On patina and "patinated"...

[Juantxo]

Many, many years ago I returned to my small town from prep-school in New England carrying a few records with the latest in music. I called an old school friend, a very smart and sober fellow, and with a great deal enthusiasm invited him to listen to the most exquisite music ever written, or so I thought.

I don't recall exactly whether the first record I played was from Pink Floyd or from Led Zepplin. The fact is that after listening to the 33 rpm acetate record he showed a perplexed face and said: But what's so great about a bunch of dogs howling...?

Indeed, one of the main and longest songs in the record included some dogs howling in the background, which I hadn't really noticed until he mentioned it. Artistic license or not, I was embarrassed as he was right. I mean, a bunch of dogs howling is not what Mozart would have considered great music.

I'm trying to make the point that as with pet rocks, nowadays savvy salesmen are selling "patina" or "patinated" (is that a word...?) watches as something special and desirable. Now, let's be serious, patina is the result of something that has decayed with age. Why would we want to pay for rot and decay...?

I understand that the now beat-up watch that my mom gave me when I graduated from high-school has a special meaning for me, and I may even remember fondly, or not, of how that deep scratch on the right lug marred the watch. But paying with enthusiasm for a watch because it is "patinated", well, I don't understand.

You may now flame me for my ignorance.