I still remember recieving my first wristwatch on May 15, 2006. The cold stainless steel backing chilled my wrist for a moment before I cinched the band tight. It felt, to a 12-year-old back in 2006, like I was preparing for some daring adventure. It was akin to strapping into a flight suit or attaching some tactical James Bond-themed equipment to my person before raiding a Russian submarine base. 

The polished, smooth quartz sapphire face offered a window into hundreds of years of delicate human ingenuity, now condensed into a 43 millimeter disk that rested gently upon my arm. My first watch never experienced any high altitude jumps, nor does it dispense a nerve agent when you press the crown. 

However, 12 years later, it still ticks and gives me a pang of excitement to slap on my wrist. Watches are one of the most underappreciated ways of making a statement about yourself. Most people will go through life and wear wristwatches throughout, only ever touching the surface of horology. Whether it is a big bulky rubber G-Shock, or a sleek swiss automatic, what you put on your wrist says something about you. It represents not only one of the few cross-gender fashion accessories, but it does so with an absolutely massive range in terms of products and their connotations. 

I approach this topic because there is an interesting shift in pop culture happening now. Especially in the hip-hop dominated charts today, artists are touting wealth and luxury more than ever. Making references to Ferrari’s, private jets and mansions is nothing new by any means, but now we have involved watches.

Artists like Jay Z, Migos and Gucci Mane are ushering in renowned Swiss brands such as Audemars Piguet, Hublot, Patek Philippe and of course Rolex into the pop culture spotlight. All the sudden, appreciation of these timepieces are no longer confined to an oaken-paneled Zurich auction house, but broadcasted to the masses like myself.

Big name pop culture critics such as Complex and GQ are now featuring articles on “DJ Khaled’s $300,000 Watch” and “25 Watches Over $1 Million.” Even established publications such as the Guardian and NYT are running pieces about this timepiece craze.

Famous actors are now being profiled for their watch collections. In an interview with HauteTime magazine, Kevin Hart went into depth on his collection. “The effort watchmakers put into making something so unique,” he said. “That’s what I love.”

 With this coverage comes curious internet searches, and interest in horology traditions that for some are approaching 200 years of production.Once this appreciation begins to grow, and you stray away from the bejeweled monstrosities of Beverly Hills, you begin to see them everywhere, whether it is a beautiful Jaeger-LeCoultre you spot at a restaurant, a simple Hamilton you spot at the gym or former president Barack Obama’s JorgGray, which he proudly wore for many years. 

Seeing and recognizing these pieces fosters a fascination, and the construction of an identity behind each piece. “I’ve always said most guys are watch guys, they just haven’t really found the right piece yet,” Benjamin Clymer, founder of the popular watch blog Hodinkee, said in an interview with the New York Times.

My collection, as a watch guy,  has grown since age 12 with 18 pieces now arranged neatly on my desk. Each one holds memories from what was happening in my life when I purchased it or got it as a gift, and each one has a distinct personality. I can remember where I fell in love with each, what watch motivated me to look into a particular style; it is, ironically enough, a timeline of one’s style and attitude towards much more than just fashion.

The watch you put on in the morning is a projection of how you feel that day; your attitude and approach towards life. And while it might feel like you’re the only one who knows, there is always a chance that someone is across the coffee shop or classroom from you, peaking at the watch on your wrist and understanding exactly what you’re saying with it.