Dear Snob,
Recently, I became the proud owner of a new Audi, and I have quickly come to appreciate the precision and attention to detail that was put into this machine. It’s sleek, classy, ergonomic, and sensible. The price tag was even less than a few of the other, flashier German-engineered driving solutions.
My question is, what are a few of the Audis of the watch world? I’ve always been a Seiko/Citizen guy but seeing the superiority evident in European craftsmanship, I’d like to explore any German timepiece options available to me for a reasonable price. I put a premium on comfort, durability, and simplicity. I’m not a diver or sailor, nor do I fly a jet.
Outcomes the predictable, tired car-watch comparison again. Why are people so insistent that there is any sort of connection here? Why not sewing machines and watches? Why not sailboats and watches? Maybe I should keep my mouth shut or I’ll inspire a whole new genre of annoying questions. The fact of the matter is, though some cars are built to a level of precision and craftsmanship that can be admired much like a watch, it is only those hand-built cars at the top echelon that qualify and even then, they don’t come close to the ingenuity of a hand-decorated, complicated watch, in my not-so-humble opinion.
Frankly, I lost interest in car designs around the time every car maker started integrating bumpers under molded plastic and the designers became slaves to the wind tunnel. Audi is one of the chief offenders here. Their designs of the ‘70s and ‘80s looked downright Eastern Bloc, and they were among the vanguard of companies that embraced the egg-shaped clones that ply suburban streets these days. Squint at an Audi and it looks like a Camry, no matter how solid the door feels when you close it. Give me polished chrome, pontoon fenders, and wing windows any day over a modern car.
But you want a watch, a German watch, to show that you truly appreciate German excellence, lest you appear that you just bought your Audi to one-up your neighbor’s Volkswagen. Although you didn’t state a price range, I’ll assume that since you didn’t spring for a Porsche, you’re not in Lange & Söhne territory, but also wouldn’t settle for a Sinn, which is only German on the outside. I’d steer you toward a Glashütte Original Sixties. Despite the brand’s Swatch ownership, it manages to turn out some highly respectable timepieces. The Sixties is its most distinctive design and the movement finishing is befitting a watch from Glashütte. It should meet your criteria quite well and further your Teutonophilia. Just promise me you won’t do the sandals with socks thing.
Ask a Stupid Question…
Do you sometimes wear chronographs? If you do, which ones would you recommend? Some of them, like the A. Lange & Söhne 1815, I find really beautiful, although useless in everyday situations.
What sort of question is that? I couldn’t rightfully wear the title “Watch Snob” if I didn’t sometimes wear chronographs, now could I? And judging by your assessment of the Lange 1815, I seriously doubt that any chronograph I would suggest would be useful for your “everyday situations,” whatever those are. So let’s just stop right here before things get ugly.
Credits: Askmen
