Watch.ps - 10/2/2009 10:51 AM
David Pittsinger with his dog Bartok, wearing his prized Rolex Cellini Danaos
ONTIME
What Makes A
Watch
Collector Tick?
Three celebrity watch enthusiasts chime in on their passion for fine timepieces. By Cally Jamis Vennare opera
singer
and
Broadway
star
David
Pittsinger.
FORM VS. FUNCTION Style and functionality are critical to most watch aficionados, but vary in degrees of importance based on the personal taste of the collector. “I am big on style,” notes Casey Hampton. “The features are cool, but I like the look of the watch a little better than the features.” For Hampton, different brands provide different motivations. “It depends on the watch. Some watches you buy for a specific feature. But for others, it’s just the look.” David Pittsinger’s opinion differs slightly. “Function doesn’t trump style. They co-exist. I want a watch with as much function and accuracy as I can get…but not at the expense of style. That’s why I admire watch makers like Rolex, Patek Philippe, Longines and Jaeger-LeCoultre. They’re all about great style combined with great functionality.” For an athlete like Clare Milford Haven, a timepiece’s ability to double as a day and night watch is a particularly attractive trait. This U.K.-based watch enthusiast, who is also a brand ambassador for Jaeger-LeCoultre, explains why she loves her JLC Reverso model: “Style and functionality are very important to me. My Reverso Grand Sport is a beautiful watch that has small diamonds set in gold on one side, while the other side is a practical, everyday watch that I can flip over when I’m playing polo. I could go from the polo field to an event, with a quick shower and change, and never have to change my watch. It would adapt!” she exclaims.
38
F A L L / W I N T E R
2 0 0 9
IMAGE BY JOANNA TOTOLICI; GROOMING BY MILI SIMON
he memory of my dad, all 6’4” of him, elegantly placing a fine watch on his wrist remains with me to this day. Taking it gently from his bureau drawer, amidst gold cufflinks and prized WWII medals, it was typically the last item he put on before walking out the door—to work, church, or a grand evening out with my mom. My dad was a stylish man. With a wife and three daughters—and a business to run—he wasn’t extravagant. He was selective. And he knew an investment in a finely-crafted watch could bring a lifetime of use and pleasure. Now, more than 50 years after it was gifted to him, I am the recipient of one of his prized watches. It is, quite literally, a piece of time that has straddled more than five decades. Each time I wear it, it gathers more memories. More color and character. More reflections of life both past and present. So what exactly is it that makes a watch collector tick? Is it a special memory associated with a particular watch or brand? Is it purely the aesthetic beauty of a fine timepiece? Or are the features, movements and precision of the watch the ultimate determining factors? Three distinguished watch enthusiasts chimed in with their thoughts on the subject: Pittsburgh Steelers lineman and Superbowl champion Casey Hampton, accomplished polo player Clare Milford Haven and international