I know that we are currently in a phase of hashtag menswear where we are not supposed to have holy grails any longer, but I still have a few. I bet a few of you do too. This is a short story about one of my grails. This grail is watch. A jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso to be exact.
Now I am not really a watch guy. I like them well enough, but they are expensive. So expensive that it puts a damper on my interest in them, but I still occasionally dream and even less occasionally I window shop online. This typically right after purchasing a lottery ticket assured of my new found wealth. No dice just yet.
A few weeks ago I was doing some watch maintenance. By maintenance I mean I took my watches (see above) to get new batteries which I am painfully slow to do. So I took them to a jewelry store near me. One that I knew had a nice selection of vintage watches. Which I knew from online window shopping.
While they were putting batteries in my watches I browsed. That’s a lie. I didn’t browse I made a beeline for the JLC Reverso. This quirky watch with a storied past and a touch of utilitarianism has been calling my name for a long long time. They got it out of the case for me. I tried it on and I didn’t love it. It was just too big.
I know that I can’t be alone in feeling this deflating feeling. We’ve spent countless hours thinking about how good we will look in our grail whether that’s a pair Alden cordovan loafers, a Ralph Lauren Polo coat, or in my case the Reverso. Only to find out later that the fit doesn’t work or we just don’t like it as much as we thought we would. There’s a lesson in there somewhere about managing expectations or appreciating what we have or some combination of the two. Don’t worry about me though. I’ll find another watch to dream about.
Feeling this lately, the #menswear economy is all about getting you to obsess over stuff online, usually without ever seeing it in person. After years of collection and accumulation I’ve deleted my eBay app and am trying to see how long I can make it. Wish me luck. Maybe I’ll actually take that pile of stuff to the tailor?
There is so much I can relate to in this comment, Dallas. We are on a similar trajectory down to the pile of stuff. Good luck!
I admire your will power! Can’t stop, myself…
I get it!
I, too, am a fan of classic menswear yet somehow not very into watches. I wear a CASIO for work and a vintage 80s-ish Seiko Dolce rectangular watch for dressier occasions (or just class if I feel like it, which I often do). I’m really happy with my Seiko, it’s a random eBay find of mine, I think it’s the most beautiful watch I’ve ever seen and perfectly sized for me. Most watches do very little for me, and I’ve not seen anything else quite like it. I’ve been rocking it for a few years now and haven’t hardly looked at another watch since. Dare I say grail status? I really like tank style watches, but I feel like I can’t jive with a leather watchband. I much prefer a metal bracelet because it’s easier match with different leather belts.
P.S. While the watch bug never bit me, in the past couple years the fragrance/cologne/men’s perfume bug has bit me. While not as expensive as watches, it’s certainly not cheap. Womp womp.
Like you I am pretty satisfied with my selection of cheap watches. You can see that I sometimes look, but I definitely don’t have the bug. It’s interesting that you mention it because fragrances are another rabbit hole that I’ve done my best to avoid fall into. So far so god lol!
Look into Cartiers. If you want to double-down on American made, look into vintage shaped watches from Hamilton, Bulova, Gruen, Waltham etc. Before 1950s. The American watches can still be had for a relative song, compared with the hoity-toity JLC
I appreciate the insight! I am a fan of the Cartier tanks as well, but the prices are hovering out of my range. They had a nice Girard Perregaux tho.
Oh, if you like Cartier Tanks but want a “cheaper alternative,” I think Seiko has made Cartier Tank inspired watches, look up Seiko Tank watch. They can be had vintage and newer. If I ever decide to pull the trigger on a tank, it would probably be a vintage one of those. Cheers.
The JLC Reverso looks good in your wrist. It’s longer in length than your 3 traditional round watches. That may effect how you see it.
Thanks, and you nailed it. Its just a little too long.