Let's talk watches

And some ideas for Mother's Day watch gifting

It’s been a banner decade for horology.

With the rise of Hodinkee came a new digital ecosystem for watch lovers. Podcasts, watch blogs, and Hodinkee-adjacent projects like Dimepiece, a chronicle of women’s watches, have all found their own fanbase. There are a variety of watch “influencers” and dealers (several of whom I follow).

Even rich dudes like Dave Portnoy are launching their own watch brands.

Every time I check GQ there is some new round-up of the week in watches, what celebrity wore what, how much Rafa’s watch cost, who has the best collection of Rolex watches, why Tyler the Creator has the best collection of wrist candy.

I don’t begrudge someone’s interest in watches - they ARE , in many cases, beautiful objects and works of incredible engineering. They are a lovely way to mark an occasion, and you can pass a good watch on to your children.

But do you really need a different watch for every day of the month? It’s like having a 10 car garage. Isn’t a bit much to have a fifty thousand dollar watch on your wrist? Even if I COULD afford it, I have no interest.

It’s one thing if you’re an actual pilot and you wear a proper pilot’s watch. Or if you actually do deep sea diving and you wear a Rolex Sea-Dweller. Of you race cars and you need a Daytona or a Tag Heuer. That all makes sense - there is historical precedence.

My grandfather flew planes, and I inherited his Breitling. My older brother got his Omega Speedmaster. But that was an era when men wore a watch that provided real value to their job, or their interests. Now it seems like these things are worn just for the sake of looking cool, or being expensive. A flex.

Some of the coolest (and chicest) people I know wear a simple Swatch. I think there’s nothing cooler than being able to afford a Patek Phillipe and choosing to wear a Swatch.

The whole thing got me thinking about my wife’s watches. More than having my own collection I’ve preferred the fun of gifting my wife watches over the years to commemorate little moments. They aren’t expensive watches - they are simple, beautiful time pieces that serve as a reminder of a place or a moment in time.

Since Mother’s Day is in May (far off but so soon…) I thought I’d share her collection - it’s small and simple, with a watch for any sort of moment, at a variety of price points. They would make a great gift for the lady in your life, a mom, a sister, or a friend. I love a watch to mark major moments - the birth of a child, a wedding, graduation, or a major achievement.

Swatch

I’ve been a Swatch lover since childhood. I was introduced to the brand, quite randomly, through Spike Lee. I was a fan of his movies, and he collaborated with the brand. Over the years I bought several that I cherished - my first real love affair with a timepiece. Most of them have been lost over countless moves, but it’s no sweat because a Swatch is affordable. For a lot of folks, it’s downright cheap.

In adulthood I’ve consistently worn a simple black design they call Once Again. It’s a classic.

To commemorate our first trip to Switzerland (the motherland of watches), I bought my wife a similar model, which they call the Lady Black. This watch is like a pair of Chuck Taylor’s - classic, affordable, and always a nice choice.

Coros

Having a fitness watch is essential for us both. We love to run, and while we aren’t avid step-trackers, it is nice to log your runs through a proper fitness watch so you might track your progress over the years. I can still look back at runs from 15 years ago and compare my times and routes with the same runs today.

Garmin owns most of the fitness watch business, but I prefer the watches of Coros. The main reason is because they aren’t Garmin - while it’s hardly revolutionary, I like making the choice that is against the current of what everyone else might have. I found the watch via a running group in Paris. A friend of mine was in the group, and everyone wore a Coros. It felt like a cooler, more interesting choice than Garmin.

We use them and love them so much that truthfully, it ends up being the watch we both wear most often. I rarely take it off, unless I’m going to a dressy event. Otherwise, the easy-to-read watch face and sleep data gives me too many excuses to keep it on my wrist.

Ole Mathiesen

We spent a week of our honeymoon in Copenhagen, and we loved it so much we returned the next year. We are returning this summer, six years later, with our son in tow. Copenhagen is a magical city - great for kids, beloved for cycling, design focused and food centric. It is easy to get around, and very laid back.

To commemorate the birth of our son, I bought my wife a simple, elegant watch from Danish watchmakers Ole Mathiesen. I had it inscribed with a message on the back, and it was a reminder of the incredible moments in time we had already shared, and a celebration of the times we would share in the future.

The watch itself is like a grown-up, dressier version of the Swatch. Simple, refined, and restrained.

Tudor

A little over a year ago my wife launched her company E.M. Reitz, a women’s shirting company, the culmination of her 20+ years working as a clothing designer.

Tudor was founded by the same founder of Rolex, some 40 years later. You can read more about the relationship between the watches here. For me, as someone who likes watches but doesn’t care to go deep, Tudor has great history, makes beautiful watches, and while it isn’t the same thing, it’s a massive bargain when compared to a Rolex.

Erin’s watch is from the handsome Black Bay series, in a 32mm size that works well for both men and women.