The Watch That Taught Me About Time and Life
Shortly after discovering horology, I set out to find my first automatic watch—something meaningful, something mine. That’s when I came across the Timex Waterbury with an open heart. It wasn’t a famous or sought-after piece, but it didn’t have to be. It was mine, and that’s what mattered.
The open-heart design fascinated me. Watching the movement inside felt almost magical. This wasn’t just a battery or a machine; it was alive because of me. My actions—every motion, every rotation of my wrist—powered it. That simple realization struck me deeply. There’s something poetic about that: it’s through our actions that life has meaning.
The Bible says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” That verse came alive in the ticking of that watch. It reminded me that my work, my time, my effort are all valuable. Time is our most precious resource. You can earn more money, recover from illness, or rebuild a life—but time spent is time gone. Every tick of the second hand was a call to consider what I was doing with my time and why it mattered.
As I got deeper into watches, I stumbled into parts of the hobby that didn’t feel welcoming. Let’s be honest: some watch communities can be pretentious. There are forums and groups where value is measured by price tags, brand prestige, or access to exclusive models. But for me, it was never about that.
I found my home in the Timex community—people who love watches and horology, but who also value stories over status. It’s a space where someone’s first digital watch can mean as much as another person’s $10,000 timepiece. That’s the beauty of this hobby: it isn’t about what’s on your wrist, but the story behind it.
And honestly, that’s what life is about too. Everyone has a story. It doesn’t matter where you come from, how much money you have, or whether your watch is from Amazon or a boutique. What matters is what it means to you.
Like many collectors, I’ve spent hours watching YouTube videos and interviews. I’ve seen Teddy Baldassarre, WatchCrunch, Mark from Long Island Watches, and every episode of Talking Watches on Hodinkee. I’ve watched celebrities like Ed Sheeran and John Mayer share their grails.
But something was always missing: people like us. Regular people. Folks who drop their kids at school, grab food from Uber Eats, and look for deals at Walmart. I love hearing John Mayer’s stories, but that’s not my life. My watches don’t come from private boutiques or Rolex ADs; they come from Amazon and Reddit. And that’s okay.
Because a watch’s value doesn’t come from its price tag. It comes from its story.
That’s why I’m here. This website, these articles, the videos—they’re all about telling the stories of collectors like us. My story includes faith, so you’ll see Bible verses woven into my writing because that’s who I am. But I also want to hear your stories.
What brought you into collecting? Was it a family heirloom, a friend’s influence, a movie, or a song? Whatever it was, it’s worth sharing. I believe there’s a community out there of people just like us who want to hear those stories, who want to celebrate what makes this hobby special: not the watches, but the meaning behind them.
Let’s build that community together.