Horological Meandering

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

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.  From my first piece of "luxury" watch, which is the Oris Artelier Moonphase complication, to my grandpa's 40 yeaar-old Rolex to my PP 5712, I like them all.  They also represent my journey of collecting watches.  They reminded me of peoples and events important to me.  I don't go for the best, but what I like.

That's my personal experience.  Cheers!

Somewhere in the 3-6 area is the right number for me, but you certainly cannot be alone.

Cheers,
Daniel

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 of watches, simply because I couldn't regularly wear them all.

Good luck with your decision!

Cheers,
Daos

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 yourself for consistency, completeness, or what have you if it doesn't come naturally. Leave that for work. If a watch makes you smile, that's good - keep it. If it doesn't any more - and tastes do change - and the proceeds of a sale would allow you to get something that does, then sell it. Watch collecting is supposed to be enjoyable and entertaining - don't regard it as anything else.

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 like many, especially the early automatics but didn't like how they looked on my wrist. Sold'em and only buy ones that will fit me correctly now if any at all. Tracked several references of vintage VC for a couple years but never purchased one, then was smitten by vintage AP instead. Who knew? And maybe I will get a vintage VC someday. Maybe I'll sell my entire Omega & Longines collections and get into other brands (purely hypothetical). Point is, do what you want and take any angle that you like.

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 contemplate selling off some of the fleet and buying fewer, better watches. I can't do it.

I like them for various reasons (these are moonphases; I don't have another perpetual; it's my only gold watch, etc) and there are more reasons than can be loaded onto 6 fine watches.

Beyond that, watches are a bit like socks - you just wear them everyday - so I've decided not to have any "safe queens" who cost more than my best car.

Even if I don't wear them all, they are like windows into my psyche - a course in self-analysis. Some non-worn watches might be best kept as reminders:

"what the heck was I thinking when I bought that?"
or
"this is so beautiful it would be a shame to wear it - it's art not wristwear"

What about your earlier thoughts that you would keep an archive about all the watches, their service histories, etc for passing down? Would you abandon that?

Mike

(ridiculously happy today having put a black strap on ABR for the first time instead of the red one; thus getting a "new" watch for free)

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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 and i want to buy something else (or pay for my divorce of course ).

so go whichever way you feel is best for you. if you decide to sell please make sure they are cheap so i can get a look in

sorry for the useless advice, but its advice no one can give

G

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 too many watches.

I have given a couple of watches away to my relatives type UN and Rolex. At the moment I have three daughters and if they all would get theoretically two boys, six watches would be enough.

When I thought today reducing the number of my watches, the lowest acceptable number I ended to was 18. That's still too much...

Best, Kari.

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, sonnerie, or ETA 2892 or 2824 "beater"

Cheers,

TM

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 that you find truly unique and that you love so much that if you didn't buy it, you'd be tossing and turning at night.

Enjoy the weather, the weather here in San Francisco is very warm today too!

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, watches without shock protection, etc.) so there is no reason to feel that you are depriving someone else of the opportunity to wear them.

. . . 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 underutilized, and if you're not sentimentally attached to them, then let them go without regrets.

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 subjective: Some will collect military pieces, others Chronographs, others GMTs, others will collect each complication, the best of each complication, some, as it seems you do, don't have any  special thema, just the love of the watch ( which is, somewhat, a kind of thema, don't you think? ).

If I have to narrow my collection down, I would be embarassed. I can see a dozen of watches I can sell, I don't see myselk just keeping 12 watches, which makes a huge difference.

On another side, I try to refrain myself buying other pieces,  I try to foucs more and ore on pieces which I find interesting, which means that they will fit into my collection, adding something to my collection. If not, I pass on  it.

Tough topic.

Best,

Nicolas.

and still Soviet Union stayed alive for over 70 years.

I know it is difficult.

Best, Kari

I crave to have another 40-50 watches ....
I'll PM you my address

Damjan

No message body

pain
Best my friend
Soon....
Damjan

This message has been edited by amanico on 2011-07-03 10:10:55

Mediterranean dreams are made of....

Watches?

Ok.



Best,

Nicolic.

and more watches
OK!?

D as in drunk

No message body

I'M NOT KIDDING!
MIke

bianco check will arrive via mail when you sends me yours
dear Mike
Best
Damjan

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 gift for somebody and the presentee does not know what he will get. The donor will reciprocally get his gift from someone else. Allegedly the children like this surprise fun.

We might analogically open a "Surpise Corner"  where everybody can join in who wants to give away a "shelf warmer" for the fun of recieving someone else´s "drawer sticker" (don´t know whether this expression exists, but you will know what I mean). Of course you should not expect Pateks or Rolex´ showing up, it´s more a fun thing .

Is this a stupid idea?

Don´t blame me, I will excuse myself with the constant exposure to narcotic gases !

Kind regards,

anaesdoc

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 more than enough rules.

Who's in?


Cazalea