The Most Valued Watch In My Collection? Most Overlooked Aspect of a Watch When Buying? (Q&A)

Hi everyone, Teddy Baldassarre here, and in this video we have another Q&A asked on X, on YouTube Community, on Instagram. What are some questions that you have for me? And today we're going to be answering them.

How does one become lucky enough to be in your Watches of a Profession?

Well, I don't even think it's about luck. I, I do want to also call out that if you do want to participate in this, love to have you, and we're looking for all different types of careers. We can put it up on the screen, some of the careers that we're looking for. I also just want to make it very clear, like, how this would work. Like, we're not looking for someone that has, like, this unbelievable, like, what you would think collection. It's not about how much money you spend on your collection to be in the video. It's really about a passion for watches.

And the whole point of that series is to position people and how they have a connection to watches based off of their profession and their day-to-day use. You know, they're interesting videos too where people with a tremendous amount of funds can show their watches off, but I want it to be disassociated from that. I want this to be a series really showing off people and talking about their day-to-day where these watches can fit in and how this all was able to unfold. So I'll have a— in the description, a link where you guys can submit if you want to participate in that.

The other thing that I'll call attention to too is this is something where it might not be clear, but we will cover your flight in, we will cover your travel to come in and spend the day with us to shoot it. We'd shoot all your watches. Usually what we'll do is we'll have you come in, we would shoot all your watches the day before, and then the day after we'd shoot that interview for the main channel. So if you want to participate, if you are any of the careers that are showing up on screen right now, I'm talking about like a nurse, a teacher, like these are the type of occupations that we're looking for and we would love to hear from you. So please don't hesitate to reach out. I'd love to do it, and hopefully, you know, maybe see you on the channel in the future.

What watch in your collection means the most to you?

So there's a few watches I would say are in the running for this, but I probably have to go with a watch that is really the— one of the only watches in my collection that has like true heritage to my family, sentimental value in that aspect, and that is a Wittnauer. This was a watch that was gifted to my great-grandfather who came over from Italy in the 1920s, and he started started a family, had 11 kids. Not the most well-off family with those 11 kids, but they put all their money together and they bought this gold-plated Wittnauer watch as a representation for what he did to sacrifice to make it to the United States and start a new life here.

My dad and myself are both named after my great-grandfather. So at one point, my great-grandmother was cleaning out his space after he had passed, pulled my dad aside, and handed him this watch and said, you are the only Baldassarre. Treat this well. And that watch eventually made its way in my possession. I didn't even know that watch existed, but when my dad gave me that watch, told me the backstory, that just sealed it for me. It's like, all right, I am doing the right thing on a day-to-day basis. It was almost like destiny in a way. And the watch doesn't really have a lot of monetary value, but that's not what it's about. But that's the watch, like in a house fire, like there's that question, like what would be the watches that you would grab in a house fire if you could only grab one? That's probably the one.

As that watch represents a big motto for myself, I think with opportunity, and I think opportunity is brought forth by people that come before you, family that comes before you and giving you a chance at life, and then also giving you a chance to be in the position that you're in. I see that opportunity as an obligation, and that watch is a reminder of that core tenet and how I live.

What is the most overlooked aspect of a watch when you're looking to buy it?

Now, there's a lot of things that you could bring up here, and like for me, I would say what I have recognized in my collecting, and that's whether it's watches or other items, something that I have learned very quickly is people oftentimes just see an object, they see something to acquire without drawing the connection to their actual life. So I think the biggest aspect of a watch purchase that people overlook is how does this integrate? We talk about this idea of versatility, being able to work in a variety of different environments when looking to buy a watch. But versatility is not a one-size-fits-all approach.

You have to think about what your circumstances and how can that watch apply, because you have to identify what is that wear-to-enjoyment ratio. And if you are not going to find opportunities in your life to wear a watch or find how this can fit within other watches in your collection, then what is the point of it all? I think you have to wear these objects to really appreciate them. So if you're not identifying that idea, then I think you're falling short in your collecting journey.

This is sometimes difficult to figure out and forecast. How am I going to actually live with this piece? But as you start to collect more watches, you begin to realize what works, what doesn't. And as soon as you can figure this out, the better you'll be as a collector. So I think that's what it is, is like not connecting the dots to your lifestyle and really being honest about that. Don't get so caught up in the object itself. Think about where that can actually fit within your life.

What's your personal favorite watch size?

