you are trapped in here with us
One of the problems with having opinions about everything is that sometimes you have to express that opinion, even when you should not. And having expressed this opinion about a trivial matter, such that it would not cross most people’s minds, you end up with a vintage watch that you did not intend to buy.… Continue reading Alive with pleasure
Goals, people, we have to have goals. What is the point of this activity if we just see something shiny and figure out how to acquire it? That’s just crass consumerism. That is being a shopping addict, not a collector. (Do you feel the burning shame of your last thoughtless purchase? Good. I feel mine… Continue reading Collecting goals for 2026
I don’t read many “State of the Collection” (SOTC) posts or watch those videos. When one plays on my YouTube feed it is usually because I dozed off watching a video on the history of the Lakota Sioux, the Seleucids, or Appalachian geography. (If I ever get to run this simulation again, I might wind… Continue reading The Purposeful Wanderer (not a SOTC)
I have been dealing with a wave of ennui for the last eleven months. Every time something gets resolved, a new issue arises. I have been as interested as ever with watches, but I've grown to be more and more of a cynic. My tastes in watches have changed. I've been exploring more complicated stuff… Continue reading I remember what I love about watches. Seiko Lord Matic review
You have decided to dip your toe into vintage watch collecting. Like a certain potato chip (crisp for those of you that eat beans on toast), you can never have just one. There are certain categories that you should/must have in your collection. These are the Jungian archetypes of vintage watches that will bring pleasure… Continue reading The Five Vintage Watches That You Must Own
I knew that there was a saying that something “was the thief of joy.” I have been feeling a bit joyless in the collecting part of watch collecting recently. I looked it up and it was “comparison”. Well, that covers FOMO pretty much. It is a very stoic way of looking at the world. Teddy… Continue reading My Knowledge Problem
No… you are not seeing things, that is a watch. A gaudy looking streetwear drop right? Wrong? It is the product of a sick mind. (Calm down son - Ed). No, but it is something I rescued from the box of bits. A 1970s Delta Computer that had a broken EB something (not checking, it… Continue reading Is this acceptable? I know what you did last Summer, and the Watchbros(tm) are appalled…
We are cursed to live in interesting times. We imagine that we have unusually bad luck in this regard, and that sometime in the recent or distant past things were better. The sun shone more brightly, gentle breezes kept us cool, and the food tasted better. A few years ago, back when I could call… Continue reading Which Way Watch Collector?
This is perhaps one of the restorations I am most proud of. All it took me was a day to get it from a watch even the seller said was in "bad shape" to a beautiful and rare watch with a special connection to my hometown. Now, how did I get this watch? After I… Continue reading On the workbench part six: 24 hours with Ryan
I immersed myself in some Red and Blue America activities this week. Just a warning for all of our friends worldwide, the United States is going to talk about itself a lot in the next year. It will be a cacophony of opinions about “American Exceptionalism,” “America’s Original Sin,” and everywhere in between. Brace yourself… Continue reading Dispatches from Real America…
The Escapement Room 