Welcome to our anniversary issue 5.1! By now, you must be wondering what the 5.1 on the cover of the magazine means. Well, it’s been five years since I launched Watch Collecting Lifestyle as a website and one year since the first issue of this print magazine came out during the Fall of 2017. For this fifth issue, I’ve decided to explore a new approach in terms of content and layout to make this celebratory issue a real visual treat. One advertisement. No text. Pure eye candy. Ultimately, I hope you treasure every image in it and keep this copy of the magazine forever.

As I finalized this issue and looked back, I am very proud of what I’ve accomplished with Watch Collecting Lifestyle. What started as a side project as a watch collector in love with watches, has now become a leading voice in the watch industry and my full time job. I really can’t think of a better way of making a living, and all I can tell everyone is to always follow your dreams.

When I reflect on the true essence of watch collecting and how publications like mine impact watch purchases, I can’t stop thinking about the importance of live photography and objective, unbiased watch reviews along with original content. After five years, I am happy to say that Watch Collecting Lifestyle has remained true to those core values. And just like on day one, when we didn’t resort to any stock images to accompany a hands-on review or one of our original articles online, today, we continue to do the same and this magazine is no exception.

In five years, I can’t believe I’ve captured more than 80,000 original images —handheld with no tripod ever used—, published online around 1,300 original articles and posted over 9,100 originally created posts on Instagram. Unlike other watch publications, there’s not enough money one could pay me to write one way or another about a specific watch, watch brand, luxury good or anything else. Having said that, I want to also point out that all the liquor and other luxury goods we use as props for our shoots are not gifts or samples received in exchange for media exposure.

As you may have noticed, this magazine has never included a single stock image. Present, past and future: all original, live photography.

Considering that the modern watch collector is now highly connected and very active across the web and social media, I’ve decided to pay homage to Instagram —where hardcore watch collectors are nowadays— and give this issue a little bit of a digital feel. By using hashtags, I’ve organized some of my favorite images —some published, others unpublished—of those watches that take my breath away and that give me a rush just thinking about that day I was shooting them.

I hope this anniversary issue is one of the nicest watch magazines you’ve ever enjoyed, and thank you all for such an amazing 5.1.

While I originally conceived this issue as an issue reserved for founding subscribers only, I feel that it is not fair for the rest of you not to have access to it. For those of you that are regulars here at WCL, even if you have not subscribed to the print magazine yet, you can still order this special 5.1 Anniversary Issue here or just scroll down and click ‘add to cart’ at the bottom of this article.