Keeping Time With TOYSREVIL (Swatch & Me)
Unlike a lot of folks I know (and/or know of), I do not have any particular desire to own any "powerhouse" watches. And even if I did, I can scarcely remember any particular brands (except maybe Oris, but that was decades ago :p). I've never been partial to the Omegas, Rolexes or any other time-pieces of revered material status. Not that there's anything wrong with wanting to show off your wealth and ability, of course, but perhaps collecting watches is more of a personal thing (and even "emotional" at some juncture), at least for me. And wanting it to reflect my personality (or "impression of"), rather than the size of my wallet and bank account.
Some folks "judge" a person, or leaves an impression based on what "accessories" they wear: shoes, clothes etc - I'd be looking at peeps' watches - which sometimes may lead to undue personal etiquette faux-par - as I might be starring at a peep's wrists instead of looking them in the eye, when I shake hands during introductions! :p ... anyways ...
I remember a decade and a half (or so) back, where I'd exclusive collected only SWATCH watches. And by that, it meant the plan was to purchase (at least) a new Swatch watch every month, with the salary from my first job, and subsequent one. It started as more of a "reward" self-incentive then, for my hardwork-toil and for surviving the rat-race.
And having a "gimmicky" watch then, was in line with the image I'd wanted to portray. (Young, funky, hip, yadda yadda yadda). I was kitschy even before kitsch was "in" (altho I'm not too sure that's something I'd boast on about now LOL) ... Yes, laugh away - but it alluded a naive sense of confidence in the projection of my "creativity" and perhaps helped in my own self-scripted portrayal of my abilities in the design medium (both my first and second jobs - Interior Design & Design for Television). I look back now not with cringe-worthy spasms, but with a wry smile ... okay, fine - maybe with a slight roll-of-teh-eyeballs :p
And I'd stuck to the "plan" for a quite a few good years, with my amassed collection reaching saturation point when I begun to spend way too much time deciding what Swatch to wear for the work-day! It was my guilty fashion-trip paralleled to women's need to constantly change handbags and shoes. Yes, tis sexist-profiling, but i heart me my Swatches (then) :p
[Actually as I dug these out for for this post, I realized I had kept none of the boxes :p]
Looking back now, I'd imagine this was as close to a "collection of collectibles" paralleled to keeping toys today. Sure I'd read and kept comicbooks and trading cards (hell, I collected loadsa stuff LOL), but they had seemed more of "hobby collectibles", than say "watches" - which would seem more of being "fashion accessories" moreso than utilitarian hobby-desirables, IMHO. But that wasn't my pure intention then.
In my defense, they were more for practical use / wear, rather than as kept as pristine collectible pieces for subsequent after-market value (well, most of them anyways :p) - which meant they were either eventually faded with age (as do all plastic watches), in wear-n-tear tatters (peeling plastic or frayed leather-straps ain't purdy), and/or had missing boxes (much to my chagrin years later in thy financially depleted life).
Before I begun down the more expensive path of the Chronos or heavy duty Irony range (which I lurved with a vengence), the thin colorful plastiky SGD$65-75 range was the monthly aim - which was sorta cool (but still considered "pricey" then) - as it doesn't hurt as much when you think of chucking it away, as opposed to a three-digit-priced watch, yeh? But of coz I've never chucked any of my Swatches (the pack-rat hoarder than I still am, as evident as the dusty I could manage to dig out for this post :p).
And what they do serve now, is perhaps a snapshot in time (or snapshots) of a bygone era of my/our past/s, as much as the early vinyl figures in your/our collection. Each may tell a particular story, or even trigger an incident or memory, of the period of purchase, perhaps?
And in numerous ways, it would be the act of procuring the items, that one remembers (besides the obligatory birthday prezzie or anniversary gift :p) - like finding a particular dead-stock watch in an obscure little hole-in-the-wall shop. Somehow the thrill of the hunt may not be as exciting buying something straight from a shop, as opposed to sniping it on ebay, or personally my fav form of procurement: flea-market finds.
[Well, the dude told me they were "military" watches,
but I never did go and find out if they were :p]
Fast forward to the mid-90's - my tastes changed (or rather the designs became pretty much too kitschy for my "image") and I'd ventured forth to quasi-vintage watches (had a coupla Russian-made "military" windups). My last SWATCH watch was an all-Chrome Irony, which I'd still wear for formal occasions (but has since gotten too tight a fit on my by then chunky-ish wrist).
