That Was The Week That Was – 30th November 2025

This week I received a quote to overhaul and repair my 1966 Bulova Accutron Spaceview watch which I've owned since 2021. The quote arrived in the form of a letter. Not an email. An actual letter. It even asked for payment by cheque. Whilst I'll have to blow the dust off my chequebook, receiving the quote by post seemed entirely right for one of my most treasured possessions and something which always sparks conversation when I wear it. It also seemed entirely appropriate that the watchmaker should take the time to write a letter rather than send an email.

Owning something that is nearly sixty years old — something which still functions — is these days a subversive act, like wearing a proper pair of shoes rather than some plastic trainers (the only trainers I own are purely for the gym and are never worn outside of the gym).

I feel I am the custodian of this special timepiece, something that was born the same year as myself (1966), yet took many years for us to come together. Where had it been in the interim? Who owned it? What situations had it been part of and what conversations had it sparked?