Friday 12 March 2010

Excuse me, do you have the time?

Yes. Yes, I have. And absolutely plenty of it. But not all of it is accurate. And certainly it all points to a compulsive personality. This collection is better evidence of that than any amount of showing you my stash! So here's my watch collection.


I've spread them out so you can see 'em a little better. Which caused me to tidy the drawer up a little, so thanks for that! Most of them are Swatch, most of them are plastic and they're all mine. It started way back in an airport and with a delayed flight. Shopping is of course, the only antidote offered by BAA. So I did. Turned out to be a really useful watch to have on holiday; waterproof, sand proof, sloppy-lotion-application proof and pretty much matching everything I took to wear. The love was kindled.

Back then, I was running my own craft shop and conducting in-store demos and workshops a lot. I felt an interesting wrist watch sort of added to that whole 'watch my hands' thing, and of course, they made me feel positively erm, arty and cool. (I know, but it's OK. I'm old enough to admit that I'm NEVER going to get over myself.) I like the designs. I like the way the pattern crosses the watch face and includes the strap in many cases. I like the slightly, lightly coloured bezels that often match the hands. I like the interpretation of a pattern applied to the watch shape. I like the big elastic bracelet types that look like glass beads. Most of all, I like the colours. I discovered that lots of cities have a big ol' Swatch store at their centres and better yet, lots of them have a dedicated city Swatch. I have one from San Francisco, Paris, Berlin, Sydney and Madrid. I have two Olympic commerative/celebratory Swatches. One of those is a 'collecter's item' sourced and gifted by my baby Sissy; I wear it anyway; I believe in enjoying what you've got, not locking it away unused. Unless it's a piece of hugely scarey patterned scrapbook paper, of course.

I've been 'collecting' for about a decade; in that time I've worked out that as I get older, I'm utterly pants at reading the time from a numberless watch face. I've also worked out that they tend to need replacement batteries in batches - and the most expensive batch is often in December and costs about 40 quid if I do them all at once. But I don't, obviously! The other revelation has been the noise that a collection of watches produce. They live in this drawer in a neat little half round hall table that Mr Dunnit made yonks ago. This table is on the landing. To be honest, it's an awkward location, but as you know, wood conducts sound. And the night time ticking of 30 odd watches was driving me mad - they aren't synchronised! I love them all, but I'm pretty much over the collecting part now. But I will probably still seek out the city Swatches, I think they're a cool, cool souvenir. There's the story then - bet you're sorry you even bothered to remark on it now!

Tomorrow, over at 2 Scrap Ladies we'll be running details of our next 'day'...do have a gander when you're surfing.

21 comments:

Elaine A said...

Julia -

I love your watch collection. Great colors, so bright and cheerful. I understand completely, I used to collect watches myself, I had a couple of Swatches, I have some that have what they call half bands. Even though I still have them, most of the time I now just wear my silver-faced, black banded plain old utilitarian wristwatch. I think its because its the first one in the box - LOL!

Elaine Allen

Helen said...

Wow!! You weren't kidding about having lots of watches. Is there a collective noun for watches? Perhaps you could invent one! The sound of that lot would drive me nuts!

Carmen said...

What an impressive collection. It's no different to accumulating jewellery I reckon - just the same. Yours is a lot more colourful and useful too.

Annie said...

Oh Julia I really love your watches. They are gorgeous. I have had several swatch watches over the years but have only really bought another one when the last one broke/wore out. Thanks for sharing them.
A x

airing cupboard crafts said...

Ohh I love the watches. I'm not trusted with anything like that keep loosing things. J has still not really got over me choosing the cricut expression over a tiffany bracelet lol

Anne said...

Wow - love that collection! I had one years and years ago - and I even remember the massive ones that you could hang from the wall.

I am currently without a watch, and it's driving me mad.

Pam said...

I have only got one swatch watch and that is a limited edition one given to Zurch Staff to commorate something I think it was when they took over Allied Dunbar or something like that, we did have 2 as my OH aso worked for them but I sold one on ebay. Pam

Angela Toucan said...

pretty collection

Hello, I'm Vicki said...

wow that is a fabulous collection of watches - really cool!!!

Angie said...

LOVE those watches ...cant blame you for having so many ...you had a great excuse for buying them lol

Ann said...

Being totally down-to-earth about the 'ticking problem' - did you know that on most digital watches you can pull out the time-changing knob and keep it out, thus stopping the ticking? And also saving battery life too! Of course, you have to set the time again when you want to wear one of your watches!

misteejay said...

...and I thought I was bad having 8 watches LOL

Toni :o)

mountainear said...

That's an impressive collection - I loving finding out what makes other people 'tick'.

Thanks for visiting my blog - hope to join in with WOYWW soon.

Linby said...

what a fab collection - I used to be into Storm watches so totally understand the whole having more than one watch thing. some of these could be collectors items now.....
Linbyx

Paige said...

What an amazing colelction!!! I love the one with the bubbley strap :)

Liverpool Lou (Anne) said...

It's a very pretty collection :) Though I don't collect watches I can see how easy it would be, there are some fab ones out there and very cheap too! I do actually have 6 myself but only 2 in working order - just can't bring myself to throw them away!
Anne xx

Sally said...

Ow wow Julia!! That is one lot of watches! What a lovely collection! I have placed a post for you on my blog! About pin cushions no less! http://sallyscraftybits.blogspot.com/2010/03/happy-mothers-day-oh-and-those-pin.html

Cardarian said...

I am really happy I am not the only collecter of things - oh yes I have a collection of watches too! I love yours though - very colorful - you are definitly my kinda gal!
Cardarian

Heidi said...

this is great, I realized about 2 months ago that I had 6 watches: and all needed batteries and when I went to purchase them all they were going to be approx $50. I don't wear them all, and certainly not at the same time- so why do I need to put batteries in them. They are fun and kind of "kid" like- tigger, rhinestones, pink, etc.... so hubby decided I needed a new "adult" watch for everyday- so for my birthday I got a pink faced rhinestone one! But I think that I officially ahve a mini collection and love them. I used to have a swatch- our Swiss foreign exchange student brought to me- I wish I still had it, it was that gummy/gel type watchband- I miss that!

Its All Fiddle Fart said...

Oh my what a wonderful collection - they are all so beautiful - I have a little collection - but ooooo I just want to fertle my way through all of yours - I can hear myself ooooing and aghhhhhhing now, who needs diamonds!!!

Designing With Dakota said...

it's so nice to find someone else with a watch "thing". I don't have nearly as many as you, probably about 14. I am quite envious of yours. Have a good day!!