On the hunt for the next mechanical watch

In 2016, I bought my first ever mechanical watch. The Tissot Visodate for around $800. At that time it was fairly expensive for me, but I still remember the moment I bought it at a Tissot store. I have been working on my first full-time job after graduation for a year now and having received my first annual bonus, I decided to splurge a little and reward myself for having reached a new milestone in life.

It was a fantastic watch. Featuring a sapphire crystal dome and a clear sapphire crystal back that allows me to admire the complications from within, this was a great entry-level swiss-made mechanical watch. It even has a day-date complication all in one little neat package costing under $1000.

I have to admit, while I do love this watch, the advent of the Apple Watch has put the Tissot Visodate back in my desk drawer. While the Apple Watch is far more useful for my day-to-day needs, from time to time, I will wear the Tissot and remind myself that despite its mechanical nature, you can always rely on its timekeeping. And true enough, after six years, this watch still works like a charm and looks just as beautiful as the day I bought it. There is a stunning allure to owning a mechanical watch. The intricacies of the complications, all hand-made, hand-assembled, down to the tiniest screw and yet, when everything comes together, the watch magically comes to life, ticking away. You can tuck the watch away in the drawer for years and when you wound it back, it comes back to life again.

It is no wonder that some people are just fascinated with the world of horology and are just avid collectors of fine time-keeping devices. It is such an expensive hobby, maintaining a collection of expensive mechanical watches. I definitely do not fit that profile. I do not have the extra cash lying around to own multiple watches from well-known luxury brands like Rolex, Omega, IWC, Patek Phillipe, Vacheron Constatin and many many more.

But the world of horology and watchmaking is vast. It caters to every market segment out there. One thing I realise is that you don’t need vast sums of money to own fabulous watches. There are great ones out there from lesser-known watchmakers that provide more affordable watches and yet still design strikingly beautiful watches. For me, at the end of the day, I want a watch with a design and a level of workmanship that resonates, at the same without having me break the bank.

And now, I have about to arrive at yet another milestone in life. Sometime in 2022, I will be able to sign a lease to a new home when I reach 35, and hopefully, be able to renovate my newly purchased home and live in it sometime in the beginning of 2023. Such a milestone, I think, deserves remembering and a great way to mark the occasion is to be on a hunt for my second mechanical watch. Yes, the house in itself is a significant milestone. I am absolutely excited to start my journey in not just owning a home, but renovating it to be my ‘forever home’.

So what will be the next watch in my collection? I have narrowed it down to a few, namely Nomos Glashutte (which I have been eyeing for years), Muhle-Glashutte, and Hamilton to name a few. Each of them has its pros and cons, which I will elaborate in my future posts.