dr.kol
11333
Am I alone?
I have been semi-collecting watches for a little bit over 10 years.
Now I have reached a situation when I am having something between 40-50 watches, all bought new and all with a manufactured movements. If I should just now make a list of the watches I own, I would surely forget a couple of them.
I like all the watches I own. At the same time, I wear some of them nearly never. The worst thing is that my "collection" has no clear direction. I have some ideas what I "collect" but the ideas are loose like "marine inspired watches", "diving watches" and "ultra-slim dress watches".
I have started to think that perhaps I should sell most of the watches I own and focus to a clear idea I have in my head. To go towards a situation where I would have just around a dozen of watches, all representing the very highest quality and really "speaking" to me. Okay... in addition I could have some everyday watches like one or two diving watches, one or two sporting watches and something I simply love.
The hard core of my new "collection" would be four watches which all represent to me the best in their classes. I would be dreaming to add two pieces to this collection but that would be a half-a-million € addition and a dream which probably would never come true.
Any comments or shall I start to put something nice to the Collectors Market in the near future?
Best regards from sunny Tallinn where the temperature is just now +30.5!
Kari
Am I alone?
I have been semi-collecting watches for a little bit over 10 years. Now I have reached a situation when I am having something between 40-50 watches, all bought new and all with a manufactured movements. If I should just now make a list of the watches I ow...
I've collected for about 8 years with about
20 pieces. I had similar thoughts as you did, to trim my collection so that it is more representative of what I "liked" and have more wrist time for those I would keep. But as soon as I sat down to see which pieces to let go, I found that I like them all....
If I don't wear them, I don't own them
Somewhere in the 3-6 area is the right number for me, but you certainly cannot be alone. Cheers, Daniel
I'm sure you're not alone.
I think plenty of people have been collecting for some time only to realize that maybe they'd prefer to have more focus/pared down collections. The same thing happened to me with my guitars. I don't think I'll ever allow myself to collect a large number o...
Just do what makes you happy
Some collect to wear, some collect to look at and hold, some are simply acquisitive, and some just enjoy the hunt rather than the pleasure of ownership. Some collections have themes, some don't. It's a hobby, meant to be fun. Don't put pressure on yoursel...
"It's a hobby, meant to be fun."
Bingo! No rules, no penalties, just enjoyment. If you feel you want a direction, go for it - but who says you can't change horses midstream? I thought I wanted to get into vintage chronographs and found I was wrong after wearing some of them. I certainly ...
Depends on whether you are a "user" or "collector"
I'm a collector. I know this because I collect other things too, in the same fashion as watches. My collection hovers around 100 because I just can't seem to go far past that without angst. But I've had the same thoughts expressed here, and tried to conte...
+2. i'm a collector and have pared down twice
i pared down from something over 300 to 200 then again a few years later from 240 to 15. that was near the end of 2007 and i'm now back to over 60 without any angst, no worries if i dont wear one for months. i only sell if i know someones interested in it...
Interesting question,
I indeed have the documents and history of each piece well documented. However, today I went to the beach and remembered one watch I used to like a lot and which I was wearing last time an year ago. This kind of issues make me think that indeed, I have to...
yeah, I love that watch!!!
Hi, Mike, Great watch! To me, "user" and "collector" are not mutually exclusive. I know some who use, as regularly as possible, every watch or car in their collection, whether it be a modern German sedan or race pedigreed Italian sports car; tourbillon, s...
I think this happens...
I see a large amount of individuals who buy watches without a clear direction in their collecting philosophy. My recommendation to you is to slowly get out of the watches you don't absolutely love and wear. And focus on acquiring only substantial pieces t...
You don't have to wear them to enjoy them.
You can study them or just look at them. That's all people do with most collectibles. It's also in all likelihood the only way anyone will ever again use various beautiful but unwearable watches of the past (microscopic women's watches, pocket watches, wa...
No worries, Kari, you've got . . .
. . . plenty of company. My situation is similar, although from a different angle. My collection is at the limit where I can no longer make additions without significantly diminishing wrist time for the extant watches. If a significant portion of yours is...
It is an utopia.
As often with an utopia, a nice one, but a bit irrealistic. We are many to have thought about that, about narrowing our collection to essential pieces. What do we mean by " essential " watches, by the way? Another idea is that a collection is very subject...
Utopia - so was communism
and still Soviet Union stayed alive for over 70 years. I know it is difficult. Best, Kari
I have absolutely different problem
I crave to have another 40-50 watches .... I'll PM you my address Damjan
Just a bit more than one month, before being drunk under a fig tree. :)))
This message has been edited by amanico on 2011-07-03 10:10:55
Prosciutto crudo, figs, grappa, and cheese... What else do we need?
