1. A collector must collect some things. The drive overpowers rational logic. If you can explain or completely control this drive you are not a collector. There is a genetic component to it. My uncle and I have it but no one else in our families.
2. A “collector’s collection” is an “oxymoron” because collection isn’t a singular noun. A collector has many collections - watches, straps! Watch tools, brochures. Invitations to manufactures, watch auction catalogs. Wind-up travel clocks, loupes. Pocket knives with watch logos on them, ticket stubs from flights to go inspect watches for sale or notable dealers. And a collector has non-horological collections too: Paintings, toothpick holders, cars, wine, leather shoes, elaborate belt buckles, you name it.
3. Peace = perhaps when you die,
balance = I can’t speak for you, but perhaps marry a non-collector or better yet, a dealer who only sells. As my friend’s dad ‘Papa Bill’ (a very successful car dealer) told us when we were in high school, “you boys gotta stop lovin’ them cars! Cars is like steaks to a butcher. You sell ‘em and then get another steer, cut him up and sell the same again. To a dealer, Cars is just like Steaks, if you think otherwise, you’re a collector (spits on the ground) not a dealer…”
Satisfaction = comes from playing with, wearing, polishing, etc. the individual pieces of the collection, never from the collection as a whole entity, because it is never finished.
Good luck,
Cazalea
PS — people think there is a fine line between collecting and speculating, and that’s the reason we don’t allow discussion of prices. But it’s not a fine line, it’s more of a Grand Canyon. A collector will happily and honestly say “I made money on selling several watches” (crying and moaning about the pain of selling), and a speculator might say “never bought a watch I didn’t make at least 10% profit on” (lying through his teeth).