About 25 years ago, I joined my mother in visiting a Christmas fair in Cologne, Germany. It was a dreadful day weather wise, with overcast, cold winds, and a nasty drizzle instead of more winter-appropriate snow. This weather soon persuaded us to go inside a large bookstore. Not a place I would usually venture into when in Germany, as my knowledge of the German language was basic back then. Walking around, I came across a big pile of books that read ‘Armbanduhren Katalog 1997.’ On the cover was a close-up of the Audemars Piguet Edward Piguet Perpetual Calendar, (I highly recommend you search online for this model, as it is a highlight from Audemars Piguet’s neo-vintage history) so I would learn later because that book came home with me.
What I didn’t know back then was that visiting that bookstore in Cologne would have a profound impact on my life. The book lists the majority of Swiss brands in alphabetical order, highlighting part of their collection along with their specs. I start going through that book the moment we set down on the train on our way back home, and quite frankly, I haven’t stopped since. This book planted a seed that not only sparked a career but which also greatly influenced my watch collection.

The WatchTime collector event held at South Coast Plaza on Sept. 23, 2022, in Costa Mesa, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

It happens subconsciously, but when I look at my current collection, a lot of t...