Watches? Ok. Best, Nicolic.
PM sent
bianco check will arrive via mail when you sends me yours dear Mike Best Damjan
Proposal: what a about a watch exchange game for shelf warmers?
Hi cazalea, what a great way to tackle the problem for both sides satisfactorily! It´s very generous of you to give Damjan one of your never worn watches! We might create a special event from this as the kids do at grammar school: everyone brings a little...
I could go for this
Rules? I'd say keep it simple. 1. It must run 2. It must not be an embarrassment to the giver (and thus to the seller) 3. It should be a gift and not dutiable (if possible) 4. It should be used and eventually it (or another) should be passed along That's ...
good question
although of course I do not nearly collect at the level of many here, I try to have a core of around five watches that are as nice as I can make them, as a set, which wear for work (and so, during the majority of the time). I also have some weekend watche...
I thought about it many times.
I have 108 watches right now. And on many a occasion I thought of trimming them, not necessary to make wa for new ones, but to monetarize them or spend on my other hobbies, of which there are quite a few. It is also a recurring theme, when I speak to fell...
like your practical way and sense of handling this matter...
... which will help me too. thanks Horo! stefan
I am forced to...classic economic conundrum
Unlimited wants, limited resources. Sigh, Horo
You are not alone. And the answer doesn't have to be "the one answer"
Dear Kari, As a confirmed incorrigible "pack rat" who still has teachers' notes from grade school, I "collect" - some have said I really "accumulate." Whatever, I have no problem with this "condition." If you have time, space, and budget, keep them all - ...
Thanks, probably words of wisdom.
However, I am in such a lucky situation that I probably have very few watches I could not find later. I love playing with my watches which are at home. But too many are in the bank vault and I think that when I start to forget what I have and that there a...
Collecting is a journey with experience being the ultimate destination
A few years back I was in a similar boat and sold a considerable part of my collection. This resulted in a lot of criticism from fellow collectors. Some of my watches are keepers but others are more transient as they allow me to be in touch with the new. ...
I wish I could end to 6-8
but I'm trying to squeeze to about 18 - or maximum 24. But that would mean that a nice watch would get wrist time in average just two weeks per year... Best, Kari
There are days when I just want to fast forward to the time...
when Im wearing only one watch. The watch for when a lot of things won't matter anymore. Simple dial. Reliable. With still a bit of "class". Probably a garden variety Rolex or a Reverso. And then I tell myself that the journey is what defines the end game...
You mentioned something funny:
Perhaps three years ago I bought a Seiko Marine Master. I have never been wearing it and today when I tried to make a list of my watches, I totally forgot my only Japanese... I guess it's time to say Goodbyes. Best, Kari
I'm in the same situation.
I wouldn't consider pairing them down just because I didn't wear them. That's an simple solution for that. Wear it. However when it comes to those pieces that has lost the passion then I would reconsider whether I should keep them or not. Every watch tell...
In Finland it is also +30 degrees...
I will go next week to Switzerland, Italy and just a few minutes ago I was invited to St.Moriz for a nice stay. But when I'll come back to Helsinki, I will drive to my lodge in Lapland. There is should be "just" around 28 and the days filled with sunshine...
Your collection is guided by many variables
What and how your collection grows is determined by (1)what turns you on, (2) what you can afford to acquire, and (3) do you have the space to store your collection. I like watches with moonphase features and also chronographs. So, many pieces in my colle...
Thank you for the inspiration to take inventory for the first time.
It was a slow evening so I set a spreadsheet to list every watch with some sortable details for classification, approx purchase price, service costs incurred and a very conservative net realizable value. As a (primarily) vintage collector I have many very...
I would say determine what kind of "collector" for are...
And I use the term collector loosely. I don't have nearly the number of watches that you have, but when I have tried to focus, but it hasn't worked for me. For example, I started collecting nice simple dress watches (Lange 1815, VC Matle Grand Classique, ...
I understand what you say...
I mostly wanted to start a discussion to brighten up a dull weekend. I have pretty much decided what I will do and I will follow some good advice I got from the discussion. My goal is really to split my "collection" roughly into half and keep those watche...
I can't add much actually
I've only got 5 'wearable' watches, the rest are either fragile vintage or pocket-watches. But I'd point you to the VC forum about 1 year back (I'll try to find the thread for a link). WHL posted a rather long discussion of his VC collection, and how he t...