On time

When I consider time, I think about watches. I have a particular affinity to watches, especially pocket watches. I suspect it has something to do with my father. As long as I could remember my father seemed to be tinkering with watches, servicing and repairing. I never understood why he liked to tinker in this way until purchased a pocket watch for myself and asked him about the mechanism.

He very kindly found his old tools and gave me a tutorial on the servicing of a mechanical watch. Jewelled movements, balance wheels, crowns and barrel springs; these fascinating things were suddenly explained to me. It is just so elegantly designed and crafted. Once I had finished the job and wound the mechanism I had the joy of hearing the quiet, urgent tick of the serviced watch.

I have purchased two more vintage and antique pocket watches since. The detail and care that went into even an ordinary everyday watch from just 80 years ago is impressive. I love my watches, especially the sound of the ticking. I had grown so accustomed to the “double tick” of a mechanical watch that when I heard a quartz clock I thought it was broken since it only ticks once a second.

I would love to grow my collection, but some of the time pieces I have wanted are prohibitively expensive. I will need to build it up slowly then, perhaps acquiring an interesting watch once every 18 months or so. We will see where the future takes me.

This is one of mine, a lovely Elgin.

 Call me watch crazy, but I envy this collection.