Our guest today is someone who has been a supporter of my blog right from the very beginning, and someone who really tells it like it is (as you will see below!). So, without further ado, please welcome the man, the legend, Jim Dollares! :)
Hi Jim, for the benefit of my readers can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I am 30 years old, a proud dad of a 4 year old son and living in Sweden. Passionate about traveling, watches, F1 and my job. Work as a data privacy specialist and running a team of lawyers, business developers and IT security analysts in a IT company operating in five countries.
So, how did you get interested in the wonderful world of watches?
I would say that it is thanks to my father. When I was in school, about 16-17 years old I usually wore his blue dial steel & gold two tone Submariner that I was allowed to borrow (until I eventually messed up the lock on the bracelet while swimming drunk and hitting it pretty bad, after that I was not allowed to borrow anything for a long time, hehe). Anyhow, growing up with him being interested is what first got me interested.
I see, so then given you were banned from your father's Submariner, what was your first, or first good watch?
I would say the Breitling Steelfish, one of the best watches ever made.
I must admit I've never heard of the 'Steelfish', I shall have a look at that. Do you have a favourite piece in your current collection?
Oh yes, that is an easy one! The Breitling Skyracer is my all time favorite, have never fallen so hard for a watch as with this one, even though I have tried on many pieces costing a lot more. I have owned it for almost two years now and if I have not worn it for a while I still go to the watch box to pick it up and admire it. Another awesome thing with the "Breitlight" material is that it shows no signs of wear what so ever and this one has been on quite a few adventures and worn at least once per week since I got it.
I know from your comments on my blog and from your posts on the Calibre 11 forum that you are very much pro-quartz (like me), what would you like to say about the whole quartz versus mechanical thing?
It bothers me a bit this whole thing with "mechanical being exclusive" or that some people online even argue that a watch has a soul because it is mechanical. I can only say bravo to the marketing departments of Swiss watch brands, they sure have brainwashed a lot of people. Don’t get me wrong though, I love mechanical watches but for me it only makes sense when there is craftmanship, attention to detail and exclusivity on a higher level. For example I totally understand it when looking at Glashütte Original, a brand that I am aiming towards owning sometime in the future, perhaps when turning 40, who knows.
Yes, I agree, that whole 'soul' thing is a lot of marketing whooey, but they have to justify the price hike I guess, haha. So do you already know what your next piece will be?
It will most likely be either an Aquaracer quartz, the white dial 41mm with orange details. I am having naughty dreams about that one on an orange rubber strap! Or it could be a Breitling Superocean 2, 42 mm with blue sunburst dial, which has been in my dreams since release a couple of years ago.
Aha, the Aquaracer 'Polar Explorer'. I must admit I like that one too, although I prefer the 43mm Calibre 5, not because of the movement though, but because the 41mm quartz doesn't have the slatted dial. I was 'sort of' saving for that one when I came across the WAY208C Aquaracer and couldn't pass it up. If only money was unlimited then I'm sure I would have one, speaking of which, do you have a ‘money no object’ grail in mind?
For me that would be the Glashütte Original Pano Reserve (£8800) with a white dial, really showcasing the blued hands, however, I am very responsible when it comes to money so even though I could afford spending say... 5000 Euro on a watch, I won't do it, because that money is to me better spent on so many other things. For example experiencing life, not having to think about money, house improvements, travelling, having fun with my son, saving for his future, buying nice clothes, owning a nice car and so on.
Fair enough, I'm in a slightly different boat as I'm a lot older than you, don't have any kids and I don't like travelling all that much if I'm honest, which is probably why I have as many watches as I do, hahaha! So with that in mind... how many watches would you say is too many?
There is no such thing as too many. As long as you don’t spend money on watches instead of paying bills and taking care of your family.
Is the correct answer! We seem to be on the same page a lot Jim, and I think that will continue with my next question: A lot of people on the Calibre 11 forum are all about the Monacos, Silverstones and Monzas, but what about you, are you more excited by the re-issues or the new, modern pieces?
New pieces for sure! This question just makes me a bit upset thinking about TAG Heuer's way of releasing new 'fake' Heuer watches pretending that they are something they are not! To me it is silly that they produce 'TAG Heuer' watches and brand them as something they are not. A bit harsh to call them fake perhaps but to me they are not 'Heuer' watches, they are 'TAG Heuer' watches. I don't understand why people would pretend anything else. If I would own a "heritage" piece and someone says "oh cool you have a Heuer" I need to say "no it is not actually a Heuer it is a TAG Heuer with a Heuer logo on it"
Mmm, I have a feeling if the company could go back in time and change any one thing about their history it would be to avoid the name change, in retrospect it seems like a terrible, terrible idea - but then the 1980s were all about the 'now', heritage and history was irrelevant. While we're on the subject of heritage models, I have to ask, fake aged lume: ingenious or travesty?
