Seen On The Street | Watches of West London

We all know a watch is a very personal thing and as such we can ascertain that every individual model has a different story. We also know that the watch you wear says a lot about you – the wearer. So, we looked at a variety of different men from London and asked them to share the various stories behind their watches. Everything kind of high-end beauty was on display, from Breitling to Omega, including every style you could imagine, from vintage to modern. The prices of these watches ranged, usually, from £30 to over £5,000. So, without any further ado, here are the Watches of West London in all their diverse and gentlemanly glory.
Name: Harold
Age: 67
Job: Professor of Architecture
“I bought [my Swatch Street Energy watch] this summer in Rhodes, Greece. I have a lot of Swatches. It usually says ‘Hell’ but at quarter past the hour it lines up and says ‘Hello’. I wore it today because it matches my black and yellow scarf. It brightens up my life.”
Name: Tom
Age: 64
Job: Works in Property
“It’s a 20 year old Cartier, my wife bought it for me, but I don’t know the model. I used to collect watches but I’ve given most of my watches away to my children, I used to have an IWC, a Montblanc, a Rolex. I also have a couple of Blancpains.”
Name: Ravi
Age: 34
Job: CEO
“It’s a Breitling Chronographe, gold. I got it seven years ago, it just feels right.”
Name: Anonymous
Age: 27
Job: Surveyor
“I love watches. I got my Rolex Submariner two years ago, I’ve been saving for it since I was a child.”
Name: Anonymous
Age: 42
Job: Unknown
“It’s an Issey Miyake, I’ve got three or four just like it. It’s the same designer as the clothes, it’s more of a weekend wear. I also have a Dior watch.”
Name: Tron (yes, really)
Age: 40
Job: Works in Investment
“It’s a Rolex GMT. I got it five years ago, it’s my favourite watch.”
Name: Ken (Man of Mystery)
Age: Unknown
Job: Unkown
“It’s only a cheap one, a Bulova I got for £120. It’s the only one I got. Bought it 18 months ago after I broke the last one.”
Name: Anonymous
Age: 30
Job: Financial Services
“I got it two, three years ago, I bought it myself. I also have an IWC. I put this on today to match my outfit.”
Photography by Michael Newington Gray