Our first watch

Written by:IWS Team|

It appears that you guys like collaborative/team articles, so today, we’re back with another: each member of the ItalianWatchSpotter team is going to take you through the story of their first watch.
It’s not just a story about how, where and why we got it, but rather a story of the watch itself, and how it has ignited our passion for horology. And who knows, one day perhaps it might just set a record auction price!

We can’t tell what the future holds for our firsts. What is for sure though, is that we’ll never forget them. Let’s begin!


Andrea Casalegno

Those who know me will know that I haven’t been blessed with a great memory, especially when it comes to consumerism and buying things. To a certain extent, I could even be defined as a cleptomaniac… I must admit I’m a bit of a compulsive buyer of objects of little value which end up just sitting in a drawer.

In fact, I think that this was the first sort of relationship that I had with watches: gifts, silly and meaningless purchases, and lots and lots of plastic, with a Mickey Mouse on the dial every now and then.

If instead I am to talk about my first real watch, the one that started this obsession and career, it is none other than an Omega De Ville, which I inhereted from a family member who first got it when they were travelling in Asia. To this day, I have it on my wrist.

The thing that I love about this watch is that it’s unusal and very distinct. The combination of the floral dial in a tonneau case makes it youthful and intricate. Ultra-thin (for the time) steel watches are something that are difficult to come by. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that such a small and often overlooked object would be filled with emotions, memories and stories.

Then, the cleptomania turned into collection. Although, what’s the difference?

At first sight, I was so fascinated: never in my life had I seen such a design (or even object) like this, nor did I even own a mechanical watch. I decided to get it fixed and pair it with a milanese mesh bracelet, and to show it off to my friends and classmates, who were much more drawn to either Rolex or Swatch. I wanted something that made me stand out from the others, something that was ahead of it’s time and everyone else. (Even though it was technically older…)

I’ve always liked to distingush myself from others and “have my own voice”, so I like to believe that it was fate that I came across this eccentric watch – destined to be with me and ignite this passion. I got it repaired in Milan, and from there, the rest is history…


Lorenzo Spolaor

I remember my first watch so clearly. It was the heatwave summer of 2005, between 3rd and 4th grade, and as a reward for the end of the shcool year, every one of my classmates wanted Mario Kart for their GameBoy. Instead, when my mom asked me what reward I wanted, I had no doubt in my mind: I wanted a watch.
Ever since I was little, I was always intruigued by the watch: it was the item that all the successful and important men throughout history had on their wrists. It was the object that made them the fathers of time, enabling them to plan their days. A “grown-up thing”.
And I wanted to be a “grown-up”.

My mom gave me a puzzled look: “are you sure you don’t want a game for your GameBoy? Wait, can you even tell the time? What do you even need one for?”

Admittedly, I did struggle to tell the time, and yes, I wanted Mario Kart just as much as the next guy, but I though to myself, “who cares about telling the time? The watch is a symbol”. And so, we set off to buy my watch.

We entered the Swatch shop and the salesperson showed me the Flik Flak collection. At that point, I totally lost my little spiky-haired head and fell in love. I immediately understood that it wasn’t “just a watch”, but rather items that can be really and truly “collected” in the very sense of the word… Different colours, different functions, different shapes and sizes – endless possibility. In that moment, everything clicked: watch collecting was to be my new obsession.
I chose a watch that lived up to my standards… those of an 8 year-old, sandal wearing, temporary-tattooed kid with too much gel in his hair. A real tough guy, you know?

So, I chose this brilliant black and orange watch, with a tribal-patterned bezel and strap.

Oh, how I loved that watch. I spent the whole summer just gazing at that item which made me feel like an adult in a matter of seconds.
I remember that from then on, I looked down at my friends… because I…. was a “grown-up”. Out of the corner of my eye though, I watched them play Mario Kart, and I have to say, it wasn’t bad.

In fact, at the beginning of the next academic year, I was doing so well in Math that my parents went out and got me Mario Kart, anyways.


Lorenzo Rabbiosi

No fancy reference numbers, no marks… nothing of that sort!
The timepiece that began my journey into the watch world is an item so simple yet elegant and timeless.

By 2017, my passion (or rather, obsession) for horology had already been going on for a couple of years, and at that time, it was beginning to shift to the vintage world. This shift, however, was kind of all over the place, given the sheer numbers and quanity of watches worthy of further reading.

In fact, before that fateful day in September 2017, even though I couldn’t stop scrolling through my feed and researching online about these vintage marvels, I never thought to myself “you know what? Maybe I should buy one”.
This was probably because, from a collector’s point of view I didn’t feel mature enough or well-read enough to evaulate a watch and make it mine.

However, like many other stories, that all changed. And one fine day, I opened my Instagram and I noticed a stunning “fancy lugs” Vetta for sale, by none other than @iamcasa .

At the time, I barely knew Andrea, if not for a couple of Instagram DMs, including those which set up the sale. Who would have thought that it would have led to me being a part of the IWS Team?

