Favorite author William Gibson is reported to have a passion for vintage timepieces and used them as a plot element in “All Tomorrow’s Parties.” [ChatGPT summarizes]

1. The novel features a character named Silencio who is
   searching for a specific antique watch – a LeCoultre “Futurematic”
   with a black dial and wind reserve indicator.
2. Silencio has detailed knowledge about this watch, including its
   serial number, bid history, and auction status.
3. The watch serves as a plot device that allows Silencio to track
   down one of the main characters, Harwood.
4. There’s a scene near the end of the book involving a nanotech
   watch repair machine, which is described as a novelty. This
   ties into themes of emerging technology.
5. Gibson himself had a fascination with vintage mechanical
   watches, particularly military-issue watches from WWII and post-
   war era. He was drawn to their functional designs
   disconnected from fashion or status.
6. While not specifically about antique watches, the novel
   explores themes of obsolescence and the relationship between
   humans and machines, which could relate to mechanical
   watches as “heritage devices” in a high-tech future.

An antique LeCoultre watch serves as a key plot element for tracking a character, and watches more broadly tie into the novel’s themes of technology and obsolescence.