Friends’ and colleagues’ watches?

A place to discuss other watch-brands
User avatar
Amor Vincit Omnia
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 33782
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2011 7:34 pm
CW-watches: 4
Location: Norfolk, UK

Friends’ and colleagues’ watches?

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Sunday morning musings – what do your friends and colleagues wear? Or your family, or other people you know for that matter?

Most of the watches I see at work are fairly nondescript, standard quartz offerings that you might pick up in Samuels, Argos, John Lewis or Amazon. Daniel Wellington, Skagen and Mondaine seem quite popular.

I do see a 1990s quartz Constellation regularly. One chap has a vintage Submariner that he wears occasionally.

The ladies tend to do rather better than the men. One has a nice little Datejust, and two others have Cartiers, a Tank and a Santos both on bracelet.

Of course, I’m only seeing work watches. Maybe some of them keep the good stuff at home. Then again, maybe not.

Working in an independent school I tend to see quite a lot of nice parental wristwear, mainly Rolex. One father has a beautiful blue Monaco. Another has a Royal Oak and I have also seen a few Speedmasters, POs and ATs among the Omega fanciers.

A couple of friends whom I see at the gym have nice watches. One has a Master GMT and another has a Tank Française Chronoraph. He’s trying to sell it to me, but I don’t fancy it. The subdials totally ruin the Roman indices and the result is a bit of a dawg’s breakfast.
Steve
Linguist; retired teacher; pilgrim; apprentice travel writer

Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time


Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. (Max Ehrmann)
albionphoto
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 2390
Joined: Wed Apr 22, 2015 11:07 pm
CW-watches: 10
Location: New Jersey

Re: Friends’ and colleagues’ watches?

Post by albionphoto »

Either Apple Watches or the quartz/digital. G-shocks are popular and there is the occasional Suunto. I do see one Daytona. Most wrists are unadorned though.
Mark
Bremont, Casio, Citizen, Christopher Ward, Chronotechna, Mido, Omega and Oris
User avatar
Amor Vincit Omnia
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 33782
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2011 7:34 pm
CW-watches: 4
Location: Norfolk, UK

Re: Friends’ and colleagues’ watches?

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Ah yes, I’m sure there are Apple Watches and quartz digital too. I have a tendency to develop Selective Myopia where those are concerned.
Steve
Linguist; retired teacher; pilgrim; apprentice travel writer

Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time


Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. (Max Ehrmann)
Nikbrown
Junior
Junior
Posts: 52
Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2017 1:09 am

Re: Friends’ and colleagues’ watches?

Post by Nikbrown »

99% It’s Apple watches, Gshocks, or Rolex subs.... so boring!

I get excited when I see any omega or Seiko


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
User avatar
Markornot
Guru
Guru
Posts: 301
Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2018 8:08 am
CW-watches: 5
Location: Oregon, USA

Re: Friends’ and colleagues’ watches?

Post by Markornot »

My closest friend since grade school just bought a quartz Wenger which I think is his first watch ever at age 63 and not a bad little military watch for the price. A colleague gushes over his Costco aquired Citezen Eco-drive titanium every time I show-up wearing a new watch...he doesn’t get my obsession but then again, he collects Bourbon Whiskey...I don’t get that either...apparently a thing especially here in the hipster driven city of Portland. I would rather just drink it when I see it..haha
Mark
CW - C8 Flyer, C6 JHMk3, C7 Corsa Rosso LE, C3 Chronograph, C8 Reg | TAG Heuer F1 | Orient - Black Raven II, Bambino, Star Seeker GMT, Galant, Monarch | Seagull - Grn Military, Moon Phase | Tissot - Visodate | Steinhart - NavA Pilot MW, NavB Vintage
User avatar
welshlad
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 11298
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 12:33 am
CW-watches: 27
Location: Yorkshire, UK

Re: Friends’ and colleagues’ watches?

Post by welshlad »

Generally, the watches I see at work are run of the mill tat. But there are some exceptions:

o One colleague who has a Omega SMP quartz and who has now started collecting CWs. Who said I wasn't influential?! :-"

o A female colleague who has a Rolex Ladyjust (an anniversary present from her husband) but who has to ask me to adjust it for her at the start and end of BST each year! :shock:

o A colleague who started wearing a beautiful vintage Omega De Ville (although on a horrible elasticated bracelet) that he inherited from his uncle. It stood out a mile as a class above what everyone else wore. But he became too worried about damaging it at work, even though he just sits at a PC all day, and now wears a giant TW Steel monstrosity instead. #-o

o One director wears an Omega Speedmaster, but I think he's now moved to a Panerai.

Of my friends, only one is into watches and he has an Omega SMP automatic and a watch he claims was made by IWC, but I can see no evidence of this and am a bit sceptical of this claim! :-k

Finally, when I last visited my brother he was wearing 45.5mm Omega Planet Ocean. Except on closer inspection it was clearly a fake - which he admitted he'd bought abroad on holiday for about £10. Oh, the shame! :oops:
Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future. - Niels Bohr
User avatar
jkbarnes
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 7851
Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 8:39 pm
CW-watches: 3
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: Friends’ and colleagues’ watches?