So I don't think there's an ideal watch size. Again, we're talking about a lot of subjective opinion, and I'm always looking at watches in a multi-dimensional landscape so that I can identify what works best for me. Like even a dial-to-bezel ratio, like what's the opening of a dial? That can have a big effect. What's the style of a watch? A dive watch at 40mm versus a dress watch at 40mm presents an entirely different concept on the wrist. Dial color, that can affect it. How the bracelet meets the case, what's that integration like? Is it seamless? Male, female end link, how does that all come together?

Thickness, you wouldn't think that that would have as big of an effect on just the overhang on the wrist, but sometimes just thickness and the proportions, it can throw things off even if all the other dimensions are right. And then you have lug-to-lug, which we talk about all the time. But for me, generally speaking, what I find across the board, if I had to just pick one case size, despite all of those things I just stated, if I had to pick one, 'cause I know people don't like fence-sitters and I'm not gonna sit on the fence here when answering this question. I would say 39mm is probably my ideal size for my wrist. I venture above that number all the time. I venture below that number frequently. So that's probably my sweet spot, like that 38 to 40mm with 39 sitting right in the middle.

Do you think Tudor will launch something more than at Watches and Wonders since they're 100 years?

I don't even think it matters whether it's 100 years or not, and I have no insider information about what Tudor is going to do this year, but what's for certain is that they're going to make splashes throughout the year. That has become something that they just do. Watches and Wonders is not the only time that Tudor releases watches. So if you're looking at the body of work of this year, I would probably look to the entirety of the year. I mean, I'm wearing a watch right now on my wrist. This is the Tudor Black Bay 58 Blue. This is now discontinued, but this came out in June of 2020, I believe. So that was the middle of the year.

Now that was a little bit of an off year, for the industry, given that Baselworld didn't happen and there was a lot of shifts happening. So that might not be the most relevant example, but there's other examples too, like the Tudor Ranger that first came out in July of 2022. And then last year you saw the Dune model of the Ranger. And then what about some of the most popular models from the brand, like Flamingo Blue with the Black Bay Chrono? That was January 2025 when that came out. So this is something that Tudor typically does. They are not going to release all their watches at Watches and Wonders.

And this is something a lot of brands that participate at Watches and Wonders are doing because that window before Watches and Wonders, from my understanding, they can't actually release product in this window of time in the early part of the year because they have an agreement with the show where they only release watches after that point. But a lot of brands will take the mentality so they have these splashes throughout the year so they have different touch points and it's not just all at once because the world moves on very quickly. So to answer your question, yes, I do expect Tudor to release more things throughout the year this year.

I think I just like the chase of buying watches more than wearing them. Thoughts? Well, I think that's an honest assessment that most people probably don't talk about enough. I mean, we always glamorize this idea of the hunt. I talk about this quite frequently, but this is a real concept, and I think most people don't actually think about this idea when looking to acquire watches. And I'm a huge proponent of enjoying what you have. It's not always about looking for the next thing, next thing, next thing. I mean, trying to rationalize why this is actually happening, and you get into that period where you're discovering new things, you're watching reviews, you're in forums, you're interacting with people. It's fun. It is a fun time because there's like this uncertainty of like this mysterious guiding star of what that next watch will be.

But taking a deep breath, that's why I always talk about it's a marathon, not a sprint. There's these type of collectors I see all the time where they just try to come in and they try to solve watch collecting like it's some task to overcome, and it almost gives you relief to get things done. And I think that's just part of our, our wiring and circuitry where we're chasing just to complete the task, the dopamine hit that comes with actually spending money and then it happens. And if you have the wrong mentality around it, then this is where this fall-off can take place, where you feel like you're not actually getting what you set off to achieve.

And I think that's an honest assessment. Like, this is a good thing to actually talk about because I don't think enough people think about this. Like, actually sit with it for a moment and be honest with yourself after you buy a watch next time. Like, do I feel excited about this purchase still, or am I looking for the next thing already? And I think that's something you need to just check yourself at times, because if you are feeling that, you might just need to reassess your entire approach so that you can continue to enjoy this hobby. Because it's not about just dopamine hit after dopamine hit. Like, that is not what watch collecting is about. It is about living with these objects, because without those lived experiences with the object on your wrist, these watches don't really mean anything.

Yes, they could be a great expression of craft. Yes, they can be a great expression of engineering. But at the end of it all, what makes a watch special to you is your connection with it. Like, that is where I feel the most connection to the pieces that I own, and it's why I can talk back to the question, like, what's the watch that I would grab in a fire? There was no hunting involved in that watch, that Wittnauer watch that was gifted by my great-grandfather down to my father and then to me. Like, that was something that was discovered through my own passion and just life falling the way it falls. And I think that's a better expression of what watchmaking is all about and why I appreciate this subject so much.

