wearing that watch, it can end up wearing you instead.

Money on your mind

Watch collecting can be, in many cases, an absurdity. We deliberate over the details of particular pieces to the point where value comes into play, and for some reason, we inevitably get hit with the dreaded ‘affluenza’. Goal posts constantly shift, whether it’s in the broader watch collecting discourse or even within one’s own conception of what “value” is. We now live in a world where buying four-figure watches is considered almost normal, and hey, a Tudor Pelagos FXD at three and a half grand is, after all, probably one of the best value-for-money watches out there right now, right…? Right?

This kind of value desensitisation means that most of us, at some point, have spent beyond our means when it comes to watches. And despite our best intentions, finally obtaining that high-end luxury watch can even become a burden, whether it’s an “entry-level” Tudor or a Patek Philippe 3940G.

On the first episode of the A Matter of Time podcast with Andrew, Eleonor and Kristian, Andrew touched on his experience with his first “big” watch, a Panerai, which excitedly made it to his wrist as a celebration of a particular career milestone. He talks about how, once it was on his wrist, he felt overwhelmed with concern about the watch, worried about dinging it on furniture and the like, and how emotional it made him once when it finally came head-to-head with the watch enthusiast’s arch-nemesis, the door handle.

Andrew was so overcome with anguish that the watch was subsequently sold, and this got me thinking about how, at some point, even though we don’t like to admit it, all of us feel this way. We may be able to get over that initial reservation when handing over a ton of cold, hard cash for a watch, because remember, we justified the cost to ourselves a while ago – especially if that piece is your honest-to-god grail watch. But, inevitably, we all fall into the same trap when it’s actually on our wrists. The real cost is still there in the back of our minds, and we’re now carrying that with us everywhere we go.

Protect it at all costs

I know this because I suffer from it, too. It’s never spoken about, but I know that we all dodge door handles and door frames, move our wrists out of the way of unwitting members of the public who get too close when walking down the street, and hide our hands deep in a coat pocket when walking through a rough part of town. Fingerprints on the polished case or crystal? Give that a quick wipe with your T-shirt, because we can’t have that, can we?

You could easily put this down to just looking after your things, and yes, like many, I was raised to take pride in my possessions, but with watches, I guarantee that it goes a little too far for most of us. That first scratch is inevitable, and the amount of “how do I get this scratch out” posts across watch forums over the years tells us that it bothers us all, no matter how many times we’re told just to embrace them. Also, the fact that several watch protection films exist on the market now suggests that we are all too precious about our watches.

I’m just as experienced as the next person when it comes to this burden. For example, I try to wear my Rolex Daytona (a watch that many people would consider a grail) as much as possible, and those who know me know that it’s no safe queen. But you should note that I said that I “try to” wear it. Wearing it is a concerted effort. I have to consider where I might be going, who might be there, what the surrounding environment will be like, and so on. I carry out an internal risk assessment before wearing the watch, and even as I write this now, the absurdity of it all is making me laugh to myself.

All too often, the risk assessment fails to meet my unspoken requirements, and the watch stays in the safe. I don’t wish to come across as conceited, but I was fortunate enough to get the Daytona at retail, and I’m not sure if this is better or worse because of the value stored within it. You might be reading this thinking that I’m crazy, and you may well be right, but remember, I told you at the beginning that watch collecting is in itself an absurdity.

It doesn’t get better, it gets worse

Over time, if you’re anything like me (or as fortunate as me), you’ll end up with a collection that stretches into the double-digits. Way more watches than you can ever wear, but there will always be one or two pieces in your collection that you have to make these decisions around when wearing. Much like putting miles on your beloved car or motorbike, every time you wear it, you run the risk of getting a scratch or generally adding wear and tear, no matter how small, and this takes some getting used to.

That watch, no matter whether it’s your first Swiss luxury watch or a unicorn you’ve spent decades chasing, will always cause you some mental anguish in one way or another when it comes to wearing it. Yes, you may eventually come to terms with things, and it can get more comfortable once that first ding has settled in, but there’s another thing that we often overlook, and it’s to do with how these watches make us feel.

I’ve spoken before about how a massive part of collecting watches isn’t necessarily about the technical features or the way they look, but about how we connect with a watch. Some watches come with a backstory or association that makes us feel good about life. They can remind us of the good times, or inspire us to try new things, or perhaps just wearing a steel Submariner simply makes you feel like Robert Redford or Steve McQueen.

Whatever it is, it’s indisputable that watches evoke emotions in us, and as humans, we naturally want to protect that. The closer you get to a watch in that sense, the more it can take hold. If that particular watch has you in a chokehold, it’s incredibly hard to escape.

Don’t worry, be happy

It’s not all bad, though. The very fact that you’re not alone in this feeling is essential. It’s essentially part of the collecting voyage, and rather than something we need to get over, it’s something we all experience and have to learn to cope with. To me, there will always be grail watches that seem cartoonishly out of reach, until one day, circumstances change, and it can become a reality… And then, once you’ve acquired that grail, you find that life at the top isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

So, no matter where you’re at in your watch-collecting journey, there will always be a watch that prompts you to consider how you’ll wear it. We’re always going to justify immense amounts of money for watches, because there are so many ways to approach it; perhaps it’s residual values, or technical features that you only tend to see in the much higher-end of the market, or just that you deserve it – there will always be an excuse we can use.

Watches in our collections will come and go, too. You’ll regret parting with some, and others you won’t. And there will always be another watch around the corner that you can pine over. Owning a grail watch, no matter at what level, can often be a fantastic achievement, and celebrating your achievements is important in life. Being worried about inanimate objects in this way is entirely natural, and the sooner you can learn to manage that, the more fun you will have throughout that ownership. Don’t let the watch wear you, even if it tries to. There are more important things in life.