Mi Dulce Vida

What started with a simple purchase has blossomed into a full-blown passion. I began collecting watches after I got my first solar-powered automatic timepiece—a Citizen Eco-Drive . I called it my "big-boy watch." When I went to Tokyo last July, I snagged another solar-powered beauty: a Casio Edifice that connects to my phone via Bluetooth. Soon, my collection grew. From Japanese Classics to Local Gems My watch box now holds a mix of iconic Japanese watches and other unique pieces. I have an Orient Bambino version 7 , a collaborative Casio G-Shock x Youths in Balaclava watch, and a classic Seiko 5 . A friend sold me a US-made Invicta , and my tech-friendly wrist is covered with an Apple Watch SE and a Samsung Classic . With eight watches in the box, I started looking for something different. That's when I stumbled upon a few Filipino brands on Facebook. Their unique aesthetics and affordable prices caught my eye, although my first experience was a bit bumpy. I tried ord...