Since we have started our watch journey, I have been contemplating a collection of Swatches. So far my collection stands at four. I am really draw to the daintier type of Swatch but am currently on the lookout for the one with a picture of an atom on it.
I began searching online for the largest collector of Swatches. I found one fellow, Paul Dunkel, whose collection recently sold for over 6 million dollars. I read how Mr. Dunkel was so passionate about collecting ALL of the swatches made in the first 25 years. He would travel to seek out Swatches in little shops and I’m sure he met a lot of interesting people. Mr. Dunkel said that it takes a lot of energy to collect on this big of scale and this is an activity for the younger generation. He is retirement age and wants to spend more time with his grandchildren. Dunkel's children weren’t very interested in his collection, so he decided to sell.
Dunkel regretted not having space to display all of his watches which were kept in a safe all of these years. His greatest joy was to see all of his watches on display by the auction house and to see how much people appreciated them. On completion of the sale, Mr. Dunkel said, “I have been very happy and emotional to see the international interest in my collection over the past months. This is a true testament to the universal appeal of Swatch.” As the gavel went down, Dunkel sighed and patted his chest. It was sold in five minutes.
Do you have a passion for collecting certain things? My grandmother was a collector of salt and pepper shakers. They were kept in a big cupboard and because of the incredibly loving grandma she was, she let me take them out of the cupboard and play with them. I wish I could ask her how she started her collection. I will make an addition to my swatch collection today. I LOVE science and I have found a Swatch with a picture of an atom on it. The person who owns the Swatch on Etsy will hear that satisfying sound of CHA-CHING today and I will own #5!