Post by jkbarnes »

Great topic!

My best friend used to bounce between a G-shock (from his Army days) and a bimetallic quartz Tag Diver he got as a wedding gift from his dad. His wife got a matching one. He got into automatics after I did, and picked up a Seiko 5 SNK809 as a starter watch, same as me, and then a Seiko 5 Diver. He now also has a Luminox. I’ve got this friend looking at a C60 Trident for his son for graduation.

Another friend is into watches and has a few Omegas - a Planet Ocean and a Seamaster among them, I think. I’ve been preaching the gospel of CW to him for awhile now.

And another friend where’s a Breitling - an anniversary gift from his wife. I don’t remember which one, but I do remember not disliking it, as I’m prone to do with Breitlings.

My dad bounces between a Timex and a Casio digital.

My brother paid a lot for some monstrosity that is more about brand than horology.

I teach in a high school. Dominant sighting there on the kids’ wrists is the Apple Watch. If coworkers are even wearing watches, they tend to be Timex, Citizen, Casio, and a few fashion watches.

I bought my daughter a nice Bulova for her 18th birthday. She wore it every day. That is until her mother got her an Apple Watch for graduation. Oh well, such is life with teenagers.
Drew
User avatar
nbg
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 13150
Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2013 6:43 pm
CW-watches: 14
Location: UK

Re: Friends’ and colleagues’ watches?

Post by nbg »

A close very acquaintance of mine wears a Tudor about 80% of the time. She also has a Tissot, Longines and custody of a Datejust. Had no real interest in watches, but recently commented when looking at some gold Blancpain that they looked elegant. Commented at the same time that she could understand how Bremont’s use of adventurers as brand ambassadors, drew people to the brand.

Eldest daughter doesn’t wear a watch. Her husband used to wear the same watch (no idea of brand) all the time regardless of activity. It recently broke after 10 years of wear, was going to buy a new one for his birthday. Ended up deciding to buy some new speakers instead.

Youngest daughter has a Nomos DWB Tangente. Doesn’t always wear a watch though. Her husband also has a Tangente, again not regularly worn. They each also have an F-91W Casio.

Watches worn by friends, who are ex work colleagues:
3 Datejust
1 Seamaster Professional ceramic
2 Suunto
1 Longines dress watch
1 decent looking gold dress watch (not sure of brand)
1 Armani
1 Cartier
1 Rotary (from before they became of dubious quality)
1 that says Rolex on the dial, but bears no relationship in appearance to any Rolex model, past or present
1 Seiko

Brands that I recognised amongst others who were in my team, before I retired:
Rolex, Omega, Tag, Seiko, Oris, Breitling, Mk and assorted other fashion brands. Plus the chap who had a couple of PP Calatrava (1 Platinum and 1 RG). I think he also had other stuff he didn’t wear to work.
There were also plenty of Rolex, Breitling, Tag, Omega, IWC, Cartier and Panerai worn by others in the Company that were easy enough to identify in meetings (because they were often worn beyond their cuff).

Brands that I recognise amongst friends who weren’t former work colleagues:
Nothing that I could identify, although I think that one of the ladies in a yoga class I attend usually wears a PP Twenty-4.

Overall I think that over 50% of the people I know don’t wear a watch.

Neil
Other watch forums of interest:
TZ-UK
User avatar
jkbarnes
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 7851
Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 8:39 pm
CW-watches: 3
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: Friends’ and colleagues’ watches?

Post by jkbarnes »

I forgot to mention my wife! She cycles through a collection of Swatches I’ve bought for her over the years. They absolutely reflect both her personality and style - the perfect watch for her. I typically buy her a new one for special occasions when I find one that suites her. She’s an elementary school teacher, and her students love her fun watches and how she switches them up.

She also wears the Hamilton I was given by my parents for high school graduation almost 30 years ago.
Drew
User avatar
golfjunky
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 6841
Joined: Fri Oct 22, 2010 7:32 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Friends’ and colleagues’ watches?

Post by golfjunky »

My MD has a Bell & Ross, breitling, omega Seamaster, glycine, Tissot and a few others. Another colleague wears a Casio. A few fitbits and a fake Hublot/AP thingy
Current collection = Omega Seamaster 2225.80.00, Omega Speedmaster 'Moonphase' 3576.50.00, Breitling Aerospace Evo, Vintage Azur, Vintage Seiko Sprtsman, Grand Seiko SBGX059, Omega SMP NTTD 210.92.42.20.01.001, Casioak Milkyway, Casioak Tiffany Sky.
User avatar
Caller
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 2124
Joined: Sun Jan 19, 2014 11:44 pm
CW-watches: 2
Location: Hua Hin, Thailand

Re: Friends’ and colleagues’ watches?

