It could be argued that the digital age has made the traditional purpose of watches somewhat redundant: Our iPhones are very good at telling the time, as are our computer screens. According to a piece in the The Wall Street Journal, there's now a trend for watch collectors to disregard time-telling completely and choose to wear watches that don't even work, a "statement piece," apparently. The columnist, Jacob Gallagher, claims that "[it] tends to be some of the super-fashiony maven people who are all about style."
So less horological purists, more brand-followers who simply want a Cartier or Rolex on the wrist. And who can blame them? Vintage watches of Switzerland's elite are a hard find, and even more expensive than the asking price is the process of refurbishment. A luxury Swiss watch requires maintenance fees long after you've picked it fresh from the showroom cabinet.
While wearing a watch that doesn't tell the time feels like an affront to logical, we'd probably do the same with a 1980 Omega Seamaster, too.
This story originally appeared on Esquire.co.uk. Minor edits have been made by the Esquiremag.ph editors.
