The honeymoon with the Ocean 2000 (O2 hereafter) has been officially over since the Monday before, so I’ve decided to return to my normal routine of rotation. That may sound orderly and carefully planned, but my rotation is nothing of the kind. Watch choice may be dictated by the day’s schedule, events or attire but sometimes a watch I chose for say, cycling, will stay on my wrist for days. Or when I feel particularly rebellious, out come one of two watches I bought for that very purpose: Rolex-look plastic quartz watches with matching silicone strap, one in baby pink and the other in neon green. I will spare you the aesthetic shock and won't post offensive images. But I digress. In order to explain my problem, have a look at this picture:
It has been said before that the O2 has an almost organic design, but you really have to wear it to appreciate the smoothness of the experience. The low profile of the case and the gently curved crystal and case back only accentuate the feeling, while the screw-in crown located at 4 completes these “natural” lines. There isn’t a single sharp edge on the entire thing and it weighs a mere 121 grams. My next lightest watch is the Ingenieur AMG (also in titanium) at 157 grams, but it still is an angular beast. The O2 feels like it was intended to be part of my wrist. When attempting to resume my rotation, I intentionally selected my (now) second favorite: the Ingenieur 3239.
Shock and awe: it felt heavy, angular and out of place. Back it went into the display box and out came the Mk XVII on a leather strap:
Better, but still a bit intrusive. It stayed on the wrist for a few hours before the longing for that oh-so-comfortable O2 feeling became too much to bear. Add the eminent legibility and more than appropriate lume and the scenario spells disaster for the rest of my collection. I know, bitching about how a grail watch surpassed one’s expectations is the worst kind of first-world affectation, but there I am.
I can only hope that all the good attributes of my other watches will reassert themselves in due course.
I'm done bitching. Thank you for patience, doctor.
