Watches and Cars

I often see people on Instagram posting photos showing their wristwatch and car steering wheel together. (↓Illustration)

*Image source: http://blog.livedoor.jp/itsoku/archives/51795198.html

It seems that people who love cars often have a strong interest in watches too. I’m not very knowledgeable about watches (actually, I’m pretty clueless about brands and recent trends), but I do have a vague image of what kind of watch I’d like men who drive Porsches to wear. So today, I want to write about that.

What do others think?

By the way, when I searched online about “watches that suit Porsche,” I was surprised to find quite a few articles on the topic. For example…

When you think of Porsche, you think of Steve McQueen starring in “Le Mans,” so there’s the “TAG Heuer Monaco” that McQueen wore on his right wrist in the movie,

*Page for Porsche beginners

For supercars and luxury cars, brands like “TAG Heuer” and “Zenith” are considered cool,

*What watches suit supercars??

There was also an article saying “Porsche and Rolex go quite well together.”

*Which luxury car suits Rolex best?

Also, IWC once manufactured Porsche Design watches…

Indeed, IWC and Porsche seem to have a matching vibe.

*ChronoMaster.com

My Husband’s Favorite Watches

My husband isn’t particularly obsessed with watches, but he has a few favorites that he roughly (very roughly) rotates among.

① HUBLOT for Hot Seasons

He owns a HUBLOT Classic Fusion that he bought about four years ago.

In hot seasons, wrists get sweaty while driving, so he prefers a rubber strap like this Hublot over leather. He bought the Hublot because fewer people had one back then and he wanted to “try out what Hublot was like.” He chose the Classic Fusion because he wanted a simple design.

② Grand Seiko for Cold Seasons

He likes Grand Seiko, but since leather bands get really dirty with sweat, he only wears it in seasons when he doesn’t sweat. This model is the GRAND SEIKO SPRING DRIVE GMT SBGE033 LIMITED EDITION.

He said, “There are other watches I think look nice, but this one fits me best when I wear it. Grand Seiko is my favorite brand.”

③ Porsche Watch for Touring

When going on tours, he always wears a watch from the Porsche Driver’s Selection. He’s not showing it off to anyone, but it’s quartz so it keeps accurate time. And above all, it’s Porsche (laughs). Also, if he forgets it somewhere, it’s not too expensive to be a big loss. (Forgetting a serious watch would be no joke.)

④ Heirloom Grand Seiko

My husband was born into a family of merchants. This watch is a 1971 Grand Seiko heirloom from his great-uncle, who started his own business instead of inheriting the family trade and succeeded in Kobe. When he received it, it was battered and scratched and barely working, so it was left untouched for a long time. But about four years ago, he decided to send it to Grand Seiko’s “Complete Service” and revived it. He says, “This watch, which survived the high-growth period in Kobe, seems to have something special.” So he only wears it for important business meetings or presentations.

Hmm… looking at it carefully after hearing that, it really does seem like a watch with something special (laughs).

Among all these watches, my husband likes Grand Seiko the most, so I asked him, “But isn’t Grand Seiko often said to match Lexus well or be similar to Lexus?” He immediately disagreed, laughing.

People say Grand Seiko and Lexus are similar, but I think they’re totally different. They’re alike only in being high-quality Japanese brands, but Grand Seiko is a solid product that strips away excess and focuses on watch performance. It’s made through continuous “subtraction,” removing unnecessary decorations and functions beyond what a watch needs. It’s like a Japanese sword of watches. (I wonder what a Japanese sword-like watch really looks like… lol) On the other hand, Lexus adds every possible comfort and latest feature to the car’s functions, expressing “hospitality” through “addition.” So it’s not about which is better or worse; Grand Seiko and Lexus have completely different product concepts.

He was very passionate about this.

My Perspective

So, I thought a bit about “what kind of watch I’d like men who drive Porsches to wear,” and here are the points I came up with:

① Watches that prioritize functionality

I think Porsche is a manufacturer that values car performance over flashy looks, so watches that are heavily fashion-oriented don’t seem to fit. It’s better to have watches that pursue and emphasize their original performance and functions.

② Watches that clearly show the time at a glance

Similar to the above, I feel watches that don’t instantly show the time don’t suit. Watches that properly fulfill their original role of “telling the time clearly” look better. So, a watch with an easy-to-read dial is preferable.

③ Designs with a playful spirit, but not too simple

Since Porsche balances “practicality” and “driving pleasure,” I think it’s good to have a watch that not only shows the time and performs well but also makes you happy and excited to wear it. So a design with some playful elements rather than being too plain seems better.

…So, which watch brands meet these criteria (-_-)?

Thinking about it, it’s surprisingly difficult, and there are many models within each brand that I don’t know well… (So why did I even start thinking about watches? lol) Based on my image alone, here’s my ranking:

1st: IWC

*Image source: DMR

2nd: Grand Seiko

*Image source: BESSHO watch

3rd: TAG Heuer

I picked TAG Heuer partly because this model’s name is “Carrera” (laughs).

As for me, before we got married, my husband gave me a Cartier watch,

but I’m not really good with watches or accessories. They feel heavy and I don’t like the feeling of metal touching my skin, so I usually don’t wear watches, necklaces, or bracelets (lately I even forget to wear earrings). I basically prefer to wear nothing because it feels natural and comfortable.

Well, watch preferences are personal, and my conclusion about “which watch design suits Porsche” is that as long as the wearer likes it, that’s what really matters.