Resisting Obsolescence: The Memory Keepers at Roadside Watch Repair Stalls
Depok, KOMPAS.com - In the midst of the onslaught of digital watches and smartwatches that keep appearing, the presence of roadside watch repairmen is still sought by segments of the population. Not only fixing dead movements or replacing batteries, these watch repairmen have also become “guardians” of the memories attached to old timepieces belonging to customers.
At simple roadside stalls such as Safrizal’s (74) and Ade’s (78) in the Depok area of West Java, old watches aged from thirteen to decades still routinely come in for repair. Some are inherited family heirlooms; others are vintage collections that have been rekindled by younger buyers.
The watches have been worn for nearly 15 years since they were first given by his father when he was hired. “I have worn this watch for almost 15 years. My father gave it to me when I first started work. He told me, ‘Let it remind you of time and responsibility’,” Hendra said when visiting Ade’s stall in Citayam, on Tuesday (19/5/2026).
For him, the watch is not merely a timepiece. It has accompanied him through numerous important life moments.
According to Hendra, every time he looks at it, he is reminded of the moment his father placed the watch on his wrist.
“The thing I remember most is when I first got a job. I still remember him putting this watch on my wrist,” he said.
Although the watch has sustained damage several times, Hendra admitted he never considered replacing it with a newer model because he felt the watch carries irreplaceable emotional value.
“Because it feels irreplaceable. If I bought a new one, it might be easier and more modern, but it would be different. This watch has accompanied my life for a very long time,” he explained.
Besides emotional reasons, Hendra also believes watch servicing remains more affordable than buying a new watch of comparable quality.
However, the main reason remains love for old items that have become part of his life.
He added that old watches possess unique character and history that new items do not.
“We know the history of the item. Scratches can themselves be memories. It’s different from a new watch that might be in good condition but has no story yet,” he said.
Hendra says he has been a regular customer at the stall for about five years because he feels Ade’s meticulous handling of old watches fits him well.
According to him, the existence of watchmakers remains in high demand, especially for owners of heritage or heirloom watches with complex components.
Unlike Hendra, who preserves family heirlooms, Riko (27) has grown to love watches because of an interest in vintage items. He said the watch he now wears was bought about three years ago from a friend who collects vintage watches.
Initially, Riko admitted he was not particularly interested in watches. However, after owning the watch, he grew to like items with a classic design and their own stories.
He said the vintage design feels more unique compared to many modern models that he feels look similar to each other.
“From the first time I saw it, I liked it immediately because the model is very classic, different from today’s watches that mostly look similar,” he said.
Although not a family heirloom, Riko said the watch still holds a special meaning for him because it sparked his interest in the vintage watch world.
He said it was bought with money from his first freelance job after getting through difficult times when he first started working.
The watch has also been there for many life moments as he started working and built self-confidence.
“I used to wear it everywhere when I first started work, which boosted my confidence because I felt I had something that I loved and could maintain myself,” Riko said.
Riko says he prefers repairing old watches to buying new ones because he enjoys the process of caring for something he already owns.