Last week I interviewed Paul Robbins, founder of InvictaWorldWide, as well as AragonWorldWide. We mostly focused on discussing his love of Invicta watches, and the InvictaWorldWide group he’d founded. However, he also mentioned Aragon watches (created by Master Wing Liang), which I’m also a fan of, and put me in touch with one of his admins from the AragonWorldWide group, Scott Linnane. Scott was kind enough to sit down for an interview with me and talk about his love of horology, as well as why Aragon’s are his watch of choice!
FM: How long have you been a watch fan? How did you get into the hobby?
Scott: I have been collecting watches since 2018. Over the last 20 years, I had accumulated 20-30 various brands of timepieces. Most of the discount store pieces I thought looked cool or were gifts from the holidays. Nothing fancy or of value. In 2018, while on Facebook, I would see a friend keep posting Invicta watches for sale. I joined the InvictaWorldWide Facebook group to see what all the hype was about. The watches always caught my attention with their big extravagant features and bright colors.
Having never heard of the brand, I responded to a post and a couple of days later I was the owner of a brand new Invicta Pro Diver with a brilliant blue dial with chrome accents and bracelet. My first impression was how big the watch was on my wrist! This thing was huge at 45 millimeters! Little did I know that 50mm would soon become my go-to size.
Within a week, the size grew on me, and watches 2,3, and 4 were purchased. I was hooked. The Invicta brand was consuming all my free time, scouring the InvictaWorldWide Facebook group for my next fix. All the while, I was joining multiple watch groups online learning more about the features, sizing, movements, and value of these pieces.
FM: How did you learn about Aragon watches?
Scott: After about 6 months, I had acquired approximately 50 watches through purchases and trades, with my focus leaning more and more toward quality and value over simple looks. About this time I started seeing my friend, the same one who had previously been selling the Invicta’s, was selling and posting another brand called Aragon (formerly Android). He led me to a Facebook watch group called AragonWorldWide Watch Collectors Group. After looking at and soaking up knowledge on these Aragon watches, I decided once again to test the waters and made a trade for my first Aragon Sea Charger timepiece.
Immediately you couldn’t help but notice the quality difference between brands. The automatic Sea Charger had such a solid feel with it that I wasn’t used to. The bracelet was well constructed and had a very unique design to it. The colors on the dial were so sharp and brilliant. I was immediately sold on the Aragon brand. I had to have more.
FM: What is it about Aragon watches in particular that draws you in?
Scott: Aragon’s master designer, Wing Liang, is very active in the online watch community and seems to have his finger on the pulse of the collectors desires. The case shapes are very unique and the bracelets/straps all play an integral role in the overall design of each piece. He engineers his watches for fit and function for comfort and wearability using high-quality movements for accurate timekeeping and durability. The color selection he chooses is unparalleled in brightness and contrast.
My collection is 90% Aragon/Android these days and I have no intention of buying any other brands currently. Rather, my future purchases are all about filling in missing colors of watches to complete sets.
FM: Do you have a favorite model?
Scott: Another draw of the Aragon brand is the number of watches they produce. Some models may only have 6 or 8 different color options in each size. This is ideal for collectors to have the opportunity to collect entire sets. While I don’t have one favorite model, there are several that I collect as many as I can. Collectors can easily identify different Aragon models simply by the unique bracelet designs to each model.
A few that I collect are the Millipede, Guage 3G, Enforcer, and the Antigravity. Each of these watches has its own distinguishable features that any collector identifies with ease.
The Millipede, arguably one of Aragon’s most popular watches, has been discontinued. The polished bracelet design alone on this one makes it a sought after piece by any Aragon collector. So popular in fact, that Wing has hinted it’s coming back into production. Which was news us collectors were hoping for.
The Guage 3G is a bold design most identified by the crown style bezel. I recently completed the entire 8040N collection.
The Enforcer model may be the closest watch I have to a favorite. This watch, having been also manufactured under the previous Android name, has a nearly cult following with the collectors. Available in so many configurations and color choices, it’s contemporary styling is a popular topic of many internet watch groups.
And finally the Antigravity. This one is my most recent obsession. Styling is achieved with minimalistic features, letting the domed crystal, high polished bracelet, and brilliant colors make this a statement piece.
FM: Fan communities, or fandoms, for various watch brands have been around for some time. What is it about the Aragon watch fandom that you like in particular?
Scott: I’ve been a member on and off in 15-20 different watch groups featuring many different brands. Watch groups are like a pair of shoes. You have to try them on and walk around a while before you can tell if they fit right. No different here. Without bashing any groups or brands, I can tell you each watch brand’s groups tend to have the same attributes no matter the group your in. Really no different from other collection sites I’ve belonged to for other hobbies.
I spend a lot of time as an admin on AragonWorldWide Watch Collectors group. I chose to help with the site because of the members and the product I believe wholeheartedly is the best value in the watch industry.
Also because the group’s creator, Paul Robbins, is passionate about creating a platform for likeminded people to show off their latest and greatest timepieces.
Let’s be honest, most watches spend 99% of their life stowed away in private collection rarely seen or worn. With the investment collectors have made, it’s nice to strap one on the wrist occasionally, even if it’s for a photo only. I believe that is the main attraction for the popularity of these groups.
With the Aragons in particular, the average fan tends to be very loyal to the brand. The designer, Wing Liang, is a part of the community and interacts within our groups. Even Christina Laureano (who seemingly is the do all, be all for Aragon) is present daily on our pages. It’s a respectful crowd that appreciates the craftsmanship, appearance, and quality that each watch exudes. It’s more about Aragon’s watches and less about comparing to or criticizing other brands. I like that focus and respect, it makes for a tight community of friends you’ve never met.
Thanks again to Scott for agreeing to an interview! And in case you were wondering, just like the Invicta pieces you saw last week, you could also elect to have an Aragon piece “chromed” by MG Gradwohl (Showtime Custom Watch Works) as well! In fact, I received some exclusive news about a new collaboration between MG and Paul, so stay tuned for news on that venture!
