Does anyone remember John Cameron Swayze?
Back when I was a kid he was the TV persoanlity who, among other things, pitched Timex watches. Their slogan was, "It takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'". I remember in one ad they strapped a watch to the bow of a speedboat and blasted off across a lake, pounding from wave to wave. I wanted to be like that guy....cool watch, cool boat.
Then more prestigeous makers brought their Swiss-made brands here and they became highly prized, with names like Rolex, Omega, and Tag Heuer. They just seemed so exotic. Now even they are old hat, with makers you can't pronounce offering watches that you can't read, or afford. (A hundred thousand bucks for a watch? Really?)
Honestly, does this make any sense to you?
And how about this one? I think whoever designed it had a boob fixation.
Sometimes the hands are there, but you have to look really, really hard to find them.
Have a light-bulb-changing phobia? Then keep looking.
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Ferrari even endorsed this Hublot model. Quick Mr. Race Car Driver....what time is it?
At one time I succumed to the lure of one of those early "prestige" brands (and still have it in a drawer somewhere), but the last time the battery died I never bothered taking it to a jeweler to have it changed. Instead I dug through my stuff and fished out the little plastic model I wore to the pool....heck, IN the pool....and it's still with me.
It may not be much, but at least I can tell what time it is. I've either become very egalitarian in my old age, or just plain lazy. ;)
S
Like you, I remember John Cameron Swayze and his watch pitches. I have a drawer full of watches I was able to purchase cheaply when I managed a jewelry store but I just use a cheap plastic watch that cost only a few bucks but is easy to read.
ReplyDeleteI might have to go out and get one of them fancy new ones you can make phone calls and such with. I've had my current watch for 4 years; I bought it from a Dakota Watch kiosk in the mall for like $30. It's called an "angler" and has a fish on the background but I never go fishing.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah and calling a watch a "chronograph" is about the most pretentious thing ever.
DeleteNever wore a watch. Well my father gave me his fathers watch, fancy gold with a really long swiss name...Giraud Perreut or something that I wore on dress up occasions. Never felt comfortable, so now it is in my son's drawer for him to not wear. My cell phone keeps perfect time as long as I don't strap it on to the bow of my speedboat...wait, I don't have a boat so I'm good.
ReplyDeleteI stopped wearing a watch when I figured out that checking to see what time it was every five minutes in church was stressing me out. It was so freeing to not wear one on Sundays that I gave them up for good. And like Joeh says, I've got my cell phone if I need to see what time it is & can't see my computer, the 7 clocks in my house, the one on the wall at work or the one in my car :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't worn a watch in eons...even long before cell phones. Watches and any kind of jewelry bug and irritate me.
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