Luxury Watch Collection Strategy

Key Points from the Discussion

• Strict collection rules can be overly restrictive, and a more fluid approach, focusing on personal connection with brands, can lead to a more enjoyable collecting experience, even if it results in a larger collection.
• Building strong, respectful, and patient relationships with Authorized Dealers (ADs) over many years is crucial for allocations, rather than pushing or constantly inquiring about watch availability.
• External life triggers, such as retirement or shifting priorities, can be more effective than internal collection analysis in prompting consolidation and reducing collection size, leading to a more balanced appreciation for watches.
• The process of focusing a collection, while initially painful when letting go of 'no weak pieces,' ultimately strengthens the connection to the remaining watches and clarifies collection focus, as each choice is 'for' a piece that stays.
• The decision to release a watch should be driven by a reason greater than the desire to hold it, such as acquiring a more desired piece or finding a new, appreciative home for the beloved timepiece.
• The current market trend of watches becoming a new asset class, coupled with brands playing allocation games, could lead to a lack of interest in new additions and eventual collection consolidation for some collectors.