Post by Caller »

The two neighbours I am most friendly with on the resort where I live, both have nice watches.

The newest, when wandering over to introduce himself, was wearing a very noticeable blue Pelagos which I commented on immediately - that made the opening conversation very easy. He still works in Dubai and admits to getting more and more into watches. I tolerated the fact that on his last trip, he was wearing a 'gold' Parnis but appreciated him contacting me by email to ask about the his and her Tissots he was planning to buy - and very nice they are too. Another bonus is that he's a footy fan and supports Fulham, whereas I'm Chelsea.

The other neighbour has no interest in football but owns a near 20 year old quartz TAG which is in really good condition.
'Tis me
User avatar
Wis
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 3632
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2010 8:07 pm
CW-watches: 1
Location: Near Oslo, Norway

Re: Friends’ and colleagues’ watches?

Post by Wis »

My daughters have: Omega Speedmaster Automatic, Nomos Orion Rosé and Zeppelin Calendar quartz/Momentum quartz dive watch. The youngest one will get a proper mechanical watch on her 18th birtday, like her two older sisters.

Wife has a Withings Activité. It registers your daily activity, hence the name, and connects to an app on your phone, but looks quite stylish. A good choice if you want that kind of thing.

Not much of interest at work, sadly. A colleague has an Oris diver and a Frederique Constant, both nice, another (female) a quartz Cartier. That’s it.

Cating the net wider to include people I meet related to work there is a Zenith El Primero/Omega Constellation/Zenith Elite, a Speedmaster, a Rolex DJ.

One neighbour sports a Russian Strela I sold him.
Bjørn
User avatar
Thegreyman
Trusted Seller
Trusted Seller
Posts: 12065
Joined: Sat May 21, 2016 3:45 pm
CW-watches: 6
Location: Edinburgh

Re: Friends’ and colleagues’ watches?

Post by Thegreyman »

Family - not really into watches. Wife wears her W11 Amelia a lot and also has an Raymond Weil I bought her a few years ago. Brother has a Tag Monza as his only watch.

Friends - mostly stuff we would all turn our nose up at, other than maybe one who likes G shocks and another who has a nice blue SMP.

Work colleagues - one guy has a few CW's (we've chatted about the brand a few times), another guy a Breitling Superocean, a few Tags, my boss has a very nice 90's black dial SMP auto, another guy has a lovely vintage Breitling Navitimer, there are a few Speedy's (not moonwatches)....other than those generally crappy smart watch type affairs.
Patrick

C60 Pro 300, C60 Sunrise, C63 Sealander Lucerne blue LE, C65 Dartmouth, W11 Amelia (wife), C63 Sealander (son)

Some others + a few on the way
User avatar
Tyke
Senior Forumgod
Senior Forumgod
Posts: 5944
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 9:47 pm
CW-watches: 0

Re: Friends’ and colleagues’ watches?

Post by Tyke »

Most of my colleagues wear Seiko's, which one of them mistook my watch for. Knowing I owned several watches at the time, he said 'Nice watch,is that a new Seiko.... Not seen that one before'. I told him 'sorry, no it's only an Aqua Terra' to which he gave me a pitying 'never mind' look, presumably assuming it was a Seiko copy. Didn't say anything else, better to leave him in ignorance :D
User avatar
gaf1958
Trusted Seller
Trusted Seller
Posts: 12431
Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2012 6:24 am
CW-watches: 24
Location: ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ʇsɐoƆ ǝuᴉɥsunS

Friends’ and colleagues’ watches?

Post by gaf1958 »

My family has some nice watches, mostly bought for them as presents - by myself...

My wife has an Aqua Terra which she absolutely loves, plus a couple of CWs. Each of my kids (five of them) has at least one CW, some of them have multiples. My youngest daughter has a vintage Certina hand winder, the next youngest has two CWs and my oldest daughter has an Omega and another couple of CWs that she’s bought for herself. Their partners (what I like to refer to as my sons-in-common-law ) get a CW as a “welcome to the family” present.

Apart from family, a former work colleague owns an Omega SMP and a friend who’s now moved interstate has a fairly large collection of vintage watches, which he painstakingly restores. He does some beautiful case restoration work, easily the equal of the work done by Omega or Rolex when a service is done.

Other than that, the rest either wear vanilla watches, mostly innocuous, or no watch at all...
CW C1+2xC3+6xC6/60K+C7+C11+3xC60T+2xC65+C90+2xC600
Omega Ω 11xSpeedy+14xSeamaster+4xConnie+DeVille
Cartier+2xPanerai+2xFarer+2xOris+Sinn+11xSeiko+ManyVintage
B&R+Halios+5xVisitor+TagH+6xTissot+2xZelos+4xCertina+more
Family12xCW+2xΩ+Cartier
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post