It’s creator, photographer, and collector extraordinaire Auro Montanari, who goes by John Goldberger. John has the watch you’ve all the time wished—plus a dozen others you didn’t even know to jot down down in your dream journal. Nothing is off limits for John, who wears Swatch, Casio, classic Omega, Patek Philippe, and optical-illusion-grade Bulgari with equal gusto. He’s a legend, and he is aware of he’s a legend. My favourite factor about John is that, after I sat subsequent to him at Rolliefest 2019, he used a pencil drawing of himself as each the lock display screen and residential display screen on his iPad. He would have been the betting favourite for the WCOTY if we had been making markets (subsequent 12 months!), however was edged out by only a few votes.
Our 2022 watch collector of the 12 months is….
Whereas Rob’s feed is sprinkled with bank-account busters from Lange and Patek, he principally makes use of it to point out off shocking, unheralded watches you need instantly. His Tudor Oysterdate flecked with blue, Common Geneve Tri-Compax, and squiggly arms Movado would every instantly turn out to be the good and most unusual factor in many individuals’s assortment. Rob had ardent supporters on his method to the highest this 12 months, from people like Adam Golden of Menta Watches. “Rob buys together with his coronary heart, and his eclectic assortment actually exhibits that,” Golden stated. “He doesn’t purchase developments, he buys what he personally likes. And let’s be sincere, he brings the horny again to the vintage-watch-world.” Certainly, our winners are outlined not by their skill to build up probably the most hyped items on the earth, however by a willingness to pursue their very own tastes in no matter distinctive course meaning. I talked to Rob about his extraordinary victory.
How would you outline your amassing philosophy?
I’m a agency believer in the concept that you should personal watches from many various manufacturers and eras earlier than you possibly can outline your style or philosophy. It is one factor to resolve whether or not you want a watch based mostly on photos or evaluations, however one other factor completely to place within the time to analysis, discover an instance, and dwell with it. After a few years of “experiential studying,” I’ve realized that two issues matter most to me: I’ve an especially excessive bar for high quality, and my assortment must be balanced throughout manufacturers, kinds, and eras.
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