The watch that got you started?

[CamB]

I was in my early 20s and all I ever wanted at the time was one of these. Yeh I know, its not exactly super quality and its quartz but it is the watch that got me starting to fall in love with Swiss watches anyway. I wore it every day for about 14 years too, so it stood the test of time.Ended up giving it to my son who still wears it so all in all a quick purchase duty free in Hawaii was probably the best bang for buck Ive ever had from a watch and started my adult obsession with watches anyway.

[CFR]

At the age of 12-13. Yes, I know it's strange, you don't have to mention it.

I wanted the Speedy, but this is what I've got (Valjoux 7733) and still have:

[CamB]

At the age of 12-13. Yes, I know it's strange, you don't have to mention it.

I wanted the Speedy, but this is what I've got (Valjoux 7733) and still have:

Nice! Thats not odd at all. I remember cutting an ad out of the paper for a $59 multifunction LCD watch to show my parents, who made me wait till my birthday_ I reckon I was the same age.

[CFR]

Nice! Thats not odd at all. I remember cutting an ad out of the paper for a $59 multifunction LCD watch to show my parents, who made me wait till my birthday_ I reckon I was the same age.

Well, that only shows that this disease is hopeless; no cure and certainly chronicle. Oh well, there are worst things, I suppose.

[T Bone]

First watch I really pined for as a kid was a stainless Casio lcd digital that had a mode where you could have analog type hands represented in lcd. Had a cool one hour count down timer that started as a full circle of lcd marks, disappearing one by one for each minute. Got it for Christmas that year.

Next was a Citizen Aqualand (later renamed the Promaster) dive watch. Brushed SS W/gold plated accents. Had a very accurate built in depth gauge/timer. I know it's accuracy because in addition to a couple hundred SCUBA dives it accompanied me on, some of which I also used a dive computer, it also came with me on two hyperbaric chamber training dives, one to 120 ft. and one to 165 ft. It was bang on both times. First "expensive" watch I bought (I think I paid $240 after a good discount). Still around, but no longer works...

Then of course, there is the "one". It was all I wanted. Never envisioned continuing on buying "expensive" watches. I was drawn to Breitling by images of a black dialed chrono with gold subdials, SS case with gold accents (pushers, crown and rider tabs). Not sure where I first saw it. But in searching for it, I found and fell in love with the Chrono Avenger (then I DID think I might get the other eventually... never did!). Still love that Chrono Avenger. And it still gets noticed on occasion (really blows some peoples minds!).

[GlennO]

I always had something of an interest in watches, but for the most part I was a one watch owner content with various cheap quartz watches for most of my life. Then about 7 years ago I bought this:



I remember being really impressed with the quality of the watch and the fact that I was new to mechanicals made it feel even more special. I couldn't imagine ever needing or wanting to spend more than a couple hundred dollars on a watch. I'm not sure what happened to that way of thinking?

[popoki nui]

I can only approximate. It was the late 1960's, possibly 1970. I'd had only a Mickey Mouse watch up to that point, which I accidentally forgot in a locker at the pool after a swim lesson. My parents gifted me a nice new Sears Tradition diver-style watch, which I could wear in the pool and not have to worry about taking it off and losing it. THis is the exact model, but mine had a lovely blue sunray dial and blue/red bezel:

I loved it. I wore it everywhere until I was smitten with the LED craze. It was my little mechanical companion, and the watch that started my love of watches. I have absolutely no idea what happened to it; last I remember, it was running fine and had never leaked water, but somehow in the mid-70's, we parted company. I'd desperately love to find one again....

~Sherry.

[CamB]

Next was a Citizen Aqualand (later renamed the Promaster) dive watch. Brushed SS W/gold plated accents. Had a very accurate built in depth gauge/timer. I know it's accuracy because in addition to a couple hundred SCUBA dives it accompanied me on, some of which I also used a dive computer, it also came with me on two hyperbaric chamber training dives, one to 120 ft. and one to 165 ft. It was bang on both times. First "expensive" watch I bought (I think I paid $240 after a good discount). Still around, but no longer works…..

I had a digi/ana Citizen Promaster too- my first real tool watch.

[Der Amf]

When I was a child I had one of these, probably chosen from the Argos catalogue, and I was very preoccupied with it. Alarms and stop watches seemed quite enough to keep me happily distracted, WR impressed me. More importantly, from a section of my childhood from which memories are sketchy and sporadic, the ones of this are strong and clear. So happy that eventually that fascination found full bloom

[OrangeSport]

I remember always being interested In watches as a kid. In junior school it was digital watches and whose had the most buttons!

I really wanted a nice watch for my 21st.This was it after lots of looking around, and I guess that really got me going.