We have done this previously, but it seems like it’s about time to ask our readers about their use of social media to pursue their interest in vintage watches.

The question: Which social media sites do you find most useful to support your interest in vintage watches? How do you use these media?

My answer, as follows:

Twitter – I absolutely love Twitter. I post messages on Twitter to announce new content OnTheDash and to let followers know about other interesting things that I find re vintage watches – blog postings, articles, watches listed for sale, discussion forum postings, etc. Messages are limited to 140 characters, so it takes very little time to post. I follow lots of folks who post on watches, sports and corporate governance. Best thing about Twitter – posting is quick and simple, and there is always something good to read on my favorite topics. Twitter is here to stay; so sign up and start following the vintage watch enthusiasts!

Tumblr – I just signed up for Tumblr a few days ago, and I am really liking it so far. [For those of you who are not familiar with it, think of Tumblr as a very simple blog, in which you can post photos, messages, videos, etc. You can post your own content, and you can also incorporate (re-blog) other interesting things that you find, which makes them display in your blog.]

People use Tumblr for all sorts of content. My plan is to use Tumblr to post photos of interesting watches, maybe something like a “Heuer of the Day”. It’s quick and easy to use, and there seems to be a good community focused on watches (as well as fashion, generally). Have a look here -- http://onthedash.tumblr.com/

I should add that there are a lot of lifestyle blogs on Tumblr. “Fashion” and “vintage” are the third and fourth most popular tags on Tumblr right now; “Tatttos” comes in at Number 11. Yes, it’s amazing that trying to follow vintage watches on Tumblr will take you to blogs loaded with cars, planes, boats, guns, fancy houses, and – lest we forget -- women. If you are checking your Tumblr dashboard at the office, you may want to close the door, before you click the link provided by a stranger. Still, there seems to be a vintage watch community on Tumblr; it will be interesting to see how it develops. The jury is still out; not sure whether it will be worth the effort, but interesting to see and learn about Tumblr.

Other Discussion Forums – Chronocentric is home sweet home; especially happy with the recent activity on ChronoTrader . . . lots of great watches being sold. I have been enjoying TZ-UK lately – huge volume of postings, good bunch of guys [well, maybe most of them] and good interest in and support for the vintage Heuers. TimeZone – I check the Public Forum once in a while; their Heuer / TAG Heuer forum is just about dead (fewer than 10 threads in the month of February). I visit other forums when people send me links to interesting discussions, but these three – Chronocentric, TZ-UK and TimeZone -- are the only ones that I visit regularly, on my own initiative.

Flickr / Photosharing -- I use Flickr for posting batches of photos for events – school plays, sporting events, graduations, weddings, etc. – but have not really used it as a social media. Yes, there are great pools of photos, and amazing photos of just about everything, but for some reason, Flickr has just not been part of my daily routine. I am interested to hear how others use Flickr.

What About Facebook? I don’t use it for vintage watches or my personal life . . . no principled reason or objection, it’s just that I have never wanted another place to check / another page to maintain. So, yes, I am on course to be the last person in the world who is not “on Facebook”.

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OK . . . so those are my current views on the social media . . . I will be very interested to hear about the social media that our readers enjoy.

Thanks,

Jeff