Watch Out!

The last in this week's theme of timepieces.

The top, silver watch is the one I'm currently using. I bought it just after Christmas (£4.99 from Argos) when the battery of my old watch died and I realised it could be cheaper to replace the watch than the battery.

The red strap is a children's watch (obviously), bought about 16 years ago when my eldest son was learning to tell the time. The black strap next to it is the 'grown-up' replacement.

The two ladies' watches are old ones of mine. The one on the left had been a gift. The one on the right I bought for myself. It's a particular favourite; I love the display which shows the phases of the moon throughout the month. It hasn't worked for many years now and I've given up trying to find a repairer who can get it going again but I can't bring myself to throw it away. The strap attached is a solid gold one and used to belong to my late grandmother.

The final watch (Equinox) was my late grandfather's and was given to me by my mother when he died with the intention that I should pass it on to my then 5 year old son when he turned 18. Thirteen years is a long time in technology and the 18 year old was not interested in a wind up watch which could only tell the time, and only in one time zone. Not when there were more 'advanced' products to choose from. So the watch remains in my jewellery box.

Apart from the gold strap the entire collection is worthless. But the sentimental value? Priceless.