Four + One West Hollywood Dealer Ken Jacobs On Embracing Vintage Style For 40-Plus Years
The Wanna Buy A Watch? founder shares some of his favorite vintage watches and a few thoughts on a lifetime of dealing.
Original Article: Anthony Traina August 05, 2024
Photos by Anthony Traina
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Ken Jacobs started West Hollywood vintage watch store Wanna Buy A Watch? in the early 1980s, but you’d hardly know he’s been in the business for more than 40 years. His energy and passion for all things – watches in particular – will have you in admiration like watching a Simone Biles floor routine or a tourbillon whir around a dial for the first time.
While he spent his early childhood collecting all kinds of little things, Jacobs didn’t find vintage watches until after completing his PhD in clinical psychology and practicing for a few years. On Sundays, he’d head to the Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena, CA, to trade coins. That’s where he found pocket watches and the lightbulb immediately went off. The first time I ever spoke with him, he described watches as three-dimensional, compared to coins, which he said were “two-dimensional and static.” Sorry, coin collectors.
From pocket watches, he soon found wristwatches. In those early days, Jacobs was attracted to the design and aesthetic of these old watches, with a particular focus on Art Deco era, often rectangular watches from brands like Hamilton or Elgin.
“Daytonas were $500 when I started and would sit unsold,” he said. A shift started to happen when collectors began consolidating their rolls of rectangular American wristwatches into a couple of Rolex Bubblebacks or vintage Patek watches.
Eventually, this interest shifted to the sports watches that define today’s vintage Rolex collecting. Through all the shifts and trends, Jacobs and his store have continued to be an epicenter for vintage collectors in Los Angeles.
I’ve always enjoyed having a retail store and creating a beautiful, inviting, comfortable environment,” Jacobs said. “The world has changed drastically and the amount of info available is daunting. The endless introduction of new product can be exhausting and I don’t try to keep up. Frankly, I’m grateful that Wanna Buy A Watch? is still relevant. We may not be cutting edge and we don’t sell the most expensive watches in the world, but we continue to hunt for and offer cool watches that are fun to own and wear, whether you’re a long-time collector or you’re coming in for the first time.”
Jacobs is a legend in the business and has a lifetime of stories – here are just a few of them.