Bill
32000
I think we all struggle with the right number of watches in a “collection “.
One strategy has been to limit to one box of watches. At first a box of four but it soon was too small the 6, 12 etc. That did work to well as there are to many box sizes of course no fault to the watches.
The strategy of every time one comes in one has to go out but then you have to do too much math and your head hurts.
Then you have the annual limit. The problem there is we can not alway make the cut off because people seem to have different new years and we never know if we committed to a calendar year lunar year or just a rolling 12 months.
I am sure there are half a dozen more ways to “limit “ the size but no matter how we rationalize it as collectors each watch has a story and a the desire and chase and time that went into the acquisition.
Make it a family affair a build your collection with your family in mind. Share the passion and the enjoyment with them.
Enjoy.
Dear friends,
I post this here in the Rolex forum, but I believe the best place would be in the FrontPage, leaving to the moderator to decide I ‘m in a strange mood, despite the wonderful vacation with my family Despite my collection is not so huge and valuable, some s...
Hello Luca!
Whatever you decide, please do not sell your Cartier Tank Cintree!! I can definitely subscribe to your thoughts of down sizing your collection because personally, I feel no more than ten quality watches is all one needs to make a brilliant collection. I w...
Hi Sham,
The feeling of being guilty (to some extent 😉) is another factor, coupled with the fact that over a certain number of watches you cannot even enjoining them, being most of the time in the bank safe 3 Patek 3800, calatrava wg 5296, Aquanaut Crono 2 AP A hu...
Enjoy your time in the mountains Luca!
Please do not sell anything until you are 100% sure that you are ready to!
I haven't let my collection/addiction get too out of hand
I have 6 or 7 what I would consider very nice watches, and honestly, there is only one other that I feel I "need"... at least for the moment. I am not limiting myself to how many I ultimately own, but I do want them all to get adequate wrist time. Once th...
Thanks Drew for participating...
... exactly my feeling now as I wrote above replying to sham All my best Ciao Luca
Dear Luca , i think i know how you feel .
I will be 50 next year too and like you i also been thinking of reducing my humble collection to arround 10 to 12 watches at some point in the near future as a lot of watches dont get enough wristtime they deserve imo . Still not sure when or which will n...
How does one respectfully reduce one's collection?
I don't have that many watches but there are a couple that I find just sitting in the safe. I love them but perhaps I should let others have them since they are not on my wrist at all. I just don't know how to sell them. Thanks.
Same here Jim...
... much easier to buy than to sell Never approach Chrono24 or other platform With dealers you only can expect an exchange (not favorable), instead of money in most of the cases Auction houses? It depends on each piece you have, but reducing the collectio...
As I mentioned to Jim above, when I needed to sell, I've sold through the forums to established members.
I feel that buyers are often more "protected" in these transactions than sellers, so proceed cautiously if you go this route. Best of luck!
I've done my selling through the forums (admittedly not many). Like most here, I buy more than sell :)
My focus is always selling to established members even if I have to accept a little less. You always hear about "buying the seller" when looking to purchase a watch but I find it equally important to "buy the buyer" when selling a watch. Best of luck!
It's something all collectors go through...
I marked my 20th year of collecting last year, in the first 10 years I was a wild machine, buying buying buying and then selling and then buying, non stop, I wanted to own and experience every kind of watch under the sun. It really helped with my educatio...
Reducing the collection. I had to read your target to feel relieved. :)))
Mid Life crisis... You have to celebrate it in the greatest way and to never forget that we only live once. So, if a vintage Red 911 is your dream, GO! 7 watches is a good number. I would say 12, but with 7 you have all my admiration. I am on the same way...
Ciao Amico...
... the red Porsche it’s a sort of joke we have here in Italy, at least in Milan, to mark the midlife crisis, when you try to mimic also how younger men dress, the bracelets, some funky sneakers, and at some point for someone a 20 yrs lady, not my case......
I think we all struggle with the right number of watches in a “collection “.
One strategy has been to limit to one box of watches. At first a box of four but it soon was too small the 6, 12 etc. That did work to well as there are to many box sizes of course no fault to the watches. The strategy of every time one comes in one has t...
Hi Bill...
... one in, one out is a perfect strategy, the only problem is to choose which ha to leave your home... just like loosing a friend you doesn’t hear for some time, leaving him in the safe instead that on your wrist... bit he is still a friend with which yo...
It hurts to read your post ...
... as I've tried all three of those strategies with spectacular failure! Kind regards, Dan
To a certain degree, I ascribe to the philosophy of quality over quantity
I would keep the ones I wear and love the most, and consolidate the rest
I think the trick is to stop calling what we do as a "collection" or "collectors, but instead enthusiasts.
Because to me collecting is much like hoarding. If a person has unlimited funds, I guess collecting is fine but in reality these remarkable toys should be worn and not fetishized by sitting in a safe or box and taken out twice a year to get touchy-feely w...
How is it possible to agree to what everybody wrote?
I’m an enthusiast, and not a collector, you are definitely right!!! Thanks for sharing this wonderful definition that I will use to define myself in case Ciao Luca
I think that...
it is a great idea... Actually I have been doing th same thing for the past few months... Good luck
Lucky you!!!
If I may, how and where do you sell your watches? Looking forward to hearing from you Thanks Luca
Nice in theory
I strongly understand your thinking. However, consolidating value into fewer pieces means you are then wearing individually higher and higher value. Are you ok with that? Will you still enjoy them then? Or will you be paranoid about going some places? R
You’re right...
... I’m already paranoid, like all of us, even wearing a 17.03 Ming I’m paranoid, in my idea is to keep 1/2 everyday watches, you could wear without any fear, there is only another problem... At this point probably the right number has to increase a littl...
Hmmmm, those 1or 2 are going get a lot of use...
to some degree I find what you would use for those more interesting as a result. Are you excluding beaters from your collection? I mean, I have a couple of good solid ones that are for nasty jobs where you still want a watch. I'm thinking Seiko SKX level....
It depends what midrange means...
... and again you are right, also because even if I reduce my number of watches but then I always wear a Ming or a Unimatic, to the extreme I should sell the others as well Seeing too many pieces getting older in the sage is not my cup of tea as of now I ...
intersting dilemma Luca & few days ago i was on exactly this conversation with one of our fellow Purists (actually Pure Purist i could say)...
i was trying to keep my collection below 5 since couple of years (successfully) but each time my list to acquire gets longer & selling one of the 5 is painful. i guess one another way to define, is to choose 1 watch per dress code we normally wear ove...
Dear Mahesh...
... you could be right, that’s why my original number was 6/7.... Now the real dilemma is what they will be? For sure I won’t think to sell: bulgari Octo Finissimo cartier Tank Cintree platinum Aquanaut crono Pate 3800, it was one of my father’s watch and...
I'm sure you'll find the 6/7 pieces that sings to your heart !
& sure that Patek 3800 is a heirloom memory to pass on to future generations ! Best, mahesh.,
Here’s another perspective ...
I have over 100 watches and I am fairly content... every time I go to my watch closet I (re)discover a watch I haven’t seen for months. It then reminds me of a person, a place, a watchmaker, a brand, and a visit to CH or Japan. I have several for any occa...
Dear Cazalea,
I fully respect your opinion despite it seems lime you are shouting a bit As you may have read I express the same concept, every watch reminds us everything, why, where, when we bought it Imho at least for me the time to reflect if it is right or wrong to...
My position is a bit different as most of my collection is spread across . . .
. . . relatively affordable vintage Omegas, so selling off a portion won't do much for my bottom line, and anyways, selling is a pain in the ass. Like, when a moderator asks you to post a photo of the watch set to a specific date and time on a local newsp...
I believe you might be referring to a tongue-in-cheek request
I’m just checking to see if you’re still on your toes. Obviously I’m feeling a bit better. Cazalea
We are of the same opinion
I'm trying to curate my collection down as well, but I don't think I'll ever make it to under 10, so for myself, a more realistic number is around 20 - 25 tops It's hard, but eventually with discipline, and also realizing that the "love" is gone for some ...
when is enough enough
I've gone back and forth on this .... from OMG I have WAY too many watches to something like Cazalea's take on it. Basically I've decided to accept the fact that I really dig wasches and while I might sometimes let go of a piece I must be very careful ......
So says the my pal who just bought a Macan
But then who am I to point a finger? We do this for fun. If we can’t afford it we shouldn’t do it. Sorry if I came off as shouting in my previous post. I have a few nice watches but honestly, ridiculous quantity makes me happier than ultimate quality. I’m...
Quantity vs Quality
I've tried using this as a means to lower the number of watches. Sell a few lower end pieces and use those proceeds to buy a really nice high(er) end watch. Somehow its never worked. Maybe its because there are some very desirable watches at all price poi...
Great thought-provoking post
I'm in my early 40s but I'm in the process of moving pieces myself (just sent one off to Christie's for auction at year end). I really don't know where I'm going with the hobby but I'm slimming down and realizing that I'm less of a collector and more of a...
I can appreciate this.
My jam was vintage Speedies and got out when all the idiocy started. (See the last Sotheby's auction..... YIKES) R
I fully understand.
I was on the Paneristi bandwagon quite a bit between 2002 to 2005, then started visiting more fora as the hype was just insane. Great people for sure, but the money aspect started to weigh more on my mind versus the watches so I moved on (the Panersti her...
Nicely put, Dan. I never think about the value of my watches when I wear them. I just love them. Reducing the collection is something I have to start... To add some big guns, instead.
The good ratio would be three big guns in for 30 watches out. But it is a tough game. Letting my babies go is not that easy...
I can appreciate that. You have a great collection. When I see the wrist-shots ...
... I can easily imagine the pain myself if you were to give up some of those beauties. That said, just think of the beauty of those three news watches just waiting to land on your wrist! Not to be an enabler here. Kind regards, Dan
I like to imagine my watch collection
Like the Money Bin of Disney cartoon character Scrooge McDuck (yes I am still a naive child at heart): Cazalea ...