Watch the Watch

I am hypnotized by neutrals at the moment. The seashells in graphite grey. I am after timelessness. And I was doing market research. Okay, I was hanging out at the magazine section of Barnes and Noble on Sunday. Seriously, if we were in Africa it would be a watering hole.

What was I stalking? Males. Males with leisure time and discretionary income. My upper end clients are mostly these creatures with some alpha females here and there in the mix. They run companies, head institutions, work for themselves, heal the brain, import wine, advise presidents, and they write. They like original art and other very fine things.

I only had to wait in the Lifestyle section for a minute. Really. I saw something curious. A Robb report on watches. I had never seen so many magazines in one place on collecting watches. So I plucked that one from the bunch. And here, right beside me, total male at leisure going straight for the watches. And another. There was a cagey taller man lingering over by the business section, but he was well aware of the watch guys. They were casually dressed, but totally groomed for a Sunday. Was there a memo for this somewhere? They were everywhere.

I waited just a few seconds. Looked at the gorgeous photos. The male standing right next to me spoke in response to my quiet ooh (over the watches, ahem).

"Those will really set you back," he said.

" Yes, they will...but aren't they gorgeous?", I softly responded.

"They are that," he replied warmly.

I turned and gently smiled ( engaging the target in person is a subtle thing).
"Do you mind if I ask you a question?", I quietly asked.

"No, not at all," he said, his watch magazine tucked under his arm.

"Do you buy original art as well?", I asked him.

"Oh yes, I do as I can afford it," he replied.

We spoke for just a little while more. I said the thing about collecting is that it is about so much more than the object of our collection, no matter what that is. And he agreed. Fine things. We are drawn to them.

I left the men to their leisure habitat. But I watched for a time longer. One by one they came for boats, for watches, for tech or for cameras, some for Travel and Leisure. We were all stalking the object of our desire. It comes in many shapes. But satisfaction...is it in the object, or the hunt? They are both kind of fun.