What Watch Suits You Best?

Is there one timepiece that is a perfect match for your personality? Maybe if you believe in one true and perfect love.

- DARREN HO

Last year, a relatively young collector (and by that, I mean someone new to the hobby) dropped me a message with a question that I myself used to pose to people in the industry, in the early days of my career: What watch describes you best? All of a sudden, what I always considered to be an "easy A" answer for CEOs or watch designers felt a lot harder when I was put on the spot.

I recalled the same feeling I had in junior college when we were required to complete the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test to assess our personal qualities and career potential. (As it turns out, the test is highly unreliable, but still broadly used by HR departments and schools globally. That test is why you should never trust writers who dabble in psychology.) Now, as a writer dabbling in psychology as a second career and can also be characterised as an unreliable narrator, I can tell you with confidence that before you can answer the "what watch encapsulates your personality" question, you need to first define your personality. And that requires more introspection than most people think or are equipped to handle.

STICKING TO THEORIES

There are a few recognised personality theories around these are validated ideas tested against large groups and proven to be accurate across diverse groups and cultures.

The most common in psychology is the Big Five, which looks at the key traits of Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Neuroticism, Openness, and Extraversion.

Another popular guide is the Holland Code, which is career-based and focused on vocational choice. John Holland explores personalities based on six "types" Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional.