BEN LOWRY: DOXA 1200T SHARKHUNTER

Mine would have to my Doxa 1200t Sharkhunter. I bought my first one about 12 years ago.  I then sold it and lived a life of regret until my wife ended up buying me another one as a wedding gift. This one, I’ll be keeping!

MATT REUDINK: STOWA FLIEGER

Through a fortunate confluence of events, I found myself with some extra cash and a broken quartz Victorinox that I had worn into the ground after a decade of use and abuse. I had just begun searching for a replacement when my brother showed me a Mühle Glasshutte he had recently purchased. It was the first time I had seen an automatic watch, and I was instantly hooked. A few hours of internet research later and I was on my way down the rabbit hole, my $300 limit quickly ballooning with my searches.

I eventually ordered a Stowa Flieger, thinking it would be the One Watch I would wear forever. I considered it an exorbitant amount of money to spend on a watch (around $700 at the time), but justified the price by telling myself it would last a lifetime. After several months of impatient waiting, the watch arrived from Germany and I was absolutely engrossed by the sweep of the second hand and hypnotic motion of gears behind the display caseback. Little did I suspect that I was only taking the first step on my watch-collecting journey. Many, many watches have since come and gone, including that Stowa (selling it is a major regret), but it was the spark that ignited my love affair with this hobby and especially my love of German watches.

AARON SHAPIRO: OMEGA SPEEDMASTER PROFESSIONAL 3570.50

My first intro into watches came when a friend dragged me to an Omega Boutique to try on a Planet Ocean. While he was trying it on, I was drawn to the Speedmaster case. There was something so timeless and classic in the design that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Fast forward a couple years — I had cycled through a handful of lower-priced watches. I have often been accused of changing my collection faster than some people change their socks, but the want for a Speedmaster Professional never lapsed. I found an authorized dealer that offered me a good deal on a Speedmaster Professional 3570.50. I quickly sold the watches I currently had and purchased it. That watch became my “fabled” one watch for a decent while after. Alas, my eye drifted, and I believe I sold it to a friend. Since that time I’ve owned several Speedmasters, including the Sapphire Sandwich, several Professionals, the Mark II, and the Moonphase — but I’ve never forgotten my original 3570.50 that I bought new (and frequently wish I still had).

ROB NUDDS: LAVENTURE MARINE

For me, the first watch that caused me to cold-sweat profusely before purchase was the Laventure Marine.

Weirdly, this was maybe 25-30 watches deep into my collection, but it was the first one I was nervous about. Having been a retailer, a watchmaker, and a brand account manager, I’ve not paid full retail for a watch since I bought my second Casio F-91W for about ten quid at the age of 17.  Furthermore, having lined my collection with established brands with strong resale potential (in light of what I was paying), I was always pretty gung-ho about pulling the trigger.

The Laventure Marine gave me cause for thought. A new brand, unremarkable mechanics, and an asking price that looked more like a store price than a Kickstarter price (it was offered at somewhere in the region of $2,000).

Anyway, with piles of Omegas, Hamiltons, and NOMOS watches giving my collection a distincly monochromatic look, I went for it.  It’s my favorite watch. I wear it most days. The green dial really stands out and I love that there are only 50 of them in the world.  I’m still kind of amazed I bought it, considring what else I could have bought at that price, but I haven’t regretted it since.

BILAL KHAN: OMEGA SPEEDMASTER DAY-DATE 3523.80

I remember struggling with this one, since my inclination was to go with the safer option of a moonwatch. But something about the idiosyncrasy of the Speedmaster Day-Date on the blue dial ended up winning out. I still love this watch, even though it needs a thorough servicing, which I should probably do sooner or later.

There is so much information packed into the 39mm-wide case, and I really can’t remember why I thought I needed something quite so complicated. I recall scouring eBay for days, agonizing about the decision but that made pulling the trigger just so much more satisfying. It wouldn’t be my last Omega — I’ve added a Seamaster Planet Ocean to my collection since then — but it’ll always be the first “nice” watch I bought.