4 Steps to Starting a Watch Collection
Starting a watch collection can seem a daunting task, especially with the wide array of watch styles available and the dozens of diverging opinions on the subject from acclaimed horological experts. Watch collecting doesn’t need to be of Byzantine complexity, though. We’ve pulled together the four core styles that would make the perfect foundation to your bourgeoning collection. For more specific recommendations, visit our post on foundational watches here.
- The Versatile Dress Watch
These days, wristwatches tend to act more as fashion statements than as tools necessary to go about your day. As such, there’s nothing like a great-looking watch to class up an ensemble, especially one fit for a black-tie event. For men, choose a timepiece with a sleek, understated profile and a black leather strap. Women should choose a metal bracelet to go with a clean-cut watch face—choose a two-toned metal watch for extra versatility.
- The Weekender Watch
This is the timepiece you wear on an errand to the supermarket or on days out with friends or family. It could even be used to dress down an outfit for casual Fridays at work. The weekender watch should have a smaller face and low-key strap: we recommend canvas or nylon, which are both durable and easy-to-clean fabrics.
- The Sport Watch
You don’t need to lead a particularly active lifestyle to appreciate a good sport watch. These lightweight timepieces are built to take a beating, but your average trip to the gym or your nightly run would still put them to use. Characterized by their large case and rubber strap, sport watches are made to be ultra-functional and low-maintenance. Choose a model in black or another dark color so that you can take it from the pool or the soccer field to dinner with a quick wipe-down to make it look like new. We recommend sport watches with multiple functions (such as a stop watch function or a tachymetre) for maximum efficiency.
- The Chronograph
Any watch collector worth his salt will tell you that one of the first watches you should invest in is a chronograph. Besides the incredibly useful stopwatch feature, chronographs are celebrated for their especially precise timekeeping abilities. Some of the most beloved watches in the collector community are chronographs, especially the Rolex Daytona and the Omega Speedmaster, which are renowned for their incredible luxury quality and impeccable precision.
