As I got a bit older I continued to get and wear watches - they became symbols of identity. I had a Mickey Mouse watch, a Snoopy watch, and at some point multiple Barbie watches. There were at least two that I wore out the bands, got them replaced, and wore those out again. I have spent countless hours considering watches at Fossil stores and whatever trendy watch store might have a shop in Times Square. I still have a small jewelry box with various watches from various eras tucked away stopped at indeterminate times.
Recently I added some of my dad’s watches to my box. He also wore a watch everyday of my life. He had the chunky metal every day watch and the fancy leather band watch that he wore with a suit. He got a watch with the high school mascot on its face at some point that stayed in his drawer. I let each of my kids pick one of his watches to keep for themselves.
Today I wear a simple, feminine, Seiko analog silver and gold watch. I do use my watch to check the time, but I am just as likely to check the time on my phone. I have never had any interest in a smart watch. I like my dumb, analog, time teller better. Watches say less about my pop culture love now, but remain a fundamental part of my identity. When my kids were little, they would ask to try on my watch. One of my kids would spin my watch or my rings when they were sitting on my lap - a sure sign as a mom that they were tired and trying to keep themselves awake.
When I went to Switzerland a dozen years ago, I picked out a Swatch for each of my then tween kids.
But wait… isn’t this a blog about Barbie? Well, kinda, yeah. So the Barbie connection:
Sorting through the detritus of Barbie-alia, I found three Barbie watches: two Fossil watches and a 35th Anniversary Barbie Festival watch. All three were released in 1994. I have no idea what the connection is between a watch and a 35th anniversary, but a quick Google shows that Barbie was not the only company to commemorate that anniversary with watches.
Two of the three Barbie watches have pink leather bands. All three have a blonde Barbie somewhere on the face. The two Fossil watches were released in decorative pink containers and had an additional feminine accessories: one a gold brooch and the other a small filmy scarf. As much as I loved the Barbie watches I cannot fathom wearing the accessories.
I have no idea what to do with these watches. They are not my style and the traditional analog watch fascination has been surpassed by our digital, smart, technology obsessed world. I can’t imagine that a nostalgia for the analog watch is looming, but then I never would have guessed 1970s Barbie fashions would capture people’s imagination like they have.
For me, watches represent memories. Fashion yes, but more the memories of which watch to wear when: the idea of what a certain kind of watch said about who I was at a specific time. During college i wouldn't have dared to wear a Barbie watch - that was not part of my college-identity. As a grad student I loved wearing pop culture watches because they caught people's attention.
For now I guess I'll continue to hoard watches in a drawer.
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