Projects

For us collectors, buying a quality watch is both a pleasure and a privilege.

That said, even if a particular watch has been on your hit list for some time, and even if you can admire it for its beauty, it can still sometimes be difficult to form a bond with it. Occasionally, it just doesn't quite feel like yours.

To some, this may sound like a silly thing to say, but I have experienced it myself a few times.

Finding something that hasn't seen the light of day for years, perhaps damaged, broken or simply neglected, and then being able to give it a new lease of life, can make for a much more exciting prospect.

A project watch, I find, can be a direct pathway to forming that bond. Instead of buying something that is simply ready to go, a project watch requires a degree of involvement from you after the initial purchase. This can be taken one step further if you choose to undertake some of the necessary work yourself.

From a basic clean-up, or a poor runner in need of a service, right through to a full restoration, that additional process can really help create something special.

Not only is it hugely satisfying to breathe life back into something that might otherwise remain neglected, but as a by-product it can also potentially add value. And a bonus is always nice.

I am only really touching the surface here, giving a broad overview of my thoughts and experiences after taking on quite a number of projects in various forms.

I would strongly encourage anyone interested to think carefully about their own limitations, but also not to be afraid of going down this particular rabbit hole and giving it a go.

Good luck.