Tyler Frederick
Why do we collect things?
Collectors of all sorts have the ability to take anything that’s technically an inanimate object, romanticize it, and give it a new perspective, almost as if it’s alive. We all do it: watches, cars, guitars, art, action figures—so many categories, and we connect every piece to ourselves. What was once an object mainly designed for pleasure or enjoyment of some sort becomes a part of our personality, as we provide it with one. We take these things and place them in such high regard, with so much “mojo,” that they stop being objects and start being something more significant. That hits closer to home when these things are given to us by someone important or someone whom we love, or when we acquire them as a memento of a milestone or something special.
Check out the The Forgotten Innovations of 70s Watchmaking
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Watch collecting: A companion piece
In a world where things are increasingly recyclable, we miss the fact that many things in our lives are used as companions through our day-to-day and aren’t treated with the same respect as things built, made, or designed say 60 or 70 years ago. Now, I’m aware things aren’t manufactured to the same quality in some instances anymore, but that doesn’t mean these things aren’t there to help us through our lives and to make things better, easier, or simply to bring a smile to our face—a “companion piece” that complements our ways of living. Many lack compassion or take for granted the things in our lives that just make them better.
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Collecting with intention
Once I began collecting with intention, I noticed a large shift in the things that were coming into my life. At this time—and I’m beyond grateful to say—everything I use in my day-to-day life is connected to a person or someone I love. Cameras, guitars, watches, rings, video games—all of it is connected to someone, and when I use those things, I always smile because I think about said person(s).
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Cars and guitars
My connection with objects goes back to when I first started loving cars, but it really hit deep when I started playing guitar, trying different instruments, and discovering the Steve Vai philosophy of “a guitar is just wire and wood, but YOU make it talk and give it a personality.” It’s the same with everything I use in my life.
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The grail watch: My Oris Divers 65
Everything I use is “me,” and the only thing I’ve bought that has been a major acquisition in my life recently—and it’s still relatively new (October 2024 new)—is my Oris Divers 65. My grail watch. I’ve loved it since its release, and it’s a watch I’ve dreamed of. My 30th birthday was in September of 2024, and I wanted to buy something to put a stamp on it and to celebrate 30 years and to have a companion to live out the next 60 or so. I decided to stroll into Gem Bijou, and while I was glancing around looking for watches to review, in their pre-owned section I found THE watch.
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Next thing I know, I’m leaving the store with it on my wrist, an Oris box under my arm, and both a feeling of “holy s***” and “what have I done?” The watch has barely left my wrist since, and it’s one that I look forward to sharing so many of life’s mysteries with and to one day pass it down to someone. I can safely say the Divers 65 is my “one watch,” and one with which I’ve already created so many stories and memories.
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More than just “things”
While many things in life can be replaced, there are things that we can pay respect to and appreciate with so much depth, compassion, and love. Many watch collectors have these traits, as we all appreciate the level of craftsmanship that goes into each watch from the brands we love so much. But it doesn’t need to be all about watches; we all love so many things outside of watches. I’ve been so lucky to meet so many who have even greater niches in the collecting world, and each person I talk to always gives me something new to learn, think about, or to go home and research all night till the deep hours of the morning. It’s such a beautiful hobby filled
with so many amazing people who share so much passion for things that others overlook or find unimportant—just another “thing.”
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It’s not having what you want, it’s wanting what you have
Here’s a little exercise and takeaway from this: What do you use in your everyday life that you could show a little more appreciation for? What watches do you own that mean the world to you? What objects have you always had but whose significance you haven’t thought about in a while? I know this is a different article, but I feel it’s a necessary one, especially for those of us who are constantly surrounded by new watches or seeing the next best thing on a regular basis. Sometimes it’s good to sit down, reflect, ground, and appreciate the things that already exist in our reality.
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About the author
Born into a family obsessed with motorsport, Tyler Frederick became enamoured with speed and beautiful cars at a young age. His love of Formula 1–and all things mechanical–eventually lead him to horology. You can follow him on Instagram.
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