The Birth Watch: A Philosophy, a Process, and Leaving a Legacy
How to choose a watch to mark the moments, lessons, and love of fatherhood.
I am going to be a dad.
I never thought this day would actually come but I have always known deep in my heart — I was meant to be a dad. Since last Spring when my wife and I first learned we were expecting, this idea of a “birth watch” has consumed my thoughts. It’s not just a purchase—it’s a search for something imbued with meaning, something that will carry the weight of time, love, and lessons learned.
The idea of a birth watch isn’t new, of course. Nor is the notion of passing down something sentimental to your child. Certain watch brands have built empires on this promise. But knowing this doesn’t make the choice any less personal or poignant.
As a watch collector, I’m no stranger to the metaphors surrounding time. The clichés are as abundant as they are true: time is your most valuable asset, time spent with loved ones is what matters most, wasted time isn’t always wasted. Yet, here I am, waxing poetic, leaning into these metaphors, because they resonate. They carry weight now in a way they never did before.
This watch isn’t about resale value or some arbitrary collecting criteria. It’s about creating something lasting—something that will weather the years alongside me, bearing the scars and stories of fatherhood. It’s the watch I’ll wear when I hold my son for the first time, when I teach him to swim, when I cheer him on at his first game. It’ll be on my wrist when I pick him up from a party and when I watch him cross the stage at his graduation. And one day, when I feel he’s ready, it will be his. I want him to see the dings, the scratches, the stories of the time I spent raising him.
I want him to know this watch has lived as we have lived.
The Philosophy of a Birth Watch
Every collector has a philosophy for how to collect or build a collection. For some, it’s about value—what a watch costs now versus what it might be worth later. But when it came to choosing a birth watch, I had to throw the idea of monetary value out the window. This is not a watch to be sold or flipped either. It’s a watch that will stay with me, and one day, with him. Finding a birth watch for a child could also fill a need in your collection. Nothing wrong with getting two birds stoned at once… strike that, reverse it, thank you.
When buying a watch to commemorate a milestone—a promotion, a marriage, the birth of a child—you step outside the typical collecting mindset. You’re not thinking about rarity, market trends or what fits the needs of your current collection. You’re thinking about what feels right, what fits this moment, this purpose.
For me, it’s about what the watch represents. I want it to echo the values I hope to instill in my son: kindness, generosity, resilience, hard work, humility, respect, intelligence, the spirit of exploration and to never waste a single moment on this earth. I want it to symbolize that time is precious and finite, but also expansive if used well. Time is a teacher, a healer, and an asset. It’s a lesson I hope to impart when I pass this watch to him.
Defining the Birth Watch
The search for the perfect birth watch can be overwhelming. There are countless brands, models, and variations to sift through. To stay focused, I established a few key criteria. These developed after many talks with members of The 1916 team last year when I ran a Father’s Day story:
Price
Let’s be honest—kids are expensive. This watch should never come at the cost of providing for your family. At the same time, it should feel significant, a thoughtful investment in the future. For me, the challenge is always resisting the urge to justify a bigger price tag because of what the watch represents.
The goal is balance: something meaningful but not extravagant. It should be expensive enough that you think thoroughly about the purchase, but of course within your means and within reason. And to note, this is relative — if $300 is a lot for you then that’s just as great as $30,000 being your limit. There are great watches at every single price point if you do your research.
Functionality and Style
This watch needs to be versatile. It will accompany me through moments as varied as giving my son his first bath to attending his school recitals. For that reason, it needs to be robust yet elegant, with a minimum water resistance of 100 meters—because life happens, and I don’t want to think twice about jumping into a pool or braving the rain with it.
I also want a watch that’s rugged enough for camping trips but dressy enough for formal occasions. It should feel just as at home in a forest as it does in a concert hall.
With this criteria, we are taking out most dress watches, but not all.
Personalization
A closed caseback is a must. I want to engrave a message for my son, something simple yet enduring. His initials, perhaps, or a note of love that reminds him of the hours spent raising him—and that there’s still so much time left to live.
I’m considering a few options for an engraving beyond just initials. Perhaps a birthdate? One idea is “As far as you can, as much as you can” — an ode to Anthony Bourdain and a reflection on exploring the world. Another possibility is “So it goes,” a nod to Kurt Vonnegut and something deeply personal, as it’s also tattooed on me. I’ve also thought about engraving “Be kind,” a simple but profound phrase my mother has repeated to me since I was a child.
Ultimately, while I love the idea of showcasing the movement ticking away inside the watch, adding a personal engraving transforms it from a commercial object into something much more meaningful — an extension of myself.
Size and Wearability
I envision this as an everyday watch, so it needs to be comfortable and wearable. A case size between 34mm and 40mm feels ideal—not too large, not too small. It’s the sweet spot for a watch that will grow in significance as my son grows.
Brand and Model Ethos
This part is inherently subjective, but it’s crucial to me that the brand aligns with the values I hope to impart to my son. I want the watch to reflect integrity—not just in its design and craftsmanship but in the company that stands behind it. Imagine the disappointment if my son were to one day discover that the watch I so carefully chose was made by a company with questionable ethics—that sourced blood diamonds, unjustly laid off workers during the pandemic or their enameling process contributed to global warming. A stretch? Maybe. But the point stands: I want this watch to embody principles I can be proud of.
Beyond the moral compass of the brand, there’s the image it conveys. In the world of luxury, brand identity matters—not because of the status it projects, but because of the story it tells. A great watchmaker creates more than a timepiece; they craft a legacy, an ethos. And the model itself? It has to strike the right balance. Think of it like John C. Reilly’s tuxedo T-shirt in Step Brothers: “It’s like I’m formal, but I’m here to party.” That’s the vibe I’m aiming for—a watch that is elegant and refined yet effortlessly cool. It should say, “I’m serious when it matters, but I also know how to enjoy life.”
Potential Options
Based on all my above criteria, I have narrowed my birth watch search down to the following four contenders.
- Tudor Black Bay 58 (Black Dial)
- Nomos Glashutte Club Campus 703.1
- IWC ‘Le Petit Prince’ Pilots Watch (40mm)
- Rolex Explorer 1 (ref. 124270)
The Search Continues
I don’t yet know which watch will make the cut. But the process itself feels like an act of love. Each model I consider, each specification I weigh, is a reflection of the life I want to build with my son.
This watch will witness more than just time; it will witness life. When the day comes to hand it down, I hope he’ll see it for what it truly is: a chronicle of our shared journey and a reminder to live each moment fully.
Stay tuned for part II when we break down each watch which made the final selection. Because time is precious. And this watch—his watch—will hold all the hours we spent making it count.