A watch collection video has been one of the most highly requested videos for the channel. Well, folks, the wait is over! Today, I'm opening up the case and showing you my watch collection.
And because anyone who has been bitten by the watch bug knows, there is always that next watch we want, here is a short list of my most wanted watches:
All right, finally, here we go.
Today, the most highly requested video.
What's up, guys?
I'm Brian Sacawa, you're watching He Spoke Style,
and this is my watch collection.
So people always ask me, you know,
when did I first get into watches?
And I don't really have a good answer to that.
I do remember always being intrigued with watches.
I can't really pinpoint what the fascination was.
Some of the earliest watches I remember having
in my childhood were the Timex Ironman Triathlon,
which had the start-stop and the lap reset buttons.
And I can remember having competitions with my friends
to see who could push the start-stop twice the fastest.
I also remember that the first watch
that I sort of lusted after
was this kind of neon yellow and teal swatch.
And if I recall, it did have a rotating bezel.
And then, of course, my first luxury watch as a child
was the Gucci with the red and green dial
that I bought on Canal Street.
But needless to say, over the years,
I've always maintained a sort of passive interest
in wristwatches, but it wasn't until the last five years
or so that I really got started going down
the very, very deep rabbit hole of wristwatch fanaticism.
And I know there are some of you out there
that can sympathize with that.
So that brings us to my personal watch collection,
which right now is about 10 watches.
I'm not gonna go through them
in any particular order of acquisition
or anything like that, so let's just get right to it.
Now, the first watch here
might be a little surprising to some of you.
It is the Seiko 5 SNK809, $82.38 on Amazon.
The Seiko 5 is universally regarded,
even by serious watch nerds, as the best value in watches.
You get a fantastic automatic movement for under $100,
which is like, what, you know?
This is a easy, everyday watch to wear.
I love the size at 37 millimeters.
Black dial makes it very versatile.
The canvas strap kind of puts it more on the casual side,
but as an everyday watch, you really can't beat it.
Next up is the watch
that was my very first new luxury watch.
This is my Rolex Datejust Reference 116234.
If you've seen my guide to buying your first Rolex video,
you have seen this watch before
and heard me talk about why I decided to buy a new watch
versus a pre-owned one,
I definitely recommend checking out that video
if you haven't already.
It took me a long time to figure out
what exact Datejust I wanted.
Obviously, I went with something that is extremely classic
and that I feel matches my personal style very well.
This is the 36 millimeter version
in steel and white gold, silver dial,
Jubilee bracelet, stick pin hour markers,
and fluted bezel.
This watch is very, very special to me.
I got it to celebrate a milestone with He Spoke Style
and it will always be in my collection.
So not long after I got my Datejust,
I became obsessed with the Rolex GMT-Master.
First, I loved the look of it with the blue and red bezel,
especially the ones that had faded a little bit over time.
And then finding out more about the history of the watch,
which was introduced in 1954 for Pan Am pilots,
and that it really was and is a tool watch,
which allows you to tell the time
in two different time zones at once.
So I became obsessed with this watch
and then I actually became obsessed with finding one
from my birth year, which is 1977.
So the watch I eventually found
with the help of my friend James Lambden
from Analog Shift is this one,
my reference 1675 5.2 million serial number,
which dates it to 1977.
I love this watch.
It's such a classic sports watch.
I always take this with me when I travel
and I use the bezel to keep track of the time back home.
I like it on the bracelet a lot,
though this is not actually a period correct bracelet.
I also do like to swap out the bracelet
for a leather or suede strap sometimes
and a NATO strap in the summer.
This next watch is the Cartier Drive.
This is the original example from 2016,
which was the first year they introduced the Drive.
This was a very different kind of watch for Cartier,
which is one of the reasons that I liked it.
With this watch, they were trying to introduce something
that was more specifically aimed at the male consumer
and this watch is said to have
a bit of an automotive inspiration.
There's a lot of subtlety in the dial of this watch
that I like, the black dial version that I have especially.
There's the guilloche on the inner part of the dial
and the runny sub-second style.
The hands almost blend in, but not.
You kind of have to turn it a certain way
to catch the light, which just reveals
more of the intricacy of the dial.
And I know date windows can sort of divide people,
but I think this is a really well-positioned
and unobtrusive date window here.
Very cool watch.
All right, moving from a more contemporary Cartier design
to a more classic one, this is my Cartier Tank Americaine.
This is the 100th anniversary version.
Medium size, steel case, silver dial,
blue leather strap and deployant buckle.
This is a very special watch to me.
This is the watch that my wife gave me on our wedding day.
And on the case back, you can see inscribed
our wedding date.
I love the Tank Americaine because I think
it's one of those kind of under the radar watches
in the Cartier Tank lineup.
It's obviously extremely classic, super elegant
and just different, you know?
You see Tank Solos all the time,
but the Tank Americaine is one
that you don't see that often,
which to me makes it even more intriguing.
Next up is a heavy hitter in my collection.
This is of course the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711,
a watch that really needs no introduction.
If you're into watches at all,
you know what this watch is all about
and you know how difficult it can be to come by.
So I've heard that there are like waiting lists
of like five to 10 years long for this watch.
And as a result, it commands an absolutely absurd premium
on the secondary market.
So you're probably wondering how I got this
and it's actually a pretty good story.
So when my wife and I bought our house
a little over a year ago,
just about across the street is a Patek AD.
So I immediately went in there, inquired about the 5711.
Of course, I was laughed at,
told the list was 60 people long,
people all over the world and this and that.
And I said, all right, whatever, you know,
just put my name on the list.
By the way, I live across the street from you.
I'm local, not just some random guy
who's gonna take this watch from you and flip it.
So I left it there.
