But how could it all have started?
Can you picture the image of a comic book character, or that of a cartoon figure, eyes half-closed, head slightly tilted down or lost in the stars, recalling scenes from the path they’ve traveled—some blurry, others perfectly clear? We’ve all experienced this moment at some point, when memories come rushing back. In my case, it wasn’t necessarily one particular watch that started it all, but rather a whole
universe—the world of scuba diving.
Television in the 1980s was heavily influenced by the underwater world. Documentaries by J.-Y. Cousteau, various films, and especially American TV series gave this subject a lot of attention. In 1980, I was 10 years old and deeply fascinated by frogmen. With the growing popularity of recreational and autonomous diving, divers were everywhere. And where there are divers, there are dive watches and knives strapped to those black suits with yellow stripes or entirely orange ones—I found them extraordinary!
Here we are!
I was 8 years old, and my very first was a Kelton. It looked a lot like the ones I saw on the wrists of the guys from La Calypso—or at least that’s what I convinced myself. It seems to me that from that moment on, I’ve always had a watch on my wrist. Often far too big for my small wrist, I remember struggling to keep them on—even sometimes wearing them on my forearm!
A family friend regularly traveled to Asia, and knowing how much I loved watches, he would often bring back many of them for me. At that time, digital watches were taking over the world—and especially my world. I had so many! Back then, it seemed like you’d get a free watch with almost anything you bought. The ultimate prize was owning a calculator watch—or at least, the more buttons it had, the cooler it was in my eyes!
1983 — a revolution!
Who landed in my world like an alien stepping down from his spaceship? Mr. Swatch! BAAAMMM!
To say that Mr. Hayek influenced my life is an understatement. Many Swatches made my head spin (some still do to this day), but they were expensive, and I clearly remember doing odd jobs just to satisfy certain urges. What stands out most in my memory is that they were sold in all kinds of shops. My very first ones came from “Photos-Hall” on the boardwalk by the sea. Swatch watches evolved into different shapes, but most importantly, they became chronographs—and with that new model, a kind of sweet madness took hold of collectors, growing in numbers and hunting them down with passion. For my 16th birthday, I received a real man’s watch: a Camel Trophy chronograph. Half-Breitling, half-gadget, on a brown leather strap—it had the merit of introducing me to the world of Land Rovers. 🙂
In 1989, I joined the army, and by chance, I bought a Hamilton Khaki from an American surplus store.
I didn’t know the brand, nor the model—nothing at all. But it was compliant, ABL approved, so it was good for military service… and for civilian life too. I found it incredibly beautiful and wore it on a khaki NATO strap (which I still have, by the way—but sadly, not the watch anymore). It shattered during a rather rough parachute landing! Still with me? Good, then let’s keep going. 😉 Demobilized in late 1991, a wind of freedom swept over my return to civilian life—and with it came a new horological goal: acquiring a Rolex GMT, just like Magnum’s. I fell head over heels for the Pepsi model. It was love at first sight, sometime around 1991/92. The price for a new one in-store at the time? 99,000 Belgian francs (BEF).
Not within my reach… I had to find a plan B. And I did—in the Big Apple, 1992. I went to New York and traded my Swatch collection—around 20 to 25 pieces—for a Rolex 1675 GMT!
Surreal, but absolutely true! As you might have guessed, the 1675 was pre-owned. And through this experience, a whole new world opened up to me—well, new… the world of pre-owned, second-hand, or rather, second-wrist watches!
I didn’t actually keep the Pepsi for very long. I convinced myself that my real watch, the one I was destined to own, had to be a Submariner—of course, the one from the beginning of my story.
I went quite a long time (at least by my standards) without finding the one. It was late ‘93, and “the Internet” back then basically meant the Vlan, the local classified newspaper in greater Brussels. But I didn’t know enough yet, and the fear of counterfeits haunted me—I was afraid of losing my money. Despite seeing some beautiful watches and models around me, there were hardly any books, magazines, or pre-owned watch stores—it was a different era. Except maybe in the U.S., where some neighborhoods and streets were entirely dedicated to it… But I lived between Brussels and Ghent.
It was finally through a retired watchmaker—part craftsman, part dealer—that I bought my Submariner around 1994/95. Not just any Sub… no, a 5508 « James Bond », with a glossy gilt dial, all original. But I must admit—I didn’t know all the details or specifics at the time. Today, we’d just pull out a smartphone and get all the info instantly—but 30 years ago…
This Sub went through everything with me. I wore it day
and night, everywhere, for years. It accompanied me on all my travels around the world, to the depths of the sea when I earned my diver certifications, and through many other ordeals—some of which gave it quite a beating! In a way,
this watch was the true catalyst. Through her, I started to understand the details and nuances of different references. It was indeed with her that I truly discovered the world that has now become mine. And hopefully—with you—we can share this world together: our ideas, our values, our passion for watches…
As you may have gathered from the lines above, wristwatches have always been a part of my daily life. They’ve fed into several of my passions—travel, classic cars, and notably motorcycle racing, another
« virus » that ended up steering certain choices I made when it came to building (or breaking down) my watch collection over the years. Many watches I had hunted down and acquired were later sold…to buy bikes, or to fund motocross racing seasons. Yes, passion often leads us down winding roads—sometimes on two wheels, sometimes on the wrist!
A new chapter in life was opening up for me: I was no longer just a passionate amateur collector. I joined the team at Time Addict, on Rue Saint-Honoré in Paris, to deepen my knowledge and round out my experience—which until then had been focused mainly on the world of vintage Rolex, chronographs from the 1940s to 1980s, a few Audemars Piguet, a handful of Patek Philippe, but not much beyond that… Then in 2015, I joined Antoine Rauis, the visionary owner of the stores Le Collection’Heure, to work at the original shop—the small one from the early days—and later the larger one across the street, where I stayed for 8 consecutive years.
Strengthened by that experience, it was time for me to branch out on my own and take on a new adventure. I also added a new string to my bow by joining Millon, a respected French family-run auction house, which selected me as their watch expert and head of the watch department for its Belgian branch in Brussels, managed by Arnaud de Partz, with whom I currently work at AZ Auction.
This site is, for me, a privileged space—a bridge between you and me. It allows me to build both friendly and commercial connections, whether you are a newcomer, a seasoned collector, or even a professional.
The core mission of this site is to create a real connection between passionate enthusiasts who speak the same language: The language of unique patina, prestigious provenance, and true originality. Even after all these years, I remain just as excited—if not emotional—at the idea of discovering a beautiful piece, a rare reference, something truly special. To say that this is my driving force would be an understatement—this passion is what motivates me to meet you, to discuss, and to guide you in your specific search.
Thanks to years of experience and a solid network of top-level collectors, aficionados, and international professionals, I can now precisely target your most refined requests with both rigor and discernment.
Let me add this: There are no « small watches. » Financial value is one thing—but a modest watch can be a hidden gem, and it will be examined and valued with the same passion and care.
I look forward to meeting you and exchanging with you—whether for a purchase, a sale, or an expert appraisal.
Let’s talk about Watch…
Sébastien Delbar
Belga Watch
