There’s always been something about the way it feels when other men, successful men, men who clearly have style, notice and admire your fine timepiece. It’s as if for men who have a passion for movements have a sort of secret handshake that only those in the know would ever understand.
The status watch. An object that, among the secret handshake in crowd, can personify and telegraph success and taste, and indeed the absence of the same in some instances. There are those that will contest that with the presence of a clock on practically every device in these modern times, that there is simply no need for an antique pocket watch, or a mechanical wrist watch. But the secret hand-shakers we talk of would tell you that there’s a defining difference between wants and needs. Emotion comes into play here, it’s not just about needs, it’s a passion that quite often can’t be explained.
Characteristically, a man acquires his primary status watch to celebrate a landmark, usually a career achievement, as pat on your own back, if you will. It befits a trophy that’s wearable and offer you a daily reminder that instils your ‘I can do this’ attitude that got you the watch in the first place.
Depending on your choice of movement you are announcing a variety of messages to those in view of your acquisition. With renowned makers such as Audemars Piguet, Hublot, Breitling, and of course, Patek Philippe, it’s as if you have joined an exclusive club.
There’s also an unwritten rule that certain professions affiliate themselves with certain watches. America’s athletes, and rock/rap stars seem to opt for Audemars Piguet, for instance. However, former president Bill Clinton joins the aforementioned in admiring and owning Audemars Piguet. There are those who do not feel such affiliations in today’s world though. Billionaires with sport Casio’s plastic classics feel as though they have nothing to prove. Back to the status watch, and you’ll see the traders with the big bucks sporting Parmigianis, while bankers and solicitors with some follow the unspoken code of Rolex procurement.
It’s fair to say that there are those, unsurprisingly, in the younger creative set who consider the status watch senseless. That’s fine, we can all form our own conclusions or preferences so while the lawyers feel a sense of pride in their Rolex, there are those who consider the Apple watch and other such examples to be a status of its own.
Much like the social appreciation of classic cars and fine wine, finding an appreciation in the world of watches and making a thoughtful choice is its own form of acknowledgement to the effort, the craftsmanship, and the months of dedication behind creating those miniature masterworks.