Then over the next couple of months,
I'd periodically check in and stop into the shop
just so he knew that I was serious.
And I remember the last time I called him was on a Friday.
And then the very next Monday, he called me and said,
Brian, I'm gonna do you a favor.
I have a 5711 here, a blue dial.
If you want it, it's yours.
So obviously, in complete shock,
I talked to a couple collector friends of mine
and they say, if you don't take this, you're an idiot.
So I had to put my money where my mouth was
and I got the watch.
I would consider all of the watches in my collection
to be favorites each in their own way,
but there's really something very, very special
about the 5711.
The design is classic, one of Genta's most famous designs
next to the Royal Oak.
The movement is finished exquisitely.
On the wrist, it's just amazing.
The slim low profile is so elegant.
I have never felt a bracelet this comfortable before.
The watch itself is kind of unassuming, which I like,
and it's also very versatile.
So this is one of my everyday watches
and one of my favorites in my collection.
All right, moving on to what could probably be called
the centerpiece of my collection,
and that is this watch right here,
the Alanga & Sona Datagraph.
This is the original version, reference 403.035 in platinum.
Every time I look at this watch or have it on my wrist,
I am just in awe.
So it's no secret that I am a big fan of Alanga & Sona,
one of my favorite brands.
There's just something about Alanga watches
that speak to me, whether it's from a design perspective,
like the outsized date windows,
the way that dials are laid out,
the amazing finish on every facet of the watch,
and of course, the beautiful, beautiful movements,
which the Datagraph is definitely known for.
Of all of the versions of the Datagraph out there,
for me, the original one is one of the best
and mostly due to the case size,
because it's 39 millimeters.
The up-down version with the power reserve indicator
is 41 millimeters, which for me,
is really kind of pushing the envelope size-wise,
especially considering the thickness of the watch.
The chronograph mechanism is one of the most buttery smooth
that I have ever felt before.
The Datagraph has been called
the most important modern chronograph,
and I feel extremely fortunate to have one in my collection.
I actually wear this watch all the time,
and of course, if you're a watch guy,
you know what this watch is, but like the 5711,
this one kind of flies under the radar for a lot of people,
and I like that.
I like the fact that the case back notwithstanding,
that there is a sort of subtle,
not totally in-your-face quality to the Datagraph.
Next watch I have here on my wrist actually
is my IWC Ingenieur Automatic,
another simple, classic, timeless, very versatile watch.
Speaking of versatile,
I did do a styling video for this watch,
wearing it with three different outfits,
so definitely check that out if you haven't already.
There are a couple things
that I really love about the Ingenieur.
One, again, it is sort of that under-the-radar watch
for IWC, you know, it's not the big pilot,
it's not the Portuguese line.
Another thing is that it has, in its design history,
a version that was created by Gerald Genta.
That one was the Ingenieur SL Reference 1832 from 1976.
And although the new version,
which I have more closely resembles the original from 1955,
I do like that there is a little bit of Genta
in this watch's DNA.
Next up is the Tag Heuer Carrera Blue Dreamer,
which was the first watch collaboration
that Waco did with the Rake and Revolution.
This was a limited edition of 100 pieces.
I wanted this watch as much to support my friend
as I did just because I think it's a really beautiful,
beautiful piece and extremely unique.
This watch was meant to evoke this sort of luxury,
leisurely sportiness of the French Riviera
with all the different blues on the dial.
And I know that Wei is also a very big fan
of Kinda Blue by Miles Davis,
so there's that sort of inspiration in there as well.
This is my summer watch.
This is the one I always have on when we go to the pool.
Now, one neat thing about this
is I actually have number four of 100, which I requested.
So on the case back, it says 004 slash 100.
Now, if you take off the first and the last zero,
you have my birthday, October 4th.
So there is also like that little bit of personal meaning
in this watch to me as well.
Final watch here is another collaboration.
This one was between Hodinke and Swatch.
This is the Swatch System 51 Hodinke Vintage 84.
So I got this watch mostly out of personal nostalgia
for this watch that I had when I was in 7th or 8th grade.
This one is a lot more understated
than the neon yellow and blue version
that I had way back when,
but the coolest thing about this watch
is actually the case back.
It's an automatic movement and it just looks so cool.
So that is my current watch collection.
I think looking at it as a whole,
that overall it really reflects my personal style
and that all the watches are simple, classic,
and timeless in one way or another,
even though the majority of watches in my collection
are modern watches.
Now, as everyone who has been bitten by the watch bug
or infected with the watch disease knows,
there is always that next watch that you want to acquire.
So I'm no different.
And I thought I would share quickly some of the watches
that I would love to have in my collection someday.
First, which is the absolute highest on my priority list
is the Lange 1.
One of the most beautiful and perfect modern watches
in my opinion.
There is no other dial like this,
just so unique and interesting.
And personally, I'd like to have one in rose gold
with a silver dial.
So next, I really think I need more gold in my collection
and it doesn't get any more gold than this,
the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15202BA
with the gold dial also.
Probably not going to be happening anytime soon
unless I decide to sell my 5711,
which isn't happening.
So anyway, a guy's got a dream.
Next is the Rolex Explorer 1016.
As far as vintage Rolex goes,
or attainable vintage Rolex, I should say,
it really doesn't get much better than the 1016.
Back to the gold side of things,
another classic, the Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle,
but the boutique edition
with a really interesting pattern on the dial.
There is an interesting Cartier
that I would like to add to my collection
and that is the Monopusher Chronograph.
You don't see those that often
and I just think it's a really, really cool piece.
Finally, another very practical watch for me
as a frequent traveler,
and that is the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time 5164.
So thanks for watching, guys.
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And until next time, thanks for watching and stay tailored.
