Happy "Blue" Monday! How can anyone be blue wearing this eye-catching Timex Standard Peanuts Autumn Pumpkin Patch Watch? A good size at 40mm, this one is an attention grabber with the Peanuts Gang gathered in the pumpkin patch awaiting the arrival of the Great Pumpkin. Some stories never get old, do they? Fun Fact — It has been exactly one year to the day since I last wore this one. That is the only problem with holiday and seasonably-themed watches — they have a limited display window each year. But super fun while they are out. Best wishes for a beautiful Blue Monday! 😀

On 15 September, Rolex launched a new watch. Not at the big Geneva fair. In Milan. The watch: the Perpetual Padellone. Gold or platinum, annual calendar, moonphase. The name is Italian for "big frying pan", the nickname Italian collectors gave a 1950s Rolex with a case that looked oversized for its time. Rolex almost never uses collector slang as an official name. This time it did. Then it went to Italy to say it. Why Italy? It's not where the volume is. It's where the judgement is. - An Italian distributor asked for the first luxury steel sports watch. Audemars Piguet built it. He named it: Royal Oak. - An Italian agent found 200 forgotten Reverso cases in a factory drawer. That's how Jaeger-LeCoultre's reversible watch came back. - Italian collectors wrote the books, named the references and set the records the rest of the world still follows. Rolex's CEO said it himself: in the '70s and '80s, if a watch made it in Italy, it made it everywhere. The lesson isn't about Italy. It's about knowing where the real verdict is made, and going there first. Know what you have. Know who decided it was worth having. And maybe, next year you should plan a visit tp catch up with local watchmaking, too.

Well, my newest (fourth) watch from Monterey Watch Company arrived in the mail today. That's the good news. Oh, that and I think it looks better in person than in the stock photo. I took it out of the box, unwrapped all the annoying protective wrap, resized the bracelet, and tried it on. I then decided it need one small micro-adjustment. So, I went to the bedroom and got the appropriate tool and began to make that adjustment. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that it was a loose spring bar - and it went flying to places unknown that neither human eyes nor a large magnet were able to locate. And, of course, I don't have an extra 18mm spring bar lying around. I texted the support number and asked if I could order a couple of replacement spring bars. (Just in case it happens again.) They replied, almost immediately, and said they'd send me a replacement on Monday. I asked them to invoice me for the bars and the shipping, but they replied that they don't do that. Good products, great design, and excellent customer service - which is why this almost certainly won't be my last watch from Monterey...

I preordered this watch last September as an October birthday gift for my youngest who is a major Halloween fan. I can't believe the number of times it was delayed for varies reasons. I was about to cancel the order when in early September I got news it was to be delivered. A week later I had three of them. Here is the story as to why I wound up with three copies. The initial purchase didn't show so I ordered again and made it for two watches. So now everyone in the family has a copy. Lesson learned regarding preorders. Anyway, it's a Timex Weekender model. Powered by their Quartz Analog movement, 40mm case, 48.5mm lug to lug, Water resistant to 50 meters, black brass case, dial is black, INDIGLO® backlight so when you push the stem in it back lights the dial in blue other than that there is no luminescence on the hands or arabic numerals. As you can see the dial design is very colorfully done. Black leather strap is 20mm standard buckle brand style. A nice novelty addition to the collection. Hope you have a great spooky season.

Watch Lover crew, here are a few standout posts from the Watch Lover community this week. 👏 Big shoutout to @James Milson for “Blue Monday's Timex X Peanuts Pumpkin Patch” and a fun, detailed spotlight on a playful seasonal Timex. His enthusiasm and watch-specific details sparked a lively discussion while showing that collecting can be joyful and personal. Post: https://www.skool.com/watch-lover/blue-mondays-timex-x-peanuts-pumpkin-patch 👏 Shoutout to @Gordon Brandt for “Dia de Muertos watch” and the story behind a delayed birthday gift for his Halloween-loving youngest. The post was a great example of how watches can carry family meaning and become part of memorable occasions. Post: https://www.skool.com/watch-lover/dia-de-muertos-watch 👏 Shoutout to @Alex Kilpatrick for “My Newest Monterey Watch - Which I Won't Be Wearing For A Bit...” and an honest, personal account of a new Monterey arrival. Sharing both the excitement of a new piece and the real-life context around it makes the community more supportive and relatable. Post: https://www.skool.com/watch-lover/my-newest-monterey-watch-which-i-wont-be-wearing-for-a-bit 👏 Shoutout to @Robert Irwin for “Men's Orient 2nd Generation Bambino” and a spotlight on a classic, accessible dress-watch choice. Posts like this help members discover enduring watches that bring plenty of style and value. Post: https://www.skool.com/watch-lover/mens-orient-2nd-generation-bambino 👏 Shoutout to @Franz Rivoira for “Rolex Went to Milan. Here's Why That Matters.” and for bringing broader watch-industry context into the group. Sharing news with a clear explanation of why it matters gives collectors more to consider beyond the wrist shot.