Fred Savage’s New Chapter: From Hollywood to Horology
Fred Savage, the actor best known for his childhood role in the beloved television comedy The Wonder Years, has embarked on a new adventure in his life—one that is both personal and entrepreneurial. Over the past six months, Savage has immersed himself in the world of watch collecting, attending prestigious events like Geneva Watch Days, WatchTime New York, and the December 6 Important Watches auction at Sotheby’s New York. He has also become a member of the Classic Watch Club, a Manhattan-based collectors’ group, and has accumulated a collection of approximately 50 watches. For Savage, watch collecting began as a hobby driven by his fascination with mechanical timepieces that continue to function and retain their beauty decades after their manufacture. “The deeper I’ve gotten into watches, my knowledge has grown,” he shared during a phone interview, during which he was wearing a Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox GT. “It has really enriched my life—almost every aspect of my life—because of the people that it has introduced me to.”
A New Business Venture: Timepiece Grading Specialists
In addition to his growing passion for watches, Savage has recently launched a new business: Timepiece Grading Specialists, or TGS. This company provides a much-needed service in the watch community by assessing the condition of watches for authentication or valuation purposes. The service starts at $250 per watch, which includes a detailed report with photos, while additional services like appraisals, servicing, and storage are available at extra costs. TGS began accepting watches for evaluation in the fall during a soft launch, and three watches sold at the December Sotheby’s auction had TGS assessments. Savage’s motivation for starting this business came from recognizing a void in the watch marketplace. “I realized that, with the huge marketplace that’s like the Wild West, nobody’s looking out for the collector,” he explained. He drew inspiration from other collectible markets, such as comic books, coins, and sports memorabilia, which often have third-party authentication and grading services. TGS aims to provide transparency and trust in the often-unregulated world of watch collecting.
Building a Business from the Ground Up
While Savage’s new venture may lack the glamour of his Hollywood career, he has thrown himself into the work with dedication and sincerity. Based in the offices of Stoll & Company, a watch repair firm in Dayton, Ohio, Savage has become the brand’s only full-time staff member. He handles everything from taking orders on the company website to unboxing watches, photographing them, and packing them up for return. When he’s in Ohio, he keeps a modest lifestyle, staying in a rented apartment furnished from Ikea and Target, driving a 2021 Subaru Crosstrek, and working out at a local high school gym. Emily Stoll, Stoll’s vice president of business development, commended Savage’s commitment: “I think he truly wants to build this thing to be a success. You can’t do that from a distance.”
Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Opportunity
Savage’s journey into the watch world has not been without its challenges. In 2023, during the writers’ and actors’ strikes in Hollywood, he found himself with the time and motivation to focus on building TGS. This came after a tumultuous period in his career, including being fired as an executive producer and director of a reboot of The Wonder Years in 2022 following allegations of “inappropriate conduct,” which he denied. Similar accusations had surfaced in the past, including a 2018 assault and harassment complaint that was dismissed and a 1993 sexual harassment lawsuit that was settled. When asked about these complaints recently, Savage declined to comment. Despite these challenges, he has channelled his energy into his new passion for watches and his business venture.
A Lifelong Love for Timepieces
Savage’s interest in watches dates back decades. His first vintage watch, a boxy stainless-steel model with large Art Deco numerals by the Illinois Watch Company, was purchased at Wanna Buy a Watch?, a Los Angeles resale boutique, for about $300. “It’s not pristine by any stretch,” he admitted, describing the timepiece, which he still wears. “It’s beat up, the dial is stained, but it had this charm about it.” From there, he began exploring online forums and websites, purchasing mechanical watches from similar brands. “It wasn’t that I was setting out to get American watches,” he said. “It was just that these were really cool watches.” His early forays into collecting were marked by a sense of curiosity and adventure, as he sought out unique timepieces with rich histories. By 2017, while working on the Netflix series Friends from College in New York City, he befriended a group of collectors and vintage resellers, further deepening his involvement in the watch community.
From Skepticism to Acceptance in the Watch Community
Initially, some watch collectors were skeptical of Savage’s foray into their world. Morgan King, a Los Angeles-based collector who met Savage in 2017, recalled thinking, “Here’s just another celebrity who has cash who wants to flex.” But Savage quickly won him over. “Once we started talking, in the first five minutes I was like, ‘This guy’s for real—he caught the bug,’” King said. Savage’s genuine passion and interest in watches, including lesser-known brands like Swatch, Seiko, and Citizen, set him apart. Craig Karger, the founder of the horology website Wrist Enthusiast, noted that Savage’s diverse collection “adds credibility to that celebrity as a collector.” “Someone with a diverse collection—and not just all of the latest, greatest hits—is always nice to see, no matter who it is, whether it’s a collector or a celebrity,” Karger added. Savage himself reflected on his acceptance into the watch community: “I think that, like anything, it has nothing to do with my background or what I’d been doing before. If you’re in it, and you’re really passionate and interested and curious, and you want to learn and you have something to add, I think you get welcomed.”
Looking Ahead: The Future of Timepiece Grading Specialists
As Savage continues to build TGS and grow his own collection, he remains committed to the values that brought him to the watch community in the first place: a love of horology, a commitment to transparency, and a passion for connecting with like-minded individuals. While the road ahead may have its challenges, Savage’s dedication to his craft and his willingness to immerse himself in every aspect of the business suggest that TGS is poised to make a lasting impact on the world of watch collecting. For Savage, this journey is not just about watches—it’s about building a legacy that goes far beyond his Hollywood roots.
