A Watch Collector’s Review of 2020, aka the Year of the Dumpster Fire

COVID-19 changed everything in 2020. The whole year will likely represent a black mark in the historical timeline for watch collectors (and everyone else too). There was a “normal life” before that year. Then a strange “ new normal” was established in 2020 for many different reasons. Watch collecting was changed as we know it, but it was not all bad. Some things in the watch industry had to update with the times. Below are a few things that I noticed.

In-Person Get-Togethers Were Put on Hold

There is nothing like the threat of contracting a potentially deadly virus to change your thinking about congregating. COVID-19 came on like a modern plague and boogie man at the same time. It was the invisible enemy that some believed in, but others completely dismissed.

For those of us who did not want to take a chance, we avoided social gatherings. This meant that monthly and quarterly watch get-togethers did not happen. Can you imagine a more germ-riddled super-spreader event as a bunch of people eating, drinking, and fondling each other’s watches? These events often happened in tight spaces in the back rooms of restaurants. Limited space and close conversations would have been the perfect scenario to spread a pesky virus. Most responsible organizations skipped these local events.

Large Watch Conventions Were Affected Too

The serious chance of infection practically stopped all the major big-dollar watch events around the world. Some countries were limiting travel and also the number of people allowed to gather in one location. This made mega shows like the annual Baselworld convention push back the date, and then ultimately cancel the 2020 show. This was not a one-year occurrence either. Baselworld officially died in 2020 and will never again exist in the same way as the tradeshow highlight of the year for many watch collectors and brands. This show had a 103-year history, but even tradition and revised management could not save it.

To blame the demise of Baselworld just on Covid-19 would be to simplify a situation that was years in the making. Many companies simply had outgrown the exorbitant costs and schedule demands of the tradeshow. Unrest among the exhibitors had been growing. Monkeying with schedules and refunds was the last straw for many. The future of watch conventions remains unclear, but the brands are taking back the control. Stay tuned in 2021.

A Measured Approach to Watch Releases

With Baselworld canceled, watch brands decided to spend their advertising budgets in other ways. They could have their own releases when it suited their schedule, not a tradeshow’s.

As a watch hobbyist who follows new releases, I think 2020 proved to be better than many of the years before. This is because new watches were released intermittently. For me, this was better than seeing them all in a single hectic week of overstimulating noise. We were able to concentrate and enjoy each new watch, and not just skim the details of one release just to get to the next one. This would be similar to savoring one’s food instead of swallowing it all in a single bite.

Surprise Releases

Because we did not know the schedules of the watch companies, many of the releases came as a pleasant surprise. New watches from Rolex, Tudor, and Seiko were at the top of my list. They each generated their own buzz more than if they had all come out at once. Each brand got its moment of glory. During Baselworld, traditionally many smaller brands were overshadowed by larger brand releases. At least they have a fighting chance this way to be heard this year, but not all handled the switch well and faded.

The Rise of Zoom Watch Collector Gatherings

I would bet that most people had not thought twice about Zoom before 2020. The now-ubiquitous video conferencing software was known for business meetings, but it morphed into a way to stay in touch with video chats with groups of all sizes. It was used by businesses, schools, churches, families, and clubs to try to keep a sense of togetherness.

In many ways, it was a roaring success. I met more new watch people on Zoom calls in 2020 than I remember doing before in person. The reach of Zoom also meant that special guests could join the call. This included watch designers, CEOs of watch companies, celebrity guests, and a whole bunch of regular watch nerds from all around the world. This was only made possible because the COVID-19 pandemic had forced everyone (even the big wigs) into isolation. It was refreshing and I hope we do not lose these connections when the pandemic is “managed”. More here…

Other Online Connections

With everyone in isolation in 2020, digital connections with fellow watch collectors seemed more important than ever. Instagram seems ready-made for watch culture. This is where we connect with our buddies, daydream about future watches, and sometimes sell them.

Facebook groups let us interact with birds of a feather. Many of us relied on watch forums such as the Watchyouseek Forum for mental jousting matches and endless hours of searching for the diamond in the rough to purchase. Thank goodness for the local Atlanta Red Bar group who had monthly meetings and maintained a very fun private Facebook page. These guys were a lifeline for me. The Reddit watch exchange was on fire too, but that wild-west platform scares Oldtimers like me!

Watch Podcasts became our companions as we worked out or just tried to cut through the loneliness. I spent hours listening to my favorites while doing other things. I almost feel like I know these podcasters since I rely on them for entertainment and information.

Expansion of Watch Media

More people seemed to have more time on their hands and an insatiable appetite for watch-related content. Maybe it was because everyone was home on a computer all day and all-night binging, streaming, and living communing in cyberspace. Big watch blogs such as Hodinkee, Fratello Watches, Worn and Wound, and A Blog To Watch likely had record traffic to their sites. People could not get enough, and in fact, watch news seeped into the mainstream as well with news of record auction sales and watch releases. You can call our hobby a crossover hit if you must.

Good, But Not Great Deals

To be honest, many collectors thought that there might be a glut of cheap pre-owned watches for sale from people who needed money this year. Millions of people were hit hard with layoffs, furloughs, and their employers scaling back. Nothing makes one sell a watch faster than having to pay a mortgage.

While this might have happened, most of us never saw bargain-basement watch steals. Obviously, some collectors were barely affected. We knew this when we saw their top tier purchases on Instagram. I am not complaining. I picked up some very nice pieces like this Seiko SPB149J, a reimagining of the classic Seiko 62MAS.

In-Store Retail Watch Businesses Hit Hard

Many stores had to close to the public across the country. No foot traffic often means no sales. While some could pivot to online sales, many probably closed for good. This is a sad situation as these stores are some of the only places to see new watches and try them before you buy them.

Too Many Deaths

Collecting watches doesn’t mean anything when compared to the cost of human tragedy this year. Hundreds of thousands of deaths and extreme illnesses occurred in the US from COVID-19. Sadly, that number is still growing at a frightening rate. Even with the promise of mass vaccinations within the year, we are not out of the woods yet. We all have to make it to the finish line and not become the last person who gets COVID-19.

A Positive Outlook Nonetheless

Personally, staying at home in 2020 was not that bad for me. I became more organized, spent more time with the wife and dogs and I had time to prep for 2021, which will have significant personal changes for me. I completed some household chores that had been staring me in the face. I stayed connected with the ones that mattered most and made some new connections too. I started mountain biking for the first time and returned to road cycling after a hiatus. I even bought an Apple watch, but I’ll defend that move later.

Slowing down can be a valuable practice to put things in perspective. I realized that my watch buddies and our comradery are what matter the most to me. Watches can be replaced, but people cannot be. Cherish those valuable connections because they will be what you count in your final hours… not how many shiny trinkets you owned.

I’ll leave you with these thoughts: Let’s hope for a better year than before. Get the vaccine! Do what you can to keep yourself and others safe with common-sense practices to reduce unnecessary tragedies. I look forward to seeing some of you at the first (nervous) in-person watch event! Let’s do 2021 the right way!