Horological Meandering

Ruckdee
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This gets me thinking ... big time.

A straightforward response from me must be long and winding so let me answer to your questions briefly one by one.


Have your 'tastes' changed over time? Or perhaps your 'predilections' have been honed from knowledge about what works for you.
My tastes have not completely although it would not be truthful if they stayed the same throughout. Style-wise, I still like clean-cut, symmetrical designs, not minimalistic but nothing fancy, not too plain but not too loud. I am quite a boring person in this regard. My buying criteria are pretty much defined by my OCD and tendency for perfectionism --a dynamic duo that promises a living hell in many areas of life, as you know.

Size-wise, I am changed by 25% if we can quantify it that way. Ten years ago and before that, I used to be aversive of larger watches. My preference was for watches in the range of 38-42 mm. But since my first Panerai in 2005 and the Seamaster Ploprof in 2009, my size preference has shifted to 40-44 mm. even for non-sports watches.


Are there strategies that you have used to open your eyes to new possibilities? For example, do you look at a new watch and mentally remove the brand from the dial?
Typically when I am not 100% sure about a watch, I ask myself if I will be sorry five or ten years from now if I don't buy it now when it is still in production. I don't force myself more than that to consider buying a watch. There are more watches in the world than I can buy anyway. If anything, I force myself to buy even fewer pieces by imposing my criteria of perfection. I saved a lot of money from not buying watches that check only five to seven out of ten imaginary boxes on my list.


Can you share any examples where you challenged your prejudices and had a good outcome?
I am completely obsessed with dial symmetry. But one day in maybe 2008, I allowed myself to buy the JLC Reverso Grande Sun Moon despite the moon position nearer to the lower right corner of the dial, as opposed to above six o'clock as in the original Reverso Sun Moon watch. I told myself that it was the closest I was going to get to owning the original Reverso Sun Moon. It was a "now or never" moment. I chose "now" and I still have that watch today. If I chose "never", well, I know today that I would regret that decision.

Another example is the Seamaster Ploprof with date window at 4:30. When this re-edition watch came out in 2009, I almost did not buy it because I hate how the date window on some watches is at a position other than three, six or nine o'clock. Again, a "now or never" moment. I chose "now" and it turned out that the sleek font and black background of the date wheel made the presence of the date window at 4:30 more bearable.


Prejudices, predilections or preferences, are they good for us? Or do they prevent us from enjoying everything that the horological world has to offer?
I must say they are good for as long as we are "aware" of them and still capable of reminding ourselves to think beyond this framework once in a while. I am not saying that we have to break the rules once every three years by buying a watch we don't really like. But, hey, if a watch feels more right than wrong, and we don't have to sell another watch we certainly love to pay for it, then why not? There is nothing to lose.


Thank you for starting this post. It forced me to recall a lot of moments in my life.

Ruckdee

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