I have always had an affinity for wrist watches, but never acted on it. I turned my nose up at the Rolex brand because they always seemed a little proud of what they are. That is almost always a turn off for me.
I had a Timex I bought as a very young man and wore it until the case was so corroded by my skin that it started cutting my wrist. I guess that watch lasted me a couple of decades.
It was replaced with a Seiko Quartz chronometer that I wore for years, finally replacing the movement 20-years ago and mistakenly buying a Seiko Sportura that was far too big for my wrist. It has languished on a shelf all that time.
When Apple released the Apple Watch, I bought one and used several of them over the intervening period until late last year. The smartwatch has always irritated me a bit with its insistence on making itself known. And, after reading Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism, I found myself wanting to be less connected and more present.
Last year I took up my love of mechanical cameras and realized just how good they are and that they have no need for batteries (which only run the meter).
And a gift from a friend reminded me that the same thing is true about mechanical watches. And, so I own a few.
This Cincinnatus from Cincinnati Watch Company arrived this morning. It needs a NATO strap and I am working on that. It is just a watch with no complications (unlike some of my other favorites). I think I will like it a lot. I will know more in a month or two.