Spotted in the wild..

adrienbelanger · Apr 10, 2016

Great story!

I saw a guy at Heathrow recently who was wearing a watch on each wrist - some kind of gold Patek and a vintage Pepsi bezel GMT, but i was too much of a chicken to ask him about it and didn't even manage to snap a pic as I was fumbling around with my bags! Has anyone else seen someone do that at an airport? I wondered whether he had just bought one of the watches or whether that was just his everyday style.

Also, there is an Instagram account dedicated to moments like these: http://instagram.com/watcheswild

chronos · Apr 10, 2016

Great thread! 👍

adrienbelanger
Also, there is an Instagram account dedicated to moments like these: http://instagram.com/watcheswild

About the Instagram account:
I don't know about the law in your countries, but in Switzerland people have the right in their picture, even on public ground (* c.f. link at the bottom).
Unlike the strangers in the stories on this forum, people on the pictures on the mentioned insta-account don't seem to know at all that someone takes & later publishes the pictures of them with some sarcastic comments (e.g. "quartzboys", "is the watch fake? Her nails sure are!"...).
Such a behavior woldn't be legal here.
And apart of that, I personally don't like such accounts and I think of them as being inappropriate and of bad taste.

To make it very clear: I loved reading the stories in this and other threads on this forum. But it's a complete different thing with the instagram account.

*For those who are interested: official Swiss government's information about it. On the top right you can change languages.
http://www.edoeb.admin.ch/datenschutz/00627/01167/index.html?lang=de

dx009 · Apr 10, 2016

I was expecting just candid shots of watches, not entire frames with people in them. That guy is a little bit too pushy with this stuff...👎

gostang9 · Apr 10, 2016

TNTwatch
Cool story!

Did you have a look at the back or took a picture of i?

I did not look at it. This was one regret I have. 🙁

gostang9 · Apr 10, 2016

styggpyggeno1
This is a nice topic for a continuous thread. I will contribute my best "spotted in the wild".

I have been into vintage boats a lot and at the marina, some years ago, I met a guy wearing this as his beater:

(...)

A gilt GMT on a extremely stretched jubilee - on the brink of falling apart.

Thank you for sharing!

styggpyggeno1
I - myself - am really looking forward to being spotted. As I have written earlier that is a part of my tactic in the future and as a retired old bloke. And I have prepared a series of bewildering answers for the young guys trying to lure me (as an innocent old guy not knowing what I have) into selling it to them.

Herein lies a dilemma, whenever I see someone with a nice watch, there's always the uncertainty of whether they're open to talking about it or prefer to remain "anonymous" or private about it.

Should a young ambitious opportunist make an attempt to get your prized possession from you as you desire, I do very much look forward to hearing every detail here... 😁

gostang9 · Apr 10, 2016

chronos
Great thread! 👍

Thank you! It would be great to hear about other "spotted in the wild" here as well!

(and of course, "pictures... Or it didn't happen!" always applies!)

[QUOTE="chronos, post: 443784, member: 19465"
To make it very clear: I loved reading the stories in this and other threads on this forum. But it's a complete different thing with the instagram account.
[/QUOTE]

It was very important to me that I asked him if it was okay to take a picture of his watch. I also took great care to crop the photo to remove anything that might identify him and I also used post-editing to make the image as nice as I could (with my limited skills and the sub-optimal photo as the situation didn't allow for any staging).

I would never condone putting embarrassing or less than complimentary pictures up, and also feel that the watch wearer should give permission to have their picture taken.

Which Watch Next · Apr 10, 2016

Great story. Most of my "wild" sighting experiences result in an "it was a gift from..." Response. So they know it is a nice watch, but not much more. Marketing works... Lol. Makes me jealous that I have to buy my own!

If the watch is a Rolex, that ussually results in an "it is a Rolex" response, and they have no clue. They bought it because it is a Rolex. I see lots of subs, speedies, explorers, Daytonas, seamaster (bond style), and mostly orange bezel PO's. Hublots and paneri's are also popular around here (central Florida).

Seems it is a requirement for architects and engineers to wear tags though. Even I have a 1887 Carrara... But it is rare indeed to have a conversation with a person that has an appreciation for timepieces. So again, great story.

chronos · Apr 10, 2016

@gostang9
Ooops, it sounds like I didn't express myself as clear as I hoped I did. My bad!
I wasn't referring to you or to the threads on this forum at all, as here it is nothing but sharing stories and pictures with the strangers' consent. 👍
My negative comment was just about the Instagram account.

al128 · Apr 10, 2016

adrienbelanger
Great story!

I saw a guy at Heathrow recently who was wearing a watch on each wrist - some kind of gold Patek and a vintage Pepsi bezel GMT, but i was too much of a chicken to ask him about it and didn't even manage to snap a pic as I was fumbling around with my bags! Has anyone else seen someone do that at an airport? I wondered whether he had just bought one of the watches or whether that was just his everyday style.

