For many timepiece aficionados, watches are not only collectible pieces, but motifs of milestones. The pieces stand in as accomplishments — maybe you were gifted one after your first big career win, or purchased one for yourself as a meaningful marker of success. For Georgia Benjamin, a New York-based graphic designer and jewelry enthusiast, watches have always meant more than meets the eye.
Benjamin is known for her affinity for rare and vintage timepieces, which spurred her watch sourcing content and her Substack. When she isn’t working her day job in tech, she moonlights as a watch professional, sharing her love for horology and bringing a feminine approach to the space.
Her first ever watch was a Baby G Shock when she was just nine years old, but as she’s matured, she has refined her tastes. We got an inside look into Benjamin’s personal collection, where she walked us through her career in watches, sharing what each piece signified to her on a personal level. “I feel that my collection is very much an expression of me,” Benjamin shared, “As I’ve built and maintained an archive, I’ve realized that they’re all little characters or little chapters in my collecting journey.”
First, the creative proudly showed off the Watches of Switzerland Vintage and Pre-Owned Cartier Santos Dumont, the first wristwatch from the brand. Its subversive, square design and two-tone construction give it a unique, vintage-informed feel. The piece symbolized the beginning of Georgia’s career.
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“This is a tiny, incredible piece — and it’s also the first watch that Cartier designed,” she echoed, “That sort of mirrors the start of my career — my first time I’m moving to New York, the first time I’m diving into big corporate America, the first time I’m doing all of these things that I didn’t even think were possible. I also wanted to also pick a vintage watch that’s more subtle. The early parts of my career were very understated and I think this pairs beautifully with that time of my life.”
Next, Benjamin identified the Watches of Switzerland Vintage and Pre-Owned Piaget Opal Dial Cocktail Watch as the piece that represents her current era in life. Benjamin has now established herself in her day job, while also striking a balance as a content creator. This sophisticated piece — elevated by an exquisite, multicolored opal dial, an 18k white gold steel case and acrylic crystal — is a polished option that stands in for all of her successes thus far.
“So this watch, five years ago, I didn’t even know existed. This is a piece that’s ultimately a jewelry piece that tells the time. It’s adorned in around four carats worth of diamonds. It shows off this incredible opal dial when stone dials were really making a huge resurgence around the 80s, and people were wanting to show off their personal style — not just with jewelry, but through watches. So for me, this watch represents the fact that I’m learning so much being in the watch space and that I’m really carving out a name for myself during this chapter of my career,” Benjamin reflected.
For her aspirational dream piece, Benjamin selected the Watches of Switzerland Vintage and Pre-Owned Vacheron Constantin 222. The 37mm steel watch is a reissue of a historic model from the ‘70s, with eye-catching details, including a fluted bezel, integrated bracelet and a sleek sapphire glass caseback. It’s a piece that oozes opulence — and it makes the perfect gift for celebrating a dream milestone. Georgia expands on her appreciation for the model: “The 222 is very much an ‘if you know, you know’ watch. Constantin is for the watch nerds. It’s for the watch collectors. Even getting access to a piece like this, getting to wear a piece like this, it’s an absolute grail. It’s something that I only aspire to have in my collection. The cherry on the top was that it was fully gem-set. I am a sucker for diamonds. It’s classic, beautiful and balanced, and I’d wear it every day if I could.”
“I think watches tell a story regardless of who they’re on or what they look like. Vintage watches, especially, come with a story. Whether you are buying something to commemorate a big work goal or a birthday — whatever it might be — that is a mark of that milestone. I think it’s very poetic how they can signify chapters of our lives,” she concluded.
As Georgia continues to build her flourishing, multifaceted career, her assortment is sure to grow as well — tracking her progress and reflecting her blossoming evolution. Check out Benjamin’s full, personal art and watch collection in the video above. You can browse for your dream milestone pieces at watchesofswitzerland.com.