The One-Watch Philosophy: Why Less Is More

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I used to own 12 watches. Now I wear four regularly. And if I had to pick just one for the rest of my life, I know exactly which one it would be.

This isn't about minimalism for the sake of minimalism. It's not about denying yourself or living like a monk. To me, it's about something more important: focus.

When you own 12 watches, you're not wearing any of them the way they deserve to be worn. You're rotating. You're deciding. You're setting the time on watches that have been sitting in a drawer for weeks. You're managing a collection instead of bonding with a tool.

There are only seven days in a week. If you own 12 watches, five of them are sitting unused at any given time. They're not building memories. They're not gaining patina. They're just sitting there, depreciating.

This is the case for the one-watch collection. Or at least, the intentional collection. The collection you actually wear instead of just own.

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If I could only own one watch for the rest of my life, it would be a Rolex Explorer II 16570 from 2006. White dial. Caliber 3186 movement. 40mm case.

Not because it's the most expensive. Not because it's the most hyped. Because it's the watch I imprinted on as a kid. I'm almost 40 years old now, and it still has its hold on me.

Size: 40mm. Comfortable. Not too big, not too small. Wears well on most wrists.

Functionality: Date window. GMT hand. Not a dive watch—those are tools for a specific purpose. This is a tool for everywhere.

History: The Explorer II was designed for explorers and cave divers who needed to track 24-hour time in environments with no daylight. It has a story. It has a reason to exist beyond just telling time.

Versatility: It works at the gym. It works at a wedding. It works at the office. It works on a hike. One watch, every situation.

Emotional connection: This is the watch I've wanted since I was young. That connection matters. A watch you love will outlast a watch you bought because it was a good deal or because everyone else wanted it.

If you're going to commit to one watch, it needs to meet three criteria:

1. Versatility Can you wear it everywhere? Gym, office, formal event, weekend errands. If it only works in one context, it's not your one watch.

2. Durability Will it last decades? Will it outlive you? A one-watch needs to be an heirloom. Something you can pass down. That means different things to different people, but the principle is the same: buy something that carries on a legacy and keeps time long after you're gone.

3. Emotional Connection Do you love it? Not just like it. Love it. Because if you're wearing the same watch every day for the rest of your life, it better be something that makes you feel something when you put it on.

It needs to be both practical and personal. A tool watch that represents who you are as an individual. Not a boring compromise. Not a flashy statement piece you're afraid to scratch. Something in between.

At my peak, I owned 12 watches. I thought I was building a collection. What I was actually doing was managing inventory.

Here's the reality: I was only wearing four of them regularly. The other eight sat in a drawer, waiting for their turn. Some of them went weeks without being worn. By the time I picked them up again, they'd stopped running and I had to reset the time and date.

There are only seven days in a week. If you own 12 watches, five of them are unused at any given moment. That's not a collection. That's clutter.

The mental load is real. Every morning, I had to decide which watch to wear. Not a big decision, sure. But it's still a decision. It's still mental energy spent on something that doesn't matter.

When I grab my favorite watch, it's easy. No thought required. When I have to choose between four others, I'm spending time thinking about something I could've just automated by wearing the same one.

Then there's the FOMO. A new watch drops. Social media explodes. Watch blogs hype it up. I want it. Even though I already own 12 watches I'm not wearing enough.

I started this newsletter with one goal: stop chasing the next watch and start appreciating the ones you have. Wear them into the ground. Let them outlive you.

So I simplified. I sold my Serica. I sold my Hamilton. Both were amazing, beautiful watches. I just wasn't wearing them enough. I took that money and put it back into this newsletter. And I'm saving the rest for my 16570.

Let's talk about the actual numbers.

A new Rolex Explorer II costs about $9,500. If you wear it every day for a year, that's $26 per day. Wear it every day for two years? $13 per day. Five years? $5.20 per day.

Finance people will tell you that $9,500 could've been invested and grown into more money. They're right. But a watch is a physical thing. It's not just numbers on a screen. You can hold it. Feel it. Make memories with it. It will outlast you.

There's no magic number for when a luxury watch becomes "worth it" on a cost-per-wear basis. I'm not qualified to tell you what to do with your money. But here's what I know: if you buy an expensive watch, wear it. Don't let it sit in a drawer. Don't save it for special occasions. Wear the damn thing.

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The one-watch philosophy is for a specific type of person.

It's for the man who has his life together. Who doesn't need variety to feel interesting. Who values focus over options. Who wants one signature piece that works everywhere and means something.

It's not for collectors who genuinely enjoy variety. If you love rotating watches, if you enjoy looking at them even when you're not wearing them, if the collection itself brings you joy—ignore this advice. There's nothing wrong with that approach. It's just not mine.

Is one watch realistic for someone with diverse lifestyle needs?

Yes. You can find a watch that fits your unique personality and lifestyle. Work, weddings, gym, casual weekends—one watch can do it all. There are so many brands and models out there that you're bound to find yours.

If you need help figuring out which one, I offer a service where I help people just like you find their watch. Book a consultation here.

What about people who think this approach is boring or restrictive?

Do whatever you want. I'm not here to tell you how to live.

But here's the thing: men have signature items. Cars. Hairstyles. Cologne. Shoes. Why not make your watch your signature item? The thing people associate with you. The thing that doesn't change even when everything else does.

You don't need 12 watches. You probably don't even need four.

You need one watch you love. One watch that works everywhere. One watch that will outlive you.

So simplify your collection. And simplify your life.

Poll: How many watches do you own vs. how many do you actually wear regularly? And if you could only keep one, which would it be? Hit reply and tell me.

Watches mark time. The choices behind them mark intentions.