Now, let’s move onto the actual watch. As I mentioned previously, it’s an unassuming timepiece which, at the same time, stands out from the crowd with its unique and stunning set of lugs, unlike I’ve ever seen before.
The dial has aged so well, developing a yellow-hued patina which, alongside the lugs, stick-thin typography, slightly blued stylus hands, makes it a pefect example of the 1930s Art-Déco style.

The case is not made from steel, but rather chrome, a standard practice for many “everyday” watches from that era, and it is in fabulous condition.

I reckon that this is because back in the day, they made these machines as objects for life: to always sit on the wrist of its owner.
Complementing the Vetta is a lovely black pigskin strap, underlining the vintage soul of this piece.

On top of its inherent symbolism, sentimental value and history behind it, it also embodies this new “alternative” wave in watch collecting that we are seeing nowadays. It’s one that focuses on the design and aesthetics of the timepiece and how it makes you feel, and not about the brand on the dial. This movement, dubbed “brutti anatroccoli“, or “ugly ducklings“, is one that is growing in membership, and I’m all here for it!


Enrico Lanteri

The story of my first watch is, like for many others, heavily linked to the story of how I got into the world of watches, and it’s a moment that I will never, ever forget.

It was way back in May of 2006, and my dad was due to arrive back home from a 6-month stint for work in the Middle East.

It would be the first time (if not for webcams and the now ancient MSN Messenger) in so long that I would finally seem him. Of course I was ecstatic and emotial when I hugged him as soon as he arrived, but it didn’t take long for me to notice that he was wearing a different watch to the one that I remember. It had a much greater presence on the wrist, and was accentuated by a shiny alligator strap: it was a Breitling. I immediately asked him about it, so he took it off of his wrist and allowed me to admire the clear caseback.

I was so enamoured by the complex arrangement of gears and mechanical components that I could stare at it for days and get lost in it. That was when my father talked to me a little bit about watches, and at that moment, my passion for them began. This is where my first watch comes into the equation.

Taking notice of my growing interest in watches, and my good academic performance at school months later, my dear great-grandmother took me to the jewellers as a reward for my efforts, allowing me to choose my first very own watch.

Although there was such a large selection, I had a fairly clear picture. It had to be aligned with my love for the sea, diving, and other sports. So, I chose a Laurens.

Blue dial, blue adjustable bezel, quartz movement, all encased in steel. At the time I had no clue what these meant. I chose the watch simply because I loved the way it looked and how it paired well wil my “lifestyle”. On top of that, it also came with two additional straps: one in a strong and water resistant fabric, and the other a full steel bracelet.

For the next few years, that watch was strapped to my wrist on countless adventures, withstanding the test of water, sand, rocks, dust, earth and more importantly, time. It now sits proudly in my desk drawer, and I look at it from time to time. Sure, it may not be the most valuable watch on the market, but it has immeasureable and unmatched sentimental value.


Giulio Minetto

Like many stories that define who we are as people, the story of my first watch was totally random.
I vividly remember that, at age 12, the mere thought of having something on my wrist frustrated me. Why would I want a useless heavy object while I’m playing all these different sports and activities? Plus, I was only 12, so I had far more important things to think about, like, 12 year-old boy things, you know?

However, one totally random day in early December 2010, a switch was flicked in my mind, and I decided to use some of my savings from over the years to buy myself a nice watch.

There was no precise reason why I thought this, nor was there a watch that captured my attention to motivate this change, but I just felt something inside which told me to start becoming an adult.

I spent the weeks leading up to Christmas reading, researching and looking for a watch in the various jewellers around town that would catch my eye and, more importantly, fit within my budget!

Thus, on Christmas Eve, I made my decision: I bought myself a simple yet stunning Hamilton Khaki Navi Frogman.

The watch featured a classic “diver” layout: large luminous indices, small seconds at 6 o’clock, non-enlarged date window at 3. All driven by an automatic movement.

The two primary aspects that I was drawn to were the crown cover, assuring the watch remained fully waterproof via a screw-down cap chained to the case, and the case itself: made from satin-finished titanium, unlike any other watch I had seen before.

This watch ignited the spark in me and I immediately found myself immersed in the horological world. For those who know me know that, if I have a passion, I will pursue it to the fullest, which is why this watch only stayed with me for about 6 months. I resold it to upgrade to another one, which I then traded for a different one, which I then sold… all this to try every sort of watch to make my passion grow even more, in the pursuit of my perfect watch.


Alessandro Metelli

My first watch. Every time I think of it, it makes me smile and remember how it’s why I got into watches in the first place.

I can still picture that day in 2012 in which, by pure chance, I stumbled across a Rolex Submariner ref. 16613 in precarious conditions amongst my dad’s old stuff. The seconds hand worked intermittently; you couldn’t adjust the date; and both the case and the bracelet were full of scratches.

But none of these defects could even come close to how I felt about that hypnotising deep blue dial, surrounded by the golden bezel and central links of the braclelet…. what a combination! For days, I just stared at that wonderful watch, not knowing that those same days would change my life.