Also, there is an Instagram account dedicated to moments like these: http://instagram.com/watcheswild

yes, I do this ... (well I am not PP material ;-)

... I make sure the watches do not get lost in a suitcase or somebody takes "by error" the wrong carry on with him ... so I keep my watches on-the-body when doing international travel ...

and yes I do get weird looks at the x-ray machines

Cortezthekiller · Apr 10, 2016

Just say "nice watch" and see what they say. If they are open to a conversation, tell them you are into old watches and ask them when/where they got it. Let the conversation evolve from there.

I was in a meeting over coffee last week and the guy next to us had a GMT with nice faded bezel. I kept waiting for a time to interrupt both met meeting and his to say something. Alas, it didn't happen. It was the building next to mine so I hope to see him again.

Larry S · Apr 10, 2016

In a meeting a few weeks ago, on of the attendees was wearing an interesting looking chrono. As I was leaving I asked him about it. Some retro German brand but then he said "nice speedy" ,,, I phone watch pic sharing ensured with the car they had for me waiting patiently. Guy had a huge Rolex collection. What I love about these stories is that there are still working watches out there that are not sitting in a watch box. Especially speedies and GMT/subs.

TNTwatch · Apr 10, 2016

gostang9
I did not look at it. This was one regret I have. 🙁

Most likely it's a -71, but there's a small chance it could be a late -69 with an interesting case back.

gostang9 · Apr 10, 2016

chronos
@gostang9
Ooops, it sounds like I didn't express myself as clear as I hoped I did. My bad!
I wasn't referring to you or to the threads on this forum at all, as here it is nothing but sharing stories and pictures with the strangers' consent. 👍
My negative comment was just about the Instagram account.

Now it sounds like I wasn't clear, I got your message loud and clear. I was trying to point out how I agree with you and support that I also am against the "Instagram" style outing.

I didn't feel at all like you were criticizing my post or this thread. All is well! 👍
😁

lillatroll · Apr 10, 2016

I spotted a guy in with a daytona, the one with the blue dial and brown bezel in Oman, in Romania,a guy with a petak nautilus and a long legged young blond on his arm, in Bosnia a man with a speedie. I did once ask someone wearing a 57 broad arrow about his watch and he had no interest in watches or what he was wearing, after that I am a bit reticent about talking watches other than here.

Cosd · Apr 10, 2016

I struck up conversation with a guy at work whilst having a vape, he was wearing a Submariner which looked weathered.
I asked if he minded if I asked what watch he was wearing to strike up a conversation. I got a single word answer, "Rolex"

Cheers pal.....!!

marturx · Apr 11, 2016

I got my eyes on an old man in a mall in Fort Lauderdale by the Sea, wearing what looked like an early Datejust 18K on an also 18K riveted bracelet. I approached to ask about it "excuse me Sir", but he just ignored me, or didn't hear (he was old). If he heard me, I guess he thought that I wanted to sell him something. That was a pity, because I would have loved to have a closer look at that piece he wore!

leetse2 · Apr 11, 2016

When I was in grad school I noticed one of my classmates had on an Explorer I and I struck up a conversation. Turned out he was a bigger WIS than me. Still love catching up with him and talking watches.

TNTwatch · Apr 11, 2016

At a busy store the other day, I saw a young cashier wearing a vintage Submariner, scratched up and patinated. Didn't have time to ask much or take a picture though.

CajunTiger · Apr 11, 2016

Ive only been asked once about my watch...I wear a vintage everyday.
At the time I was wearing a 60's Submariner...was standing in a dark and crowded restaurant waiting on a to go order when an older gentleman sitting at a table asked if I wanted to sell it. He knew immediately what it was even in the dark room. I laughed and said no thanks....it turned into a brief conversation until my food arrived. My wife was not amused.

gostang9 · Apr 14, 2016

CajunTiger
Ive only been asked once about my watch...I wear a vintage everyday.
At the time I was wearing a 60's Submariner...was standing in a dark and crowded restaurant waiting on a to go order when an older gentleman sitting at a table asked if I wanted to sell it. He knew immediately what it was even in the dark room. I laughed and said no thanks....it turned into a brief conversation until my food arrived. My wife was not amused.

People must have incredible eyesight to recognize specific watches from a distance. I'm familiar with the different models from various watchmakers, but when I spot someone wearing what I suspect is a known watch, I always find it difficult to see for sure.

Spotted in the wild..

adrienbelanger

chronos

dx009

gostang9

gostang9

gostang9

Which Watch Next

chronos

al128

Cortezthekiller

Larry S

TNTwatch

gostang9

lillatroll

Cosd

marturx

leetse2

TNTwatch

CajunTiger

gostang9

Similar threads

How often do you see the 3861 in the wild?

How often do you see NASA in the wild?

Watches you spotted in TV shows/movies

American Watches in the Wild

[Moonwatch] Sightings in the wild of the new clasp?

In the wild...Speedmaster Chronoscope Bronze Gold