So this may seem like a fairly mundane part of my day to mention in a thread but thought I would share my experience.

I am an estate agent and my role is to do all the valuations for the branch, with this I meet plenty of people and always keep a keen eye as to what watch they are wearing. I had my Speedmaster on today and on a valuation noticed the gentleman had a Seamster with a blue strap on. I complemented him on the watch and he went on to say he got it for his 50th and spoke of other watches he had which then lead onto us discussing movements etc.

Was quite refreshing to speak to somebody else with the same interest as myself in person, being 25 I rarely/never seem to speak to anybody with a watch interest and was pleasant to discuss this in person instead of over the internet for a change.

Anybody else remember the first time they properly spoke to a stranger about watches in person? ( I am yet to attend a time4apint but I think it may be due! )

The watch he had on -

 

My wife.. it was me trying to explain my hobby. She looked at me strangely and asked "but why don't you just use your iPhone?"

After that, very similar to you, spotted an Omega Ploprof on a client, and asked him about it, which lead to long discussions on Seamaster vs Speedy, Omega vs Rolex etc etc

 

Never.

 

I posted this year on a strange day at work when I had two Watch geek conversations ( one with two female collectors) in one day. Then last year a business meeting at a London design agency that turned into a watch geek session. Then a few conversations with some other colleagues, one of whom has a brother with a vintage shop in Paris who hooked me on speedy and UG. I made a guest appearance at Time For A Pint in Feb. Lunch with Diabolik. Of course the "When are you going to a) stop buying and b) start selling?" with my still lovely bride of 30 years. Generally my friends think I'm crazy. My son likes the concept and is looking forward to inheriting.

 

Will have to make a visit up to london ( only in Brighton so not miles away ) for a time4apint. Do they run particularly late? as will most likely have work the next day

 

For @tyrantlizardrex . How late do the TFP meetings go generally?

 

People ask about my watches pretty often most of all with the calculator watch

 

By nature I'm not very outgoing but after having taken an interest in watches a few years ago, I've that found watch-spotting is a lot of fun and something that can motivate me to strike up a conversation with a perfect stranger about his watch (I don't say her watch because I wouldn't do that for fear of mis-interpreted intent). Having said that, and many attempted stranger-conversations later, I have yet to meet one person on the street or elevator, or in a bar or airport lounge that I'd consider to be a watch enthusiast on any level. Some of my attempted conversations ended rather abruptly and embarrassingly, but usually it's just me complementing a person on their watch and the person smiling and nodding before continuing on their way. But my lack success has in no way diminished my enthusiasm for trying to start a conversation -- I know that one day I will meet the kind of person that @Jaacck spoke with -- it's only a matter of time

 

I just read @Larry S 's post in detail. It appears as though I move in the wrong circles

 

Nah ... It was a strange day. Most of the time I get the wierd patronizing look that tells me people think I have too much disposable income and have gone sightly mad.

 

Until they kick us out... so 11ish?

 

I was in Romania on holiday. We were on a boat trip with another couple. The guy had a 57 broad arrow on his wrist. He didn't even know it was an omega. His wife had bought it for him as a birthday present. I started to talk about omega watches and the history of it. The blank expression on his face led me to believe he had no knowledge or interest in watches. This was confirmed when he asked me if Omega was a well known brand. I suppose not everyone is interested in watches.

 

Speaking of disposable income, here's another tale from my quixotic search for fellow watch geeks. Our best friends live in the nearby community of Calabasas -- infamously it's home to the Kardashians, and a host of professional football, basketball, and hockey players (and Justin Bieber before he was booted from the neighbourhood). Occasionally we'll attend religious services with our Calabasas friends and usually I'll do a watch inventory of the congregants (instead of nodding off during the sermon). The inventory typically goes like this: Rolex, Rolex, Rolex, Panerai, Rolex, Rolex, Rolex, Patek, Rolex, Rolex, Rolex...etc. I never felt like there would be much of a payoff by trying to strike up a conversation with one of the Rolex wearers, but I did try to speak with Mr. Panerai one day: it was yet another conversation to nowhere

 

maybe mr patek would fair better

 

Yes, it's worth a shot -- you never know!

 

My conversation was quite brief mind. Due to the circumstance of trying to win the instruction I didn't get too much into it.

We are a strange folk with this interest ;D

 

I was talking to one of my customers in person today. We've not met in years - any contact being by phone. We'd never talked watches before but h was wearing something that couldn't be missed - a two tone, blue bezelled Sub .. and said his Yatchmaster was at home. I'll have to make sure I'm wearing something more impressive than my MkII next time I go up there.