These days, the only thing most kids want on their wrist is an Apple Watch, but for one 11-year-old in Switzerland, style and craftsmanship are more important than texting. Amandine is the latest superstar in the world of watch collecting, with her Instagram review page @watch_it_with_amandine gaining serious traction among industry professionals. But before she was born, Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter-guitarist John Mayer was becoming known for being a passionate watch collector and aficionado. So whose time is now?
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Amandine |
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DAY JOB Recording artists. Concert headliner. Heartthrob. Tattoo fan. Collaborator with the likes of B. B. King, Buddy Guy and Eric Clapton and a founding member of Dead & Company. |
DAY JOB Sixth grade. |
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FIRST PIECE Armitron digital “Star Wars” watch with images of C-3PO and R2-D2. “It was my friend.”
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FIRST PIECE A white Swatch Flik Flak with white strap and pink skulls. “It was very cool.”
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HOMETOWN INFLUENCES Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut: motherland of the detachable electric plug and the first Subway restaurant. |
HOMETOWN INFLUENCES Growing up in Geneva: watchmaking HQ of Rolex, Richemont and Patek Philippe, among others. Advantage Amandine. |
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CREDENTIALS Contributor to watch website Hodinkee. Jury member of the prestigious Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. Adviser to many celebrity friends. |
CREDENTIALS Instagram influencer. Youngest contributor to the Swiss Watch Passport newsroom. Guest reviewer for Phillips auction house. |
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FAVORITE BRANDS Rolex, Patek Philippe, Casio G-Shock
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FAVORITE BRANDS Bulgari, Ulysse Nardin, Swatch
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CURRENT COLLECTION Estimated to be valued in the tens of millions and stored in various bank vaults. Extensive collection of Rolexes, Pateks and Audemars Piguets, among many others. |
CURRENT COLLECTION Four Swatches. Her first Flik Flak. Sometimes borrows a gold Hamilton from her mother. |
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SIGNATURE PIECE Yellow-gold Rolex Daytona with green dial. Referred to as the John Mayer Daytona after he mentioned that it was a bargain buy in an interview and demand for it soared.
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SIGNATURE PIECE Swatch x Omega Missoni to Uranus Moonswatch |
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WRITING STYLE “I like to think of Tudor as Rolex’s Tyler Durden—an outlet for all the impulses and urges the company has, but is just too darn responsible to carry out without fear of consequence.” |
WRITING STYLE “I love everything #octofinissimo does. And even if I had doubts about this new @bulgari. #Sejima seeing it in pictures, I actually loved it. You just want to play with the reflections of the dial and forget the time ” |
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ADVICE TO NEW COLLECTORS “For just over $3,000, you can be a watch guy with the best of them . . . While I love a good heavy hitting vintage piece as much as anyone, I’ve long been an advocate for eliminating the perceptual five-figure buy-in.” |
ADVICE TO NEW COLLECTORS “A Flik Flak or a Swatch is good to start with. It’s perfect for girls as well as boys. It’s full of colors, full of patterns, even Disney ones. I highly recommend it.” |
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HAS TAYLOR SWIFT WRITTEN A SONG RUMORED TO BE ABOUT THEM AND THEIR TWISTED RELATIONSHIP? Yes |
HAS TAYLOR SWIFT WRITTEN A SONG RUMORED TO BE ABOUT THEM AND THEIR TWISTED RELATIONSHIP? No |
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