Time on My Hands – a watch book by Mitch Katz
There are many books about watches; however, ‘Time on My Hands’ by Mitch Katz is a little different. Mr Katz is a watch obsessive who has decided to chronicle his watch collecting history, detailing various encounters and observations along the way.
Being a watch collector
It’s that time of year again, when I visit various friends’ homes and devour too much fatty food for my own good. These seasonal gatherings sometimes necessitate chatting to friends of friends and making polite conversation. When asked about my hobbies, I express my fondness, nay addiction, to mechanical watches. Often, tinged with a note of incredulity, they enquire, “Watches?… Like an Apple watch?” And in that moment, something inside me dies.
Being a watch collector, fanatic, obsessive or, dare I say, ‘horological weirdo’, can sometimes feel like a lonely pursuit. It is for this reason that when someone reaches out, asking if they can talk about horology, I usually agree. Recently, Mitch Katz, an avid collector of timepieces suggested that we chat via Zoom about his latest watch book.
Time on My Hands – “I wrote it for my sons”
A few days later, I was nattering to Mitch, a semi-retired doctor, eager to know more about his literary works. After sharing a few pleasantries and discreetly appraising the interior of his study via my webcam, I began by asking the son of New York, what motivated him to write a book. “I wrote it for my sons”, Katz exclaimed. He went on to explain that he had collected watches for over 25 years and thought an Excel spreadsheet listing his various timepieces seemed inadequate.
Katz has clearly spent many hours burning the midnight oil penning his weighty tome dedicated to his love for watches. In his book he documents his purchasing history, adding colour to scenes with insightful comments about aesthetics, materials and complications. His memoirs are punctuated with recollections of visits to Geneva, the Vallée de Joux, La Chaux de Fonds and even the Isle of Man.
Time on My Hands – building a collection
As a regular attendee at Purist meetings and collectors’ dinners, Katz talks in his book about meeting a variety of luminaries from the watch industry. While attending such events, he has been known to affix a rare prototype to his wrist and engage in a spot of small talk with an unsuspecting CEO before enquiring if he could purchase said watch. Mitch’s modus operandi has served him well and has led to him amassing an impressive collection populated with some unusual references.
A man with eclectic tastes, Katz doesn’t appear to fixate on one style, complication or brand. Indeed, thumb the pages of his book and you will discover both modern and traditional timepieces, from simple two handers to high complications. Katz shares information and personal experiences not with the purpose of boasting but rather to inform the reader what attracted him to a watch and imparting interesting details about how he facilitated some of his many purchases.
Image – Copernicus by Vacheron Constantin
Mitch Katz – a kindred spirit
Reading ‘Time on My Hands’, I recognised a kindred spirit, a fellow watch fanatic who appreciates the importance of aesthetics, mechanical virtue and craftsmanship. He also shares my fondness for independent watchmaking, referring to the fabulous McGonigle brothers. Moreover, Katz shares my view that collecting watches should not motivated by financial gain. Indeed, he perceives the value of a watch is based on its array of attributes. This is a chap I would be happy to chat with at a friend’s get together, someone who Is unlikely to look shocked when I express my love for horology.
Image – Zweigesicht-1 by Marco Lang
Time on My Hands – closing remarks
It would be disingenuous to say that I liked every watch that Katz has acquired over the years. In fact, to be honest, I couldn’t say that about some of the watches I have purchased! However, it is not Katz’s inventory per se that is the raison d’être for this book, but rather one collector’s recollection of a fascinating journey. Mitch Katz has left a great legacy for his sons and provided a fascinating read for watch collectors.
Availability
Time on My Hands: A Collector’s Journey in the World of Watches by Mitch Katz (ISBN 978-1-964014 52-4). Available in various bookstores including Amazon.