So I turned 40 yesterday, and Pauline and I went to Argyll Arcade to spend my birthday money on a new watch. Was quite stressful, given that you can move a couple of feet along and be looking at prices with a couple of extra zeroes on the end, plus the variety is extraordinary.

But very pleased with my last minute find, a black metal Citizen. Not a Seiko, which Dad had when we were growing up, and solar powered rather than kinetic. It has a carbon fibre effect on the dial, and I love the luminosity in the dark, something very satisfying about that.  But pretty cool – if it doesn't get any light on the face for 30 minutes, it will turn off the second hand to save energy. If the internal battery is low and needs to get a good solar top up, it lets you know by making the second hand move at 2 second intervals. But it will still run for a year and a half before actually stopping.

And anyway, quartz watches keep the time better than automatic (mechanical) ones…