From that day on, I started researching and collecting all the information about the Rolex Submariner that the internet had to offer.

It’s no secret that I have a special place in my heart for this model, even to the point that nowadays I get so many requests from different people to evaluate their potential purchase of a vintage Submariner that they have their eyes set on. This is a great satisfaction for me!

I’m not even kidding that this watch changed my life, I’m totally serious! For my University Dissertation, I designed a manually-wound horological movement for a wristwatch which I then built using a 3D printer. In fact, I’m working as a researcher at my university and I’m hoping to start up my very own watch company in 2021, and I owe it to this very watch.

Moreover, that fateful day and this special watch, have led me to meet some truly fantastic people, ones who share this passion of mine which now has turned into my actual livelihood.


Claudio Freccia

Watches are built to last. If treated with care and resepct, they will inevitably outlive us. That’s the magical aspect of collecting: owning, loving and creating memories with pieces that we then pass down to the people that we love, so that they themselves can make their own memories with it. It creates a connection that is stronger than the time they measure.

My watch wasn’t brand new when I got it… It’s so much better than that: it had had a life of its own for 25 years before we met. It was my father’s watch.

It may sound cliché, but when he gifted me with this watch, a wave of emotion rushed through me, and it was at this exact moment that the spark for horology was ignited.

The watch is a Rolex Explorer II ref.16570. Normally, it’s nicknamed the “Polar” Explorer, but this name doesn’t really suit mine.

Instead of the cold, icy tones it’s normally known for, my hour markers have developed a warm and sunny yellow patina. To be honest, the watch isn’t in the best of conditions. It has had a few scratches and knocks here and there, but each one of them tells a story, making it unique – making it my Explorer. What I love the most about this watch is that it has lived. Not just an ordinary life, it has lived a life full of adventures, journeys, moments and emotions, recounted with every mark on the case.

This is, and always will be the watch I will never part ways with. My advice? Find yourself a watch that yearns to tell a story you’ll never get sick of hearing, and enjoy every second it ticks on your wrist.


Filippo Versienti

Simple, clean and elegant, the way only Bulgari knows how.

Adolescence, particularly your teenage years, is a period characterised by cars, watches, videogames, clubs, and a neverending competition of “who has more”. If we’re honest with ourselves, we’ve all participated in that last one. It’s a time where you discover things for the first time and where you find your first “loves” and passions.

Obviously, in order for that to happen, you need to take control, and make your own choices. But, it was in these very years that I was gifted with what was my first watch: the BVLGARI BVLGARI BB30SSD

And within this very watch, I found one of my first “loves”. A bond which I had never experienced before – one between myself and an object – had been formed. It was much more than aesthetically beautiful, it had a character, a soul, and it was at that very moment when I realised what it meant to “live something“. Thus, my horological passion began.

The BVLGARI BVLGARI BB30SSD features a full INOX Steel case, measuring 30mm wide by 7mm thick, and it’s powered by a quartz movement. As I mentioned before, this watch is extremely fine, clean, and classy. In my opinion, it’s the pinnacle of horological “elegance”, perfectly embodying Bvulgari’s signature style.


Patrick Romano

The first watch that really meant something to me and kick-started this passion of mine is a 1960 Omega Genève.

From a horological perspective, it’s pretty straight forward: automatic movement, slightly oval-case, yellow gold. Aesthetically, I absolutely adore it, but on the grander horological stage, it’s “just” a regular Omega watch from the 1960s. Don’t get me wrong, mechanically speaking, it’s a great high quality watch, especially given its age. In fact, Omega is one of the most sought after brands on the vintage market.

But it is the story behind why and how this watch ended up in my hands is what really resonates with me.

In 1940, my Great-Grandfather and his family were forced to flee France during World War Two, and they found refuge in a small town in the Piemonte region. My Great-Grandfather cleverly hid 40 gold coins into the frame of a bicycle that nearly got confiscated at the French-Italian border. Other than that, they had nothing.

With what little he had, he worked incredibly hard every single day inbetween multiple jobs just to keep the family afloat. After nearly 18 years, he managed to open up his own pharmacy – “Farmacia Romano” in the town of Cuneo. And through great struggle and sacrifice, this is how he managed to afford this watch as a graduation gift for his son (my grandfather).

Two entire generations later, it was handed to me on my 18th Birthday.

This watch means so much to me sentimentally, because it symbolises how those who came before me worked incredibly hard and made enormous sacrifices, just so that I can be here today, have the things that I have and do the things that I can do. Because of them, I wear this watch with utmost pride. And every time I do so, I realise that the only reason why this watch is here today, is because those who came before me, wore it. The memories they made and their actions whilst wearing it ultimately powered the automatic movement to keep the watch ticking. So now, whenever I wear it, I’m running it the very same way that they did.

And to me, nothing could ever compete with that.


Well folks, there you have it: our second “team” article. What do you think? Do you like this format? What other collaborative articles would you like to see in the future?

More importantly, what was your first watch? What’s the story behind it? Let us know in the comments!

-Translated by Patrick R.

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