STORM Watch Collectors have started a Facebook Group to share collections and trade pieces.
It has continued to gain traction and has become a highly active online community to which STORM itself commented: “We get so many letters from collectors across the world with photos and stories which our team find really inspiring and interesting to read”.
Hampshire-based David Furness’ obsession started in the early 90’s when a friend gifted him a STORM watch.
On how that has grown, he explained: “Around 3 years ago I wondered if there were any more STORM fans like me and found a fantastic Facebook group which led me to some amazing friendships.
“I met a nice chap from Canada, we got talking and realised we could help each other out, me being his UK contact. A year later my new friend introduced me to a lovely lady from Germany. This enabled their collections to grow significantly larger, David’s to around 150 or so now. He was also lucky enough find an actual STORM cabinet to display his collection off in its full glory.”
The lady David refers to is Jana Kunze, who also commented on how much she has enjoyed the watch collecting journey.
She explained: “It all started with a walk in 1998. I now have more than 950 pieces and it’s still an endless story and journey, I also really enjoy giving old or broken watches new life by restoring them. I have made valuable friendships that have developed through this passion with inseparable bonds of friendship linked to several countries. We help each other to expand our collections and share the love of these timeless pieces.”
David also mentioned a man in Canada, who also spoke to STORM about his experience.
“As the internet began linking the world I was able to locate them online, but was always limited being halfway across the world from STORM’s home,” he remembers.
Adding: “Over the years I made several friends who helped shopping in other countries a lot easier, which has expanded my collection from around 20 pieces to now nearly 300 pieces. Along the way though it is the friendships I’ve made that make this collection amazing.
“I have a very close friend Jana Kunze now in Germany who is nearing 1000 pieces. These friends have helped locate and track down some of the more unusual pieces of my collection and I am forever grateful.”
