I will soon be pushing 50 and I am at that age where I love nostalgia and stuff from my childhood. Even before COVID, however, I had begun writing my memoirs of being a kid in the 80’s. The pandemic lockdowns gave me the time and solitude to really immerse myself in this project and I eventually began writing about adolescence in the 90’s. Those days are long gone, as is that whole world. Many of us still long for those times and those feelings of freedom and wonder. Those were the days of being disconnected and off the grid, before we even knew what the grid was. My pandemic writing and reminiscing helped me understand what we are all really longing for today. And this is where watches come in.
Ironically, you are reading this on an online blog. All of my hobbies have one common denominator. I collect watches, of course. And perhaps equally important to me is my fountain pen collection. All of these blogs are actually first written in fountain pen before being typed later. I enjoy cycling, reading print magazines and books. These are all hobbies I can enjoy offline and free of connectivity. You can argue all of my collectibles are probably made and sold with computer technology. But the objects themselves provide joy in an old school analog way. And this is key.
Take a mechanical watch, or even a quartz watch, for example. It can be worn on your wrist as you walk through a park, while your laptop and your phone remain far behind in your home office. As the nature and the serenity overcome you, the watch is a timekeeping companion, providing style, comfort and information without beeps or notifications. This, for me, is bliss. I spend my life searching for these moments. People refer to these moments as digital detox.
A watch is a lasting product, built to last for decades, or even generations. I saw an interview with the boss of Sellita (a prominent supplier of watch movements) where he stated that their movements are designed and built to run 24/7 for the better part of a century, with regular maintenance. That makes those watch movements special in a world of fast fashion and throw-away consumerism. A watch provides a unique kind of joy when you know that your grandchildren may actually wear and enjoy it one day. You can wear a watch for years, during travels and activities, making memories and creating a bond with the timepiece.
Watches require regular maintenance, and even this adds to the bonding with your timepiece. When your watch comes back from service, you get that “new” feeling all over again. And then, you begin to enjoy it for another several years. Few things in this world can provide joy over such extended periods.
I am a child of the 80’s and a youth of the 90’s. But even younger people are seeking my old world pleasures. I know guys 15 years my junior who are collecting vinyl records and VCR’s with VHS tapes as well as vintage board games. People are seeking digital detox - time away from screens. They want to be alone with their thoughts and their hobbies. This is the ultimate satisfaction.
Watches play a key role in my nostalgic pleasure seeking. I never even look at the time on my phone - that would rob me of a blissful moment with my watch. And I never go without a watch except for working out or sleeping. I will carefully select a watch for a day of work-from-home in my basement just as I would for a charity dinner. The fact that a watch can function independently of any network or connection gives it a character and a charm that is irresistible to me. If spending time offline is the goal, a watch is the perfect companion.
Yours truly,
TimeCaptain
Digital Detox
