Interview: Danar Widanarto (Chronondo) on Collecting, the Industry, and His Iconic Watch Jacket
This interview features Danar Widanarto, known as Chronondo, discussing his journey into watch collecting, his viral "watch jacket," and his evolving taste in timepieces. Widanarto shares insights into the visual appeal of watch dials, the unexpected fame of his jacket adorned with numerous watches, and his current preference for smaller vintage pieces, particularly Cartier.
Widanarto's initial fascination with watches began in 2005, primarily driven by the visual aesthetics of watch dials.
His "watch jacket," initially a joke created in 2019 with 22 watches including an AP Royal Oak and Tudor Black Bay, went viral and became an icon in the watch community.
The current iteration of the jacket features watches from brands like Citizen, Seiko, Swatch, DOXA, SINN, and Omega, and represents the support of the watch community after the original was stolen.
Widanarto's collecting style has evolved from colorful dials and large watches (like U-Boat) to a current focus on smaller vintage watches, especially vintage Cartier, emphasizing character, proportions, history, and understatement.
He identifies Longines, Anoma (specifically the A1), and BREW Watch Co. as brands deserving more collector attention.
Widanarto believes brands like Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Richard Mille are overhyped, with hype, status, and price overshadowing the actual watch.
He notes the increasing importance of social media platforms like TikTok in the watch industry, where casual and entertaining content is gaining traction among brands and collectors.