Timing is everything for James Caan

Friday, March 04, 2011 | Posted by: Fiona Cullinan
Categories: Day in the life, Personal | Tags: investment, entrepreneur, James Caan, collecting, Rolex, watches, Audemars Piguet, collection, Hublot, Cartier, TAG, Patek Philippe, Dragons’ Den

Former Dragons’ Den entrepreneur James Caan is a man with a packed diary and a serious watch collection. Jonathan Groves interviewed him about his love of luxury timepieces…

Because of the life I lead, the one thing I don’t have is time. It’s the most valuable commodity I can offer. My entire life revolves around managing time because for me, time is money.

In business, timing is everything. I think that’s why I love collecting interesting watches. I find the principle of watches and the message they send intriguing. Men don’t wear a lot of jewellery. A nice pen, a nice phone and a nice watch. A watch is a luxury you allow yourself to indulge in. Something for yourself.

Watches are very personal to me. As a young entrepreneur the first watch I bought was a Rolex. At that time it was associated with success. It was the first time I thought it was okay to spend that kind of money on a watch.

My second was a Cartier. That was more about fashion than status. Then my Patek Philippe, which was about quality. In fact, every time I’ve bought a watch I’ve been driven by a different agenda.

Today I’m wearing my most recent addition. It’s my first TAG. They’re stylish, with a long history. At a recent eco event at Buckingham Palace I asked why TAG would be associated with electric cars. They said: ‘Because of timing.’

It’s amazing to me how the principle of timing is such a critical factor in the lives of business people, and that a watch brand can be thinking along the same lines.

I have very specific watches that reflect what I’m wearing, where I’m going. I have dinner-jacket watches like my Patek Philippe, or my chunky Hublot for when I’m on the boat.

I have a kind of tree stand at home and when I put a watch on a branch it moves around and keeps the mechanism going. In the morning, I match my watch to my suit like many people match a tie.

Fashions change. When I first started collecting, it was all about being slimline. Now it’s about much bigger designs, like my AP [Audemars Piguet]. Prices have changed, too. A few years ago a decent watch was probably £1,000-£5,000. Now you can spend £20,000 quite comfortably.

I bought my Hublot in the huge watch area in Harrods. I thought it was so unusual, chunky, beautifully designed and just fantastic. It’s a really solid watch.

I’m not saying image is everything, but you feel how you look and a watch is an important part of the ensemble. It makes a statement, adds to your confidence.

My watch is a symbol of what I need to do. My diary is pre-booked six weeks in advance. Time for me is absolutely critical. I have to cram into one day what a lot of people do in three days.

If I had to choose just one? The AP. It was an anniversary present from my wife. It’s beautiful, beautifully designed, goes with a lot of what I wear and has real sentimental value.

Interview: Jonathan Groves. Image: © Charlie J. This article appears in the winter 2010 issue of Bespoke magazine, which you can either download as a PDF or receive as a hard copy. Here’s how you can sign up to receive future editions.

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