A talk with @watchthislacey. A talk with @watchthislacey. A talk with @watchthislacey. A talk with @watchthislacey. A talk with @watchthislacey
A talk with @watchthislacey. A talk with @watchthislacey. A talk with @watchthislacey. A talk with @watchthislacey
A passionate collector with a sharp eye for horology, Kate Lacey was a panelist at A TALK WITH LONDON event n March 2025. She shared her insights on collecting and being a watch lover. For those who missed it, these images capture her key references and inspirations.
My friend and mentor, captured mid-discussion, teaching my colleagues about pocket watches. I worked alongside him for 11 years, and it was during this time that I bought my first watches. While much of my experience comes from seeing hundreds of timepieces pass through auctions, he taught me so much and truly sparked my passion for watches.
I was hiding in the safe at Phillips Geneva with the Paul Newman’s Newman. I’m not sure it was official at that point, so it was all top secret, but even then, I knew it was going to rock the watch world. Drew Barrymore even came in and tried it on!
On the day of the Newman sale in 2017. Standing room only—the atmosphere was electric. I was phone bidding that day, and I’ve never been so nervous and excited about an auction in my life. An amazing experience. I also met Nell Newman, Paul Newman’s daughter, that day.
They followed soon after. I saw equally exciting pieces, but a completely different market—Sotheby’s excels in pocket watches. While it’s no longer as crazy as the wristwatch market, some still command enormous prices. This image features one of the George Daniels Space Traveller watches, sold in 2019. Another record-breaking sale, this time for any English watch ever auctioned. The most significant part? It was George’s personal watch. (I also had the privilege of meeting both him and Roger Smith.)
A Cartier automatic Tank, probably from the ’70s. I still have it and wear it. A long departure from the steel Movado and Rolex Datejust I bought 20 years earlier. I picked it up at just the right time from a friend in the trade, just before prices skyrocketed. Like most collectors, I’ve had my fair share of regrets—watches I didn’t buy and should have, or ones I sold and wish I’d kept. But not this one. I’ve held onto it because I love it too much to sell, and it’s nice to have something to pass on to my daughter—or to simply keep in the bank.