I admit to a minor fixation with watches. As guys, our personality-expressive accessories are limited in scope compared to women. So, we often default to obsessing over a timepiece for reasons that have nothing to do with telling time. A phone does an excellent job of that. I have friends that buy, sell and trade watches with some frequency. Some of which cost more than a car. I spectate in that world – for as much as I find a Patek Aquanaut to be an exquisitely proportioned object of desire, I could never see myself actually plunking down the cash for something that fanciful.
You Don’t Have to Break the Bank to Be Stylish
As a general rule, I keep my watches under $500, or lately, under $150. The Seiko 5 diver at around $140 is an extraordinary value and my daily go-to. But sometimes I want something that has a bit more zap to it. My current fav in this category is the recently released, Japan import version of the G-Shock GA-2100 – for which I paid $100. It comes in a few colors, but ever since I saw the legendary John Jay wearing an all-red watch, I have been searching for one. The G-Shock is triple red: strap, face, and case. It is also considerably small and thinner than some of the previous G Shocks, which with my small wrists would be comical.
The Total Vibe: Cool. Complete. Upbeat.
I’m a fan of the white button-down shirt, especially when I am on stage giving talks. I seem always to be wearing a pair of bright new Nike’s as I enjoy the sporty vibe when I present. The red G-Shock makes the entire vibe come together. It is octagonal, which is a bit of a nod to the Royal Oak, and the dial is full of a complexity that, in my mind, references a Richard Mille tourbillion. None of this matters though to anyone other than the serious Hoodinkee obsessed watch nut.
Everyone else sees this splash red plastic on me, and they think happy thoughts. My job is to make people smile, to help them to expand the range of what they think is possible. One does not have to spend the mortgage on a watch to be cool. Looking good is not about hemorrhaging cash; it is about style. Bottom line: it is a super cool Japanese creation that is just fun to wear. The watch is indestructible, and if I manage to somehow lose or break it, no big deal, and maybe I’ll get the triple black next.