If tomorrow you learn that you will become a dad, what piece will you buy for him as a legacy gift?

Well, I can answer this very directly because this is actually happening to me. So much so that in 12 hours from now, I am heading to the hospital with my wife and this is actually taking place. Our son is going to be born sometime in the next 72 hours, as long as everything goes great. To answer this question, here's my idea.

I'm going to post a video about this, but my idea around how I will build this connection with my son here will be buying a watch that will be a watch that I solely purchased because it is going to eventually go to him. I'm going to have that watch engraved. I am going to wear it. I am going to experiencing things with it. He's going to probably see me wear this watch over the years. And at the time where it feels right, I will eventually give him this watch. This will be his watch. But I'm going into this whole process knowing that this will be his watch.

There, of course, might be some other watches that might get gifted as well, but I think it'd be a fun exercise to buy a watch to mark this occasion, let it be a representation of this moment, and then be a watch that also can transition and be a part of our lived experience with one another in every single moment, you know, as he's growing up. So that is going to be my idea for this new chapter, which I'm very excited about, but you'll have to wait and see what exactly that watch will be.

What's your opinion on the 2 new colors of the new Grand Seiko UFA Diver?

I'm leaning towards the green. I have gone back and forth around what dial I like more from the UFA Diver, the Ushio 300. Originally, when I, when I had that video with Joe Kirk where we sat down, usually I will go towards blue always, but in that video, my eyes immediately went to the green. And I think part of it is just because there's not this idea of a green dive watch from Grand Seiko. So this is a net new, but there's also another part of it that probably drew me in, and that's the actual multi-layer coating process. So that has their optical multi-layer coating PVD treatment that will take place.

So if you remember a couple years ago, the SBGC275, it was like that orange reddish pink. It would change colors at different angles. It was a chronograph that came out at Watches and Wonders. They had that treatment on that watch. Same thing is taking place on the green dial. Blue dial though, this is probably how I'd sum it up. Blue dial probably makes sense for people that don't have as many Grand Seikos. Maybe this is your first Grand Seiko, which should definitely be a lofty watch to get for your first Grand Seiko, but a fabulous one at that. I would probably say the blue is going to be the more versatile piece, but green if you want to make a statement.

What has been your favorite moment of your watch career thus far?

I don't know if I have a favorite moment, but there's a couple that jump out, and they're like those moments where, like, you just feel like, it's almost like an out-of-body experience. One I would say was we had our first Grand Seiko event, and this was in 2024, and we have the 3rd Grand Seiko event coming up. So it's becoming like this annual thing every June that we do it in Cleveland, Ohio. So if you want to come to that, I'll have a link in the description down below. But that was unbelievable to see because you're posting videos online for all these years. This was like the first event we ever did.

And then to see people come in that you've been able to connect with and they're actually in front of you. And I remember standing with a mic in my hand just looking at a crowd of people for the first time and I like, I was like emotional. I was actually emotional. I did not know how to handle it. That was pretty cool because it was like a physical representation of what I feel like I'm just talking to a camera right now. I know there's people behind, you know, that lens that I'm speaking to and I appreciate everybody, but it doesn't sometimes register. Like there are actually people that are watching this video right now. So that was a surreal moment.

Obviously, when opening the store that first day, that first announcement video in 2024, that was a surreal moment. And just seeing the support that you guys provided me and my team, and that was like unbelievably fulfilling and it just felt right. But I mean, there's been so many great moments. This has just been an insane ride. I'm like one of these guys that like I get to do something that I love every single day. I hear about all these people like, chase your passion, chase your passion. I didn't chase anything. I feel like I'm very lucky to be in the position that I ultimately fell into. Luck is a big part of it. Yes, I worked very hard, but you guys made that all possible.

So these moments are really, they come down to just knowing that I was able to have a connection in some way for you guys and that I can still express myself as something I'm passionate about every single day. Like those are the rewarding moments, whether it's seeing people in person, it's seeing some of the comments online of people that support you. Like that's where you're living the dream. Again, thank you guys. I always say that, you know, if I'm gonna, be redundant in my language, I'd rather be redundant about gratitude. So thank you guys for letting me do this.

But there you have it, guys. That is the Q&A for today. Really appreciate you guys for submitting those questions. If you want to partake in a future Q&A, make sure you're following us on all our different social platforms. Like, we'll post this on Facebook, Instagram, X, also in the YouTube community. But I pull from all those different places. So if you want to have your question answered in the future, that's a great place to do it. But guys, thank you again so much for watching. Be well, and I'll see you all very soon. Thank you.

This transcript was generated using AI and may contain errors. For the definitive version, please refer to the original video.