History is a double edged sword for a budget conscious collector like me. The nerdy half of me loves to get caught up in the horological space race of 1969 and participate in the 1953 drama of debating if Smiths or Rolex wore it best on top of Everest. But while my romantic side finds joy in history, the frugal collector in me has some reservations. This side of me knows that the watch industry is in constant flux as it adapts to new technologies, reacts to wars and navigates economic shifts. It’s the side of me that acknowledges brands brimming with pedigree did not weather this history unchanged, and can?t help but notice the value from those shiny new microbrands with seemingly no history to offer.
What is a collector to do when they have a romantic enthusiast on one shoulder telling them the story behind a watch matters and a frugal cynic on the other asking if a plastic chronograph is really worth a premium because its metal counterpart went to the moon" Personally, rambling blog-style until coming to some sort of conclusion aimed at making sense of an often nonsensical hobby has never steered me wrong.
Provenance vs Pedigree: A Collector?s Dilemma
Historical watch conversations often focus on provenance, which can most simply be defined as the story behind a specific watch. Provenance is what separates Paul Newman?s Daytona from every other ?Paul Newman” Daytona. It?s what makes Buzz Aldrin?s out-of-this world, misplaced Speedmaster worthy of obse...