The watch beating at the heart of my wife’s family, and its journey from her grandfather to her.

One of the most beautiful things about watches are the stories and memories that grace them over the years. We have few other material possessions with the capability to outlast one person’s lifetime, and move on to the following generation. When my wife’s father sat in our sunlit kitchen and carefully lifted open a decaying red leather watchbox, our hearts began to beat a little faster.

This was a very special moment for my wife, as the pocketwatch hidden inside had belonged to her paternal grandfather, André Carret. Born in France in the year 1926, André received this Omega pocketwatch for his Communion at the age of 12. Growing up to become a specialized operator of public works machinery, he cherished this stunning early 20th century example for the rest of his life. When he passed, the pocketwatch became part of his estate, and my wife’s father knew he had to secure it for his daughter. My wife had studied Horology and always had a love affair with mechanical watches, thus it was meant to be.

The watch itself is a case study in legibility and simple beauty, featuring a (now faded) stark white dial, Breguet numerals and deep blued hands. There is a perfectly designed centre seconds complication anchoring the watch face, rounded out by a railroad track outer ring. The onion crown at the 12 o’clock position is attached to a delicately fine chain that slinks around the watch as it travels through life. The caseback features a geometric carving of horizontal and vertical rectangles, adding a touch of modernity to this vintage machine.

A deep dive into researching the specific reference for this watch, and after countless hours spent, it appears to be a model 2T351. This finding aligns with the time that André would have received the watch, as mentioned earlier.

-Image credit (Google)

The pocketwatch, now in the possession of my wife, has found its home among our growing collection. This will be a piece that will be deeply cherished, and hopefully will continue its journey onto our future children, adding chapter after chapter to its story that began in 1938.

-Mister Wrist(er)