It was the way we kept track of time and as such, a powerful symbol of productivity and professionalism.
I received my first watch when I was six. It had a red leather strap and featured a diminutive Mickey Mouse who marked the hours and minutes with tiny gloved hands.
These days kids get a cell phone at six and it instantly becomes their go-to timepiece. Most never develop the wristwatch habit. Adults are relying on their electronic devices for time-telling more frequently as well.
Fortunately for watch makers, a smartphone doesn't make much of a style statement, and style is what today's watches bring to the party... and the workplace. Over the past couple of years, fashionable folks of all ages have made the wristwatch into an indispensable fashion accessory. More than any other wearable item, a watch reflects the personality of its wearer. From the basic Timex to a bejeweled Swiss chronograph there are watches to fit every budget. In addition, a vast park of designers ensure styles to meet a myriad of individual tastes... and from April 25 - May1, the best of them will be on display at Baselworld 2013, the World Watch and Jewelery Show.
As a collector of watches... married to a watch-obsessed man... I found myself perusing the Baselworld website recently, and that's where I discovered the Queen of Golf, a beautiful and innovative timepiece created by Swiss watchmaker Jaermann & Stübi. Handcrafted and individually numbered, each watch the company produces is not only an exquisite timepiece, but also an elegantly discreet golf stroke counter. Jaermann & Stübi was founded when a passion for golf met up with an expertise in watchmakeing. Urs Jaermann is the golfer and Pascal Stübi the watchmaker, and together they've created an extraordinary range built around the tradition and culture of golf. The entire line (Gents' Collection, Ladies' Collection and Special Edition) can be seen on their website, and in their opulent online catalog. A Jaermann & Stübi watch blends luxury and utility in a way that allows a passionate golfer to make a stellar style statement while ensuring focused scorekeeping accuracy.
To that end I've added the Queen of Golf to my list of golf goals... and it's right up there with breaking 90 and playing Pebble Beach.
