TLDR: I purchased my watch; photos at bottom. Random psychological musings in between.

I am hesitant to post, as it feels somewhat insensitive to post a large purchase in a pandemic. : ( Still, I have been searching for a watch for a very long time, and never thought I'd find one. This purchase has brightened my mood and helped me feel more optimistic. Because my size had changed dramatically, this considered and thoughtful purchase will be a reminder to treat every new purchase (of which there will need to be many, as I have very little that fits) with equal care.

I did end up going with the TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 8 Grande Date in black. I debated going with the lighter face, as several people had suggested, and I rethought my attachment to the brand, as others suggested. I actually tried on a number of other brands and styles between my post here and the purchase to be sure I wasn't leaping without looking - at both higher and lower price points than the watch I purchased. In the end, I was happy with the quality at the price point this watch offered, and I was happy with its look to complement my wardrobe.

I also realized that part of my attachment to a watch like this was the watches my dad wore when I was a child. I remember my mum taking me shopping for a watch as a child; I wanted one with a large face and hour markers or Roman numerals like my dad wore, but my mum would not allow me to wear a man's watch, and she didn't believe I could read markers or Roman numerals. Throughout my youth, I always adored men's watches, and when calculator and game watches came out in the '80s, I would have been all over those, except I had internalized the idea that a woman should not wear a man's watch. My mum bought me a nicer watch in high school, but again, it was very petite and bracelet-like. I wore it regularly, but never really liked it. This purchase is part of acknowledging my own preferences over what others might consider proper or within norms (at least when those preferences do not affect or harm anyone else).

This will likely be my one and only watch for quite some time - perhaps forever. I love that it is glittery in the light without having any stones as markers or in the bezel. The bracelet is composed of both polished and brushed links, and the bezel is narrow and polished. It has a skeleton back to display the automatic movement, and it is keeping very good time (worn during the day and in the winder at night).