Whoa those words are too fancy for a simple Swede like myself but I can say at least that I hate it.
Again, nice segue... so why is it do you think that TAG Heuer attracts more than its fair share of negativity and hate from the 'self proclaimed' watch gurus?
My theory is that it is too popular, kind of like when a musical artist becomes way too known across the world, that also creates a group of haters and some people just stop listening because it has become “mainstream”. Another problem is that people are way too affected by “experts” online. You see it all the time, people asking in forums “should I buy this or that?”. Man, talk about issues in life if you need to choose based on other people’s opinions instead of what you like yourself.
I think in any area of interest, 'entry level' is always a difficult place to be, on the one hand you have a big market and opportunity, but on the other hand you instantly become a target for 'snobs'. Actually I despise the term 'entry level' because it just creates this idea that your first watch should be a TAG Heuer but then you should 'grow' beyond it... but the jump to Zenith (for example) is huge, and to be honest I like TAG Heuer for what they are, I don't really want to 'progress' to something that costs more than my car because I'll be scared to wear it. I mean I hardly wear my Carrera as it is.
While we're on the subject of negativity, what are your thoughts on the collaboration with Bamford?
Makes no sense to me actually and I think most of their creations look like dogshit.
I wouldn't go quite that far, some of them look okay to me (they did a rather nice black and green Monaco), although that basketball watch is probably the worst thing I've ever seen. For the sake of balance, is there a 'non-Bamford' TAG Heuer / Heuer you really don’t like?
Can’t think of one no, I mean of course I don’t love everything but I respect and understand why people have different tastes and I like that TAG Heuer is a brand pushing for new things and not always choosing the safe way of doing things. Sometimes it feels though that I like what the community usually hates, hehe, Alec Monopoly watches being the best example.
So leaving Bamford aside, are you swayed by regular ‘limited editions’ and associated packaging?
In a way I guess but it has to be for something I am into in the first place. Best example is probably the Red Bull racing collaborations which I love.
How do you feel about the Hodinkee limited edition phenomenon, and leading off of that, would you like to see TAG instigate some sort of ‘VIP’ club for people who buy regularly with special editions offered first/or possibly exclusively to members?
Have not paid much attention to the Hodinkee phenomenon more than that they are way more in price than I would ever consider paying. Their business model obviously works so I fully understand why they do it, brilliant to have people going crazy for paying extra right? Regarding a VIP club I would not like to see anything like that and as a person I am very skeptical to loyalty programs of any kind and how they use profiling for all sorts of shady things (you also see now why I spend my days working with data privacy matters).
Okay, putting our positive head back on, is there something you’d like to see more of in watch design, for example a dial colour that’s under used?
Two tone is coming back and that is a good thing.
How do you feel about gold and two-tone watches, would you / do you wear them and do you feel comfortable wearing them?
Haha, well that was good timing based on previous question. I would love to own a solid gold watch as well but I cant motivate myself to spend that much money on a watch.
We've touched on the re-issue subject earlier so I'm almost hesitant to ask this, but which watch would you like to see TAG Heuer re-issue?
I think it would be cool if they brought back the Silverstone! But before that they could make Monza a regular production model.
We keep hearing that there's more to come beyond the five limited editions announced so far, but if you were in charge of TAG Heuer, how would you have marked the 50th anniversary of the Monaco.
Oooh that is a good question! I would expand the Monaco line actually. I think the market would appreciate smaller sizes, more color combinations and quartz versions with the true Monaco look. I do enjoy the current quartz model but it would be perfect with a blue dial and contrasting sub dial in white.
You've mentioned a couple of other brands already, but which other brands do you appreciate / own?
For me there are two brands I am passionate about, TAG Heuer and Breitling. In the future when I am ready for it, I will probably dive into and go full nerd on a third brand and if I am guessing that will be either IWC, Bell & Ross or Glashütte Original.
Do you see your collection growing, if so how?
Yes my collection is growing but in a slow pace. I am purchasing 1-2 watches per year and each purchase comes from many many hours of reading, watching videos, reading again, discussing in the forums and drooling to pictures.
Well, thanks again for all your support with my blog Jim, I think you've left more comments than anyone and thank you also for taking the time to answer my questions. I look forward to continuing chatting with you on the Calibre 11 Forum and maybe we could do another interview in the future?
Awesome
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