Horological Meandering

... the ones for USD3K here, 5K there, 2K here and 0.5K there and such   A zero or two zeros are missing from what you might have imagined?  But, mind you, these are all high quality (in my veiw), simple but elegant and super accurate, manual winding mechanical watches (all in SS), but more or less 10 years old, etc.  Having them serviced/polished and getting new straps make them look like brand new.  And on the other hand, I am also buying quartz and Spring Drive and thinkikng of Digital hi-tech auto adjusting time-telling radio-wave receiving, world time,  solar power eco watch (first batch has been sold out on the day of the sale and the next batch is not coming until late January).  Super cool and practical one.  Variety is the spice of life and like I said, I don't think I am compromising on quality... or am I?

Well good for you!

Wish i could have such purchasing power even!

Stephen

to trade all my watches for one, but I have found that all the watches I have purchased grow on me with time, I actually like them better the longer I have them.  As stated by many, I like to have variety and wear a different watch every day.  My goal is to have one example from the brands listed above on this site (assuming I find a model from each brand I like and can afford).  I would rather have this diversity than have one or few watches.

Stewart

But do you still think of getting that particular one watch you were going to buy?

Thanks Stewart

Sam

is  so out of my price range that I do not spend much time thinking about it (Greubal Forsey double tourbillon). There are many that I am interested in that will take some time saving money in order to acquire, but I just do not want to part with what I have in order to have more cash.  Obviously this is just what works for me at this time.  I have read a few posts with people describing downsizing to a smaller number of watches due to a change in philosophy, getting tired of some models, or just feeling they have an excess of pieces.  If this is not a philisophical question, and you are truly thinking about trading in what you have for a single watch, do what you think is best.  The responses that advocate more than one watch (including my own) should not affect your judgement in my opinion.  If you have thought it through and have no reservations parting with your collection, than do it.  Either way it will be the right decision for you.

Stewart

But if you're sacrificing 3 quality watches for 1 super quality, then I'm not sure I would do that.  If the watches are not quality, then yes

Cheers,
Anthony

If the watches are not quality it won't equal the value of 1 super quality...

Thanks Anthony!

Best,

Sam

I have one wife 35 years.
I've only had 2 houses in 40 years.
And 3 cats in 40 years.

There the restraint stops.
I like variety.

150 watches.
75 cars
etc

Cheers

Cazalea

Thank you for sharing Cazalea...

Cheers

Sam

but over time. In order to experience the fullness of any collection spanning something as rich as watches or vehicles, one must be willing to let go, or extremely wealthy and/or have lots of space!

But still... It's amazing!

Cheers

Sam

Great question, Sam, and lots of interesting responses. Many have experienced the cylical nature of collecting.

I just wanted to mention that in the early phases of collecting, or when moving to a new theme, there is usually a learning curve. It is during this period that you tend to accumulate watches. You learn from each acquisition and then move on to either complete a theme or move up in quality. This is best described as a refinement phase.

My short answer to your question, however, is that I would always take quality over quantity. But one does need at least a few watches in the watch box to do adhere to this!

Regards,

Andrew

And people tend to move upwards in this cycle...

Thank you for sharing Andrew!

Best,

Sam

With the underlying principle that the ultimate goal of life being a state of contentment/peace achieved through simplicity.

If one agrees to this tenet, then it makes sense. No physical attachment to the several drawers of watches maintained, allowing only mental strings of said worldly load onto to one's heart/occupying a smaller part of our brain. With this outlook, it makes perfect sense to sell off everything and maintain one watch.

Would I do it? Yes. Today? I want to but can't.

Will I do so someday? Definitely.

Thank you for sharing your view Rob!

Best,

Sam

I really don't know since I can't speak from personal experience just yet.

What I do know is that I look forward to the day when there are no choices other than the one on my wrist to accompany me on my journeys aka life.

