Origin stories in this hobby influence the rabbit holes we follow. My story began when I learned not all modern watches have batteries. The simple idea that mechanical watches were still being made, sold down the street from me, and could run for years without intervention blew my mind. Partially because it was mechanically impressive, but mostly because of how unnecessary it was. The concept of dozens of components interacting to move hands around a dial, when a perfectly functional watch can be purchased at the grocery store for $20, resonated with me.
My discovery of these rebelliously absurd contraptions came at a time in my life when I had two kids in daycare and income was not disposable. My first mechanical watch was a one-handed Luch, a watch I loved dearly, and purchased for about $50. I didn?t care about finishing or accuracy, just that I had something unnecessarily complicated strapped to my wrist. Years later, my philosophy hasn?t changed much. When considering a new watch, I always ask myself three questions: What does it do" Does that thing excite me" Is there anything about the watch that doesn?t excite me" That third question is the one that keeps my collection and budget in check. The answers I come up with, always rooted in my original fascination with accessibly priced mechanical timekeeping, have surprised me. Some are movement specific, and others centered around design.

Photo by Nathan Schultz

So, to kick off a two-part series...