Nowadays, I do not buy any watches at all, except for the single SGD$30 black analog that I currently wear and would not have the fear of being scratched or damaged. Great for Reservist-wear. Good enough for day-to-day. No enough to wow my (non-existent) adoring crowd (*cough*), but utilitarian's the way to go in this day and age, methinks (Me Hopes) - in a weird roundabout full-circle-way ... Although a bit of flash may still make a welcoming splash :p
[Disclaimer: The above article was published in 2008, and I have since bought myself a new watch - it is not a Swatch, and it is the only watch I wear now]
Some folks "judge" a person, or leaves an impression based on what "accessories" they wear: shoes, clothes etc - I'd be looking at peeps' watches - which sometimes may lead to undue personal etiquette faux-par - as I might be starring at a peep's wrists instead of looking them in the eye, when I shake hands during introductions! :p ... anyways ...
I remember a decade and a half (or so) back, where I'd exclusive collected only SWATCH watches. And by that, it meant the plan was to purchase (at least) a new Swatch watch every month, with the salary from my first job, and subsequent one. It started as more of a "reward" self-incentive then, for my hardwork-toil and for surviving the rat-race.
And having a "gimmicky" watch then, was in line with the image I'd wanted to portray. (Young, funky, hip, yadda yadda yadda). I was kitschy even before kitsch was "in" (altho I'm not too sure that's something I'd boast on about now LOL) ... Yes, laugh away - but it alluded a naive sense of confidence in the projection of my "creativity" and perhaps helped in my own self-scripted portrayal of my abilities in the design medium (both my first and second jobs - Interior Design & Design for Television). I look back now not with cringe-worthy spasms, but with a wry smile ... okay, fine - maybe with a slight roll-of-teh-eyeballs :p
And I'd stuck to the "plan" for a quite a few good years, with my amassed collection reaching saturation point when I begun to spend way too much time deciding what Swatch to wear for the work-day! It was my guilty fashion-trip paralleled to women's need to constantly change handbags and shoes. Yes, tis sexist-profiling, but i heart me my Swatches (then) :p
[Actually as I dug these out for for this post, I realized I had kept none of the boxes :p]
Looking back now, I'd imagine this was as close to a "collection of collectibles" paralleled to keeping toys today. Sure I'd read and kept comicbooks and trading cards (hell, I collected loadsa stuff LOL), but they had seemed more of "hobby collectibles", than say "watches" - which would seem more of being "fashion accessories" moreso than utilitarian hobby-desirables, IMHO. But that wasn't my pure intention then.
In my defense, they were more for practical use / wear, rather than as kept as pristine collectible pieces for subsequent after-market value (well, most of them anyways :p) - which meant they were either eventually faded with age (as do all plastic watches), in wear-n-tear tatters (peeling plastic or frayed leather-straps ain't purdy), and/or had missing boxes (much to my chagrin years later in thy financially depleted life).
Before I begun down the more expensive path of the Chronos or heavy duty Irony range (which I lurved with a vengence), the thin colorful plastiky SGD$65-75 range was the monthly aim - which was sorta cool (but still considered "pricey" then) - as it doesn't hurt as much when you think of chucking it away, as opposed to a three-digit-priced watch, yeh? But of coz I've never chucked any of my Swatches (the pack-rat hoarder than I still am, as evident as the dusty I could manage to dig out for this post :p).
And what they do serve now, is perhaps a snapshot in time (or snapshots) of a bygone era of my/our past/s, as much as the early vinyl figures in your/our collection. Each may tell a particular story, or even trigger an incident or memory, of the period of purchase, perhaps?
And in numerous ways, it would be the act of procuring the items, that one remembers (besides the obligatory birthday prezzie or anniversary gift :p) - like finding a particular dead-stock watch in an obscure little hole-in-the-wall shop. Somehow the thrill of the hunt may not be as exciting buying something straight from a shop, as opposed to sniping it on ebay, or personally my fav form of procurement: flea-market finds.
[Well, the dude told me they were "military" watches,
but I never did go and find out if they were :p]
Fast forward to the mid-90's - my tastes changed (or rather the designs became pretty much too kitschy for my "image") and I'd ventured forth to quasi-vintage watches (had a coupla Russian-made "military" windups). My last SWATCH watch was an all-Chrome Irony, which I'd still wear for formal occasions (but has since gotten too tight a fit on my by then chunky-ish wrist).
Nowadays, I do not buy any watches at all, except for the single SGD$30 black analog that I currently wear and would not have the fear of being scratched or damaged. Great for Reservist-wear. Good enough for day-to-day. No enough to wow my (non-existent) adoring crowd (*cough*), but utilitarian's the way to go in this day and age, methinks (Me Hopes) - in a weird roundabout full-circle-way ... Although a bit of flash may still make a welcoming splash :p
[Disclaimer: The above article was published in 2008, and I have since bought myself a new watch - it is not a Swatch, and it is the only watch I wear now]