Whether that ONE watch be as basic a time teller as a Casio G Shock/Dufour Simplicity/Lange 1 to more complicated pieces like AP Concept 1, RM 009, Patek 5016 to name a few of the ones that I admire, that ONE watch will not be what it shows to the naked eye, a SINGLE piece of time telling machinery but it will be MORE on what it stands for. A reminder of how simple and good life can be when devoid of choices, by choice.

GREAT thread by the way. Thanks.

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Consistent with this philosophy, I have reduced the number of watches I own in order to finance grail acquisitions. That being said, I would not sell all of my watches in order to acquire a single grail. A certain amount of variety is essential, including at least one dress watch, sport watch, etc. There are limits to quality over quantity.

Craig

I always love your watch collection... A very good balance between sports watch and dress watch.. Classic and modern....

Thank you for sharing!

Cheers

Sam

at the moment I find that I crave variety and enjoy the choice of wearing a different watch every day. Each of the watches in my small collection has its own charms and my most difficult decision is which one of about five watches should be the next one added to my collection (pity I cannot afford them all). However, there may come a time when I feel that I have reached the end of my journey of discovery and decide that there is one watch that I have to have to the exclusion of all others. Only time will tell.

And I really hope that the time will come for you to be able to afford your next one!

Thanks for sharing!

Sam

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But let's say Im using your comparison.. I have 3 concubines, a PAM217,249 and 1A. And the prettiest lady in my world would be a preVendome logo with non matching dial..
Tough choice for me..

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Best,

Sam

I settled on 3 watches in a rotation that I continually wear.  I've had as many as 4-5 but I always end-up combining the bottom 2 to trade-up to a new "third" watch.  My approach is to spend as much as I can possibly afford (given my personal circumstances at time of purchase) to fill one of 3 categories:

1.  Grail/Dress
2.  Daily Wearer
3.  Beater/Sport

The three that currently fill the bill are as follows:

Grail/Dress - Richard Lange

Daily Wearer - G.O. Senator Navigator Panorama Date (Cal. 100)

Beater/Sport - UTS 1000m v2 GMT

I'm pretty happy with my current 3 watches.  But I'm always looking for the "next big thing" to substitute-in and that's what makes it fun.  Right now, my "covet" list might include, among others, the Patek Phillipe 5127, G.O. Senator Chronometer, Rolex Submariner (ceramic bezel), G.O. Sport Evolution Panorama Date (I previously owned one...), G.O. Senator Rattrapante, Laurent Ferrier (my ultimate grail....I will never afford this, of course....) and Blancpain Le Brassus (and others that look like it...).  I doubt I'll ever be in a position to own more than 1-2 of these but it's fun to dream....

Cheeers
DB Darien

This message has been edited by db darien on 2010-12-15 07:15:39

And such a great selection that you chose..

For now my wacthea are all sports watch. I've yet to get myself a dresswatch.. I might need to get one soon..

Thanks for sharing darrien!

Best,

Sam

I don't think one single watch fulfills every aspect of my life adequately.  Plus, if I have to let one go to bring one in, I probably shouldn't be buying the piece.  Now, if you choose to trade up/out that's one thing, but I wouldn't buy something where I can only afford it if I must get rid of something else.  Just my personal view on collecting (no judgement on other methods!).

Cheers,
Daos

Now that i think about it, I don't think I can only live with one watch.

Maybe I should start saving up to afford THE watch...

Thanks for sharing my friend!

Sam

I want to believe that at this point, the watches that I'm buying have qualified after much research to be keepers.  To surrender one for another one will undermine the whole raison d'etre of how and why i buy watches... and that might bring me back to zero and see me posting a query, "what watch to buy?" 

I also agree with Hororgasm's grail list.  list not watch.  gets refined over time.  and gets less frenzied as we get older and know more what we want out of our watches.

Having said that, I think that when I'm really old, that I'll probably retire all my watches not to acquire THE ONE but to just be left with THAT ONE... and it will probably be a Rolex... but which one... hahaha!!!  Great topic : )

...you will have a tough choice when you are "really old" (to use your words).  LOL!  I look forward to seeing your grail Rolex on your 99th birthday wristshot.

Cheers,
Daos