When you hear the name A Collected Man, odds are you immediately think of rare independents, carefully sourced vintage references, and some of the best horological storytelling anywhere online. That reputation exists because Silas Walton built his business on trust, taste, and a keen sense of where collecting was headed. But what surprised me most in our conversation is that, beyond watches, Silas has cultivated an unexpected obsession: Hermès. Not the handbags and scarves that dominate headlines, but mid-century silver objects that are as artful and enduring as any great wristwatch.
Silas’s journey stretches from law school to private equity, from flea markets in France to the boardrooms of collectors. What ties it all together is a curiosity for objects that balance utility, restraint, and craft. That curiosity has shaped his career and his personal collection alike.
From Law Firm Paychecks to A Collected Man
Silas describes himself as an accidental collector. He wasn’t the kid flipping through auction catalogs or hunting flea markets every weekend. After law school and business school, he landed in private equity, spending his days evaluating entrepreneurs. At the same time, he was trying to sell a couple of watches he had purchased while working as a paralegal. That experience of navigating eBay, auction houses, and pre-owned boutiques was eye-opening. The market felt opaque, impersonal, and clunky.
That gap in the market stuck with him. A decade ago, before Instagram reshaped collecting, there wasn’t a destination for buying a rare, high-end independent watch online with confidence. Silas built A Collected Man around that idea: combine transparency on condition and provenance with a presentation that felt aspirational, lifestyle-driven, and visually sharp. The market need came first, and collecting followed closely behind.
Today, ACM is among the most respected names in watch dealing. But Silas insists that his personal passion for watches only truly flourished after the business took off.
Hermès Silver: The Hidden Chapter
When I asked what else he collects, Silas answered immediately: Hermès. But not the obvious Hermès. His fascination lies with overlooked silver and white metal objects from the mid-20th century like ashtrays, cigarette pots, equestrian boxes, and compendiums that combine a clock, barometer, thermometer, and compass in one rotating cube.
These objects are pure Hermès: practical yet elegant, luxurious without being ostentatious. A cigarette pot might feature concentric guilloché patterns worthy of a fine watch dial. A box might be capped with sculpted horse heads, a nod to the brand’s equestrian origins. For Silas, they’re as much a reflection of design ethos as any Patek or Dufour.
He doesn’t keep them on shelves as museum pieces. They’re woven into daily life. One holds gum, another keeps business cards. They sit alongside his Scandinavian furniture, Jaeger-LeCoultre desk clocks, and vinyl collection. An aesthetic mix rooted in craft, history, and understatement.
The Hunt and the Stories
Part of the fun is in the chase. Many Hermès silver pieces are buried in small auctions or hiding at French flea markets. Silas describes hours of scrolling through obscure listings, waiting for a piece to surface. The blank monogram plates, often left untouched, add another layer of charm. Personalization was optional, design was the constant.
Hermès also relied on top silversmiths like Ravinet d’Enfert to execute designs, which means each piece is both Hermès and a collaboration with artisans of the era. That blend of design house vision and craftsmanship is exactly what Silas admires.
Watches Still Define the Core
Of course, watches remain central. Silas is one of the strongest advocates for independent watchmaking, championing everyone from Philippe Dufour and Roger Smith to newer names like Raúl Pagès and Sylvain Pinaud. For him, independents represent creativity at its most distilled; wearable works of art that retain intimacy.
His collecting style has evolved from spotting underappreciated makers like Daniel Roth or early Franck Muller, to commissioning unique works directly from the watchmakers he admires. Those pieces carry not only rarity but personal relationships, making them irreplaceable parts of his collection.
Auctions, Photography, and the ACM Aesthetic
One of the things that makes A Collected Man so distinct is its photography. Natural light, sharp shadows, and an ability to make a skeletonized dial almost glow, it’s an instantly recognizable style. Silas credits his in-house photographers for pushing boundaries, never falling back on repetition.
More recently, ACM has launched its own auction platform. Rather than competing with traditional houses on volume, Silas uses auctions selectively, when they add value for both consignors and buyers. A highlight was the sale of a unique Roger Smith Series 1 at a world-record price, with proceeds supporting British watchmaking education. It was proof that ACM could step into auctions without losing its principles.
The Collectors Gene Rundown
The One That Got Away: The first Kari Voutilainen Observatoire, pared-back and elegant. He sold it early in the business and still thinks about it.
The On Deck Circle: Several commissions are on the way, but he’s especially excited for an RM 67 in titanium. Light, slim, and joyful to wear, much like his slate grey 1971 Porsche 911 T.
The Unobtainable: Stainless steel Roger Smiths, a Dufour Simplicity, and the rare Daniels/Smith co-signed wristwatch. Beyond watches, he dreams of icons like a Ferrari 250 GTO or Bond-era Aston Martin.
The Page One Re-Write: If not watches or Hermès, he would collect contemporary art. He’d lean on guidance from friends like Todd Levin to develop the same connoisseurship he’s brought to watches.
The GOAT: Todd Levin and Auro Montanari (John Goldberger) top his public list, but he draws equal inspiration from private clients with collections that remain largely unseen yet astonishing in scope.
The Hunt or The Ownership: Both. The thrill of discovery excites him, but the joy comes in living with an object day after day.
Do You Feel That You Were Born With The Collector’s Gene?: Not quite. He wasn’t compulsive as a child, but the instinct to appreciate, categorize, and refine has grown into full expression over time.
Closing Thoughts
Silas Walton’s story reminds me that collecting is never static. Taste shifts. Philosophies evolve. The categories expand. But the through line is curiosity and refinement, the ability to see value in an ashtray as much as in a one-off Dufour.
He’s built A Collected Man into one of the most trusted names in watches, but his personal collection reflects something equally important: an eye for design that balances function, subtlety, and beauty. That blend of discipline and passion is what makes Silas such a compelling figure in the collecting world and why his perspective will continue shaping how the rest of us think about what it means to collect.
