Rate My 4-watch Dream Collection!
I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what my collection would look like if I had a blank check, and it has come down to these four watches. You can probably tell I’m not a fan of colored dials, and to each their own, but the only colorful watch that ever spoke to me was the IWC Mark XX with the emerald green dial. That watch, as beautiful as it is, is just not something I could see myself buying, and feels like an “admire from afar” piece. I feel the same way about luxury and supercars; if I saw a friend or stranger with a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, I would admire and commend the owner for the accomplishment, but even if I had the finances for such a car, I don’t think I’d buy it, but perhaps rent one for a weekend instead.
My thoughts on each watch:
Rolex Submariner No Date 114060 - gorgeously simple, symmetrical, understated, and practical. For me, this watch is rugged and has character, and sort of goes against the grain of what people think a Rolex is supposed to be. Adrian from Bark and Jack said something similar in one of his videos about the OP41, but I’m going to extrapolate that thought to what I consider the real star of the Rolex lineup. You might ask why not the newer 124060, and really it just comes down to symmetry again. The movement in the 124 is miles better, but it has a strangely shaped equal sign on the depth tolerance marker. This change appeared in the last few production years of the 114 as well, and it’s always been a minute detail that I can’t get over.
Vacheron Constantin Overseas 2000V Black Dial - this would be my conversation starter. As a student physician, I’ll find myself invited to a lot of lectures, cocktail parties, and icebreakers. To me, this is the watch that invites another physician to my table/corner of the room to initiate conversation and immediately acquaints a watch enthusiast with another before even a word is exchanged. It’s like being at a ‘cars and coffee’ and seeing a handful of conventionally nice cars, but tucked away in an unassuming parking spot is a R33 GTR LM, it looks like something you recognize, but is in fact much cooler if you know what you’re looking at.
Grand Seiko Spring Drive - I don’t have a specific dial that I like, I’m just obsessed with the spring drive movement. It reminds me of the uninterrupted sweep of the wall clock in elementary school that I used to stare at intensely as I waited to get out of class. The finishing is also something to behold. This is the only watch out of the list that I’ve never handled in person. I think they’re made of titanium too, so I’m expecting it to feel like a toy when I get my hands on one, God willing.
Breitling Premier B09 Chronograph - this watch is nothing special as I’ve come to learn. It’s not particularly rare or sought after, I just find it beautiful in the same way I find the Submariner beautiful. The white dial invites any strap color you can imagine, and I feel it necessary to have at least one chronograph in my collection. I think the Rolex Daytona is too expensive on the secondhand market, and I don’t like how Rolex ADs conduct business. I shouldn’t have to spend thousands of dollars with a company to have the opportunity to spend several more thousands on a watch. Breitling never made me feel that way. In fact, I walked into a Breitling boutique once and asked to handle some of the offerings from the Premier lineup (making totally clear to the representative that I wasn’t looking to buy anything and was just interested in seeing them up close) and they were so kind and welcoming. They brought out every model they had on hand that day, and I thanked them for being patient with me. That shop had excellent service and genuinely nice people working there. I would like to return to that shop one day and buy from them just so that staff member can get a commission from my purchase.
I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what my collection would look like if I had a blank check, and it has come down to these four watches. You can probably tell I’m not a fan of colored dials, and to each their own, but the only colorful watch that ever spoke to me was the IWC Mark XX with the emerald green dial. That watch, as beautiful as it is, is just not something I could see myself buying, and feels like an “admire from afar” piece. I feel the same way about luxury and supercars; if I saw a friend or stranger with a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, I would admire and commend the owner for the accomplishment, but even if I had the finances for such a car, I don’t think I’d buy it, but perhaps rent one for a weekend instead.
My thoughts on each watch:
Rolex Submariner No Date 114060 - gorgeously simple, symmetrical, understated, and practical. For me, this watch is rugged and has character, and sort of goes against the grain of what people think a Rolex is supposed to be. Adrian from Bark and Jack said something similar in one of his videos about the OP41, but I’m going to extrapolate that thought to what I consider the real star of the Rolex lineup. You might ask why not the newer 124060, and really it just comes down to symmetry again. The movement in the 124 is miles better, but it has a strangely shaped equal sign on the depth tolerance marker. This change appeared in the last few production years of the 114 as well, and it’s always been a minute detail that I can’t get over.
Vacheron Constantin Overseas 2000V Black Dial - this would be my conversation starter. As a student physician, I’ll find myself invited to a lot of lectures, cocktail parties, and icebreakers. To me, this is the watch that invites another physician to my table/corner of the room to initiate conversation and immediately acquaints a watch enthusiast with another before even a word is exchanged. It’s like being at a ‘cars and coffee’ and seeing a handful of conventionally nice cars, but tucked away in an unassuming parking spot is a R33 GTR LM, it looks like something you recognize, but is in fact much cooler if you know what you’re looking at.
Grand Seiko Spring Drive - I don’t have a specific dial that I like, I’m just obsessed with the spring drive movement. It reminds me of the uninterrupted sweep of the wall clock in elementary school that I used to stare at intensely as I waited to get out of class. The finishing is also something to behold. This is the only watch out of the list that I’ve never handled in person. I think they’re made of titanium too, so I’m expecting it to feel like a toy when I get my hands on one, God willing.
Breitling Premier B09 Chronograph - this watch is nothing special as I’ve come to learn. It’s not particularly rare or sought after, I just find it beautiful in the same way I find the Submariner beautiful. The white dial invites any strap color you can imagine, and I feel it necessary to have at least one chronograph in my collection. I think the Rolex Daytona is too expensive on the secondhand market, and I don’t like how Rolex ADs conduct business. I shouldn’t have to spend thousands of dollars with a company to have the opportunity to spend several more thousands on a watch. Breitling never made me feel that way. In fact, I walked into a Breitling boutique once and asked to handle some of the offerings from the Premier lineup (making totally clear to the representative that I wasn’t looking to buy anything and was just interested in seeing them up close) and they were so kind and welcoming. They brought out every model they had on hand that day, and I thanked them for being patient with me. That shop had excellent service and genuinely nice people working there. I would like to return to that shop one day and buy from them just so that staff member can get a commission from my purchase.