The Signature of a Watch Beloved

I remember fondly now, a multicoloured watch I never took off... Water baby that I was, the watch was waterproof of course. So very brightly coloured in neons I loved it.

However, it was only until in my mid teens I met the sister of a friend of my mother's that I truly fell in love with watches... This time her chunky, leather strapped Diesel watch with a sea-green face. I was smitten.

When I visited my mom in England, I searched and I searched and I searched until I found that exact watch, and trust me when I tell you, I never took it off! Until one fateful day...

What became of it in the end, I cannot recall... But it travelled many moons with me indeed...

I'm not entirely sure what it is with me and watches. But while some say to look at the shoes as a mark of a person, I believe it is the watch that holds the truth. Even if someone wears no watch, that speaks for itself! And I'm awfully suspicious of those who were big, cheap and bolshy timepieces.

I had to laugh. I have an artist friend and one day I gifted him with a watch my grandfather no longer used. 'I don't believe in sticking to time and watches', he arrogantly professed. 'Well good, I told him, because this one is stuck on the bewitching hour and no more!'

But eventually and many years later, I found another watch for myself, at an antique stall at a market I attended with friends. It was gold and small and dainty with a wind up feature. But my cousin took it out clubbing one day and the arms broke. Besides that, something about it just didn't feel right. Not quite me. And the search began again. For the signature watch is a tricky thing to find...

And when my mother visited from England, knowing her fond of more masculine watches, I had my grandfather's gold watch engraved for her. Simply: May.... For in May he was born and on his 85th birthday in May he had passed. Also May to my mind is a word with endless potential.

In us going through all his things, I found a watch face I wanted to re-strap and give a new battery. A piece of him I could wear. However, a drug addled friend I was trying to help out sadly stole it from my wallet. Ah, the life lessons I should learn.

But I knew it had to be unique.

And for all I lusted after the likes of Roisin Murphy's (of Moloko fame) vintage Cartier... Or Rihanna's Rolex King Midas... Or the legendary Greta Garbo's Verdura curb-link bracelet watch...

It just had to be unique. Special uniquely to me.

Then one day my gran and I decided to go through all her jewellery, inherited and otherwise, and a great deal of it costume jewellery from my great aunt... And there it was... For all I'd been desperately searching, fascinated by the soviet era watches on Etsy... Here my grandmother's old gold watch, a Lorus, and a perfect fit.

Sure it's stuck on 3:40 and I don't know if I can ever repair it. To me, it is perfection. It is my lucky watch. It is everything I have ever wanted in a signature watch and more. And as always, I have my beloved grandmother to thank. I have finally found my signature watch.

And funny, but I have found it most true of life... Whenever you encounter a unique watch on a wearer... Ask after it's providence. Watches bear stories and you will not be disappointed.

Greta Garbo with her iconic Verdura curb-link bracelet watch...