Sprouts and Shutters: OC Watch, Keeping Time on Your Wrist

by Jim Caroompas

Kyle O'Connor has always been interested in watches. It's been a lifelong passion, and how he's opened a Walnut Creek store, OC Watch Company, that specializes in pre-owned watches. 

But don't take the term "pre-owned" to mean that these are somehow discounted department store wrist watches. These are high-end, and in some cases very rare, watches that can set you back as much as $40,000. Or more. 

In an era when most people use their smartphone to tell time, O'Connor said that the wristwatch has graduated from a utilitarian device to a fashion statement, and a statement of individuality. 

"Everybody has a Rolex Submariner, but not everyone has a 1991 Rolex Submariner. We have all kinds of models. It's like collecting cars or cameras."  

A lot of people like to collect pre-owned watches because they can be very rare. For instance, in some cases a company may make 200 watches of a particular kind, and release only 20 percent of those in the U.S. 

Or certain watches may have unique characteristics, like a blue dial instead of black.  

But these timepieces mostly don't come cheap. If you're collecting them, expect to pay anywhere from $2,000 to $6,000. 

"I can get you one for $250,000 if you want it," O'Connor said. 

A sarcastic question about not selling Swatches brought a surprising answer: O'Connor said he just found a rare platinum Swatch for $3,500. It has a rubber strap.

When he was nine, O'Connor's dad bought him a Swiss Army watch. 

"I still have it today," he said. "Just like my dad still has the watch his mom gave him when he graduated." 

And it's not just sales at OC Watch. If you have a watch that needs repairs, or just an inspection, O'Connor said to bring it in. It's worthwhile to keep a good timepiece ticking.

"These watches will go on forever," he said. "And each one has a little story of its own."