Gonzo guides to pick!

Q. Dear Gonzo,

Please do not bore me with your lectures on heritage or why one innovation rules out another. My question is a simple one: Why should I own a luxury timepiece and more than that, why should I wear it.   If I’m to make a worthwhile investment, I might as well know what it stands for!

A. So you are a gent who’s been looking into acquiring his first luxury timepiece! It also shows you are unaware that luxury is a variable term; what’s luxury at 15 may not be so at 50, so a little lowdown on the years you have walked this earth will really come helpful. Also the number of years you are donning your wrist. Only then I can tell you what your choice stands for.

Instead, let me guess why you need that update.

Is your current watch bit on the sportier side and you are a regular job-holder? Are you about to get into circles where you need to dress up? Or just because you want something new – a second option – to your existing ticking-machine? Or do you go by the lean wardrobe philosophy?

In that case, I’ll tell you not to buy simply another fashion watch in the name of luxury. It’s not what bit older – about to get married – guys do and below 20-s…well, the question doesn’t arise! Be appreciative of the quality in watches that you like, so you’ll not want to slap-on an obscure, brand  just because it looks luxury. You want a watch with character and there are many classic luxuries to choose from, which also double up as daily wears. You’ll pass down a piece of you through generations; so when you do that, you do it with class. Perhaps that’s the biggest other reason why you should wear a luxury watch (in geneal) other than showing your taste and money.

As for “I might as well know what it stands for”, you need to tell me what you are eyeing currently. But oh, don’t just shoot me with an endless array of names; instead, focus on the following that makes a watch and pick any 5 (or 10; however, less number of final choices make for a comparatively easy selection); I’ll be glad to answer.

So first is Craftsmanship. Apart from the cost of the materials and the scientific genius making a watch work, it’s the skill of giving it the form that makes you go for a Citizen or a Seiko. Painstaking precision and delicate designs, both in esthetics and movement is what sets apart a luxury timepiece from a regular, rough-use watch.

Rarity is the second point,  but I guess that doesn’t require any further explanation.

Next comes innovation; I know you are averse to my lectures so – Find something (feature or function, material etc.) that others don’t have. A luxury watch with a barometric pressure gauge might sound odd and look odd too, but a simple golden or silver indicating hand  might help you save your tux or the John Lobb shoe from a sudden shower. You know, things like that – moonphase, power reserve, GMT, perpetual calender etc.

So go ahead, make your choice and stand out from the crowd. That’s perhaps the biggest reason why you want to own the luxury watch.