A talk with @bench.o03. A talk with @bench.o03. A talk with @bench.o03. A talk with @bench.o03. A talk with @bench.o03
A talk with @bench.o03. A talk with @bench.o03. A talk with @bench.o03. A talk with @bench.o03
A talk with @bench.03, a passionate watch enthusiast and collector for over 10 years. Now based in Geneva, he recently transitioned from a career in corporate finance to join @a_collected_man. In charge of business development and partnerships, he is now close to some of the best watches and watchmakers in the world.
That’s how my passion started—trying to understand what I had in my hands when I got my first watch, a vintage Rolex. Understanding is also about learning, doing research, and debating with people. Ultimately, you value what you understand. Coming from the vintage watch collecting world, this element is key. It’s also key to developing yourself and your passion.
Having studied engineering, the technical aspect of things is something I like to understand and learn. In watches, it started with knowing the different variations of a specific reference, then learning about dial-making techniques and how to spot a restored dial. More recently, I’ve delved into the techniques behind watchmaking, hand-finishing, and chronometry.
Being curious and exploring new things is part of who I am. When you think you know something well enough, jump to something else—take undiscovered paths or see where others are going. This has led me to travel a lot, learn about many different things, and with watches, discover more and more aspects of the watch world: the new, the old, the high-end, the lower-end, how to make them, who’s behind what, why this, why that…
My passions have shaped my life. They recently defined where I live and my work. Apart from watches, I’m fond of electronic music and photography—always something technical and artistic. Watches are not just about an object that tells time; they are a concentrate of emotions.
Over time, I’ve learned that the most important part of a hobby or a passion is not the knowledge or the possession. Through watches, I’ve met countless amazing people I couldn’t have met otherwise. Some of them are true friends now. This is what I value the most today, more than any watch.