Her Watch, Her Story: Kaitlin Koch's Vintage Watch Collection

Watch collecting can be immensely intimidating. From reference numbers and complications, to price tags and bracelet styles, horological appreciation can come across as an overly technical form of veneration. With a category-wide emphasis on “specs” and specialized knowledge, it is unsurprising that the watch industry has always been notoriously barred as a “boys’ club.” That is not to say, however, that the industry’s inclusivity has been stagnant. Women are (thankfully) carving their own spaces in the watch industry and creating their own communities. From a growing number of women watch dealers, to female executives taking up C-Suite positions at major watch brands, the landscape is changing for the better and welcoming a new frontier of women in watches.

Within the community of watch lovers are also those who are taking watch collecting back to its most essential level of admiration: an appreciation of beauty and design. By taking movements and other specifications out of the picture, there is a burgeoning body of watch admirers who are collecting timepieces simply for their artistic merit. By prioritizing a watch’s singularity – its uniqueness and ability to spark something in you on an emotional level – an entirely new world of watch appreciation begins to bloom and open up to you. Enter Kaitlin Koch, who you may know on Instagram as @little.old.watches.

Kaitlin’s sprawling range of small, decorative vintage timepieces is a truly unique take on watch collecting that abides by no expectations or norms. “My watch-collecting philosophy is to simply find interesting watches I haven’t seen before. I love the hunt. It’s something you can easily get fanatical about, and I enjoy that; geeking out is fun,” she tells Wristcheck. Despite recognizing that indeed, watches are a “wearable, functional accessory” that is meant to be a tool that tracks and manages our experience in the physical world, watches have become so much more than that. “They’re a bite-sized piece of the human experience,” Kaitlin explains. “In order to use them, we look at them, and therefore our evolving aesthetic tastes, and the styles we enjoy and surround ourselves with are reflected in an instantly recognizable way. Every watch tells a story, and if it’s one I find interesting, I add it to the collection.”

For Kaitlin, watches are just one aspect of a larger form of aesthetic appreciation for treasures of the past. Inspired by movies, costuming and production design, pre-loved items hold a sense of wonder and imagination. Through finding vintage items for her children, Kaitlin also muses that these objects are also important in staying young at heart. “I love items that have a sense of humor, or are made for play,” she explains. “Childhood is another one of those worlds that can be overlooked or not taken seriously, but is full of some of the most engaging, tactile, colorful, and exciting objects on the planet.”

By looking at Kaitlin’s collection, it is also clear that smaller vintage timepieces truly were not bound by the same expectations as the timepieces of today. The designs are whimsical, fantastical, mischievous and downright wacky at times – but such is the magic of watchmaking. “I value watches as art objects first and foremost. Style and art were valued in my family growing up, and we read a lot of fashion, culture, and art publications,” she recounts. “Most of what I collect I had no idea existed until it popped up in a search. I cast a wide net mainly based on what brands were around at what times, or search genres, eras, or design movements I personally like such as mod, art deco, or arts & crafts.” After all, it’s not always about the actual acquisition of the item itself – sometimes, it’s just about enjoying the process. “I love the hunt for something that excites me, and I don’t like to buy things because everyone else has them,” Kaitlin says. “There’s so much out there, and buying used gives you more options. You can shop across decades or even centuries, and with resale and trading opportunities in both the physical and digital worlds expanding constantly; it’s easy to see that there’s more than enough to go around, and affordably so.”

When opening up your possibilities to centuries, as Kaitlin muses, watch collecting becomes steeped in a rich history filled with the most spectacular of stories and archives. Watches become a time capsule and a peek into a world of decades past. This is especially fascinating when you contemplate the specific dialogues surrounding women’s rights and femininity for our counterparts of the time. Watches in the 1950s and 60s were defined by the clothes, accessories and jewelry of the time, of women who were meant to fit into a very specific role in society. As an homage to the incredible women who changed their narratives forever in history, Kaitlin is proud that @little.old.watches is a celebration of femininity.

“I wanted @little.old.watches to be unapologetically feminine because I didn’t see a lot of that in the space, despite there being just as rich of a trove. ‘Women’s objects’ have value because our history does,” she explains. “I don’t think that any watch is really gendered, but the intent of the design matters if you’re going to understand the relevance of a vintage piece in the context of history.” As part of a wider conversation about how women are reclaiming their femininity, it is especially significant to acknowledge the power that comes from controlling a narrative. “Girlhood and femininity is kind of thick in the cultural ether right now, and I don’t think that’s surprising,” Kaitlin adds. “Some people love stereotypically feminine things, and don’t think they’re lesser, because they’re not. We grew up with the Spice Girls, and we know that the most valuable resource in the universe is girl power.”

When it comes to the actual act of collecting and buying vintage watches, there is perhaps an added layer of intimidation that comes from the sheer volume of choices. However, Kaitlin’s advice is simple: “Firstly, buy what you like. Secondly, if and when you find something you like, search around for different examples to compare pricing and condition,” she says. “If something is out of your price range, move on – there is so much out there.” The sweeping assortment of varieties out there is truly breathtaking, especially if you consider the history of women’s watches. “When you explore the incredibly wide array of watches designed for women, you’re also reminded of how vast our style language is,” Kaitlin notes. “Some of my favorite watches to collect are the ‘colorama’ sets which come with one actual watch, and then a full assortment of interchangeable bezels, straps, and/or settings. They’re a snapshot of some of the most popular trends at the time; a literal capsule collection.” And on a more practical note, “If you find something you really love, it’s not a bad idea to buy a second example if you come across one at a good price so you have replacement parts if needed.”

As a final reflection of watch collecting as a whole, Kaitlin tickles us with a very endearing, albeit very true, statement: “Collecting is a weird hobby. You’re not making anything, you’re just acquiring. Your ability to be a good collector has more to do with your knowledge on a particular topic than anything else.” But above all, go with your gut. Trust in your instincts and be in tune with what you like. Watch collecting should be fun. Timepieces have evolved into personal objects that are vehicles of self-expression. In the same way that garments or clothing are often used to represent ourselves to the outside world, so too have watches become a means for us to embody our intrinsic characters. As a reminder, Kaitlin reminds us that watch collecting is whatever you define it to be. “You can employ your thrifting skills to an often overlooked category (which happens to have been designed for gals like you), and find endless treasures.” And endless treasures there are for those who are willing to search for them.