Chrono Porn...

I haven't worn a watch since I was a teenager. Frankly, time has never been a close ally. More of a respected challenger, really. But as obscure objects of desire go, they're right up there with helicopters for me. I'm a huge fan of the timepiece of the Italian Royal Navy - Panerai. These are massive watches for men with wrists like soup cans. They also cost about as much as a Hyundai. But simplicity, precision, and beauty have always been dear. The folks at Officine Panarai are not big on variety - what they do, they do perfectly - such that each tiny modification merits a brand new model and elicits shivers of delight from the legions of "Panaristi" across the globe.

I'm also very fond of Chopard, but you've got to be careful with this snooty lot. Most of their ultra-staid watches look like something Francois Mitterand would have been buried in (...yawn). But their sporty Mille Miglia line is a stunner, and if you're willing to shell out a hundred grand + for a watch, their muy elegante L.U.C. "Specials" line is beyond mouth-watering.