Horological Meandering

Timeless aesthetic and mechanical elegance are what has stayed in my collection, but this is all subjective. I used to have high turnover with changing moods and desires, but now I buy very selectively. I buy only what I love not just like and keep only what I wear.  In my current collection the only three I can never see parting with are my Richard Lange, 5130 and Submariner. I think those will be passed on to future generations, but others I cannot say for certain. My addiction always has me searching for new timeless classics.

I completely agree, not just with watches either.  It's with everything. Thank you for your comments!

And wonderful read. Thanks do much. 

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And yes, you are right about that certain legendary Panerai.  I'm glad it's not gone

Cheers,
Anthony

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Terrific article!

...sophistication in taste seems to be a reoccurring theme that I did not think of.  Thank you for pointing it out.

I think I will refer back to it as I learn ... until now, I am only sure about the pieces with sentimental value. Most of my current watches I love and cannot see parting with, but I have lost interest in hobbies before and switched to something else ....so I'll see!
Best

Andreas

....There's enough going on in this industry that I'm sure it will hold your interest   

. . . dissertation in philosophy: the phenomenology of watch collecting!

Aside from the answers already offered, there's another aspect to this question that resides deep within our psyches.  My take is that aspects of design resonate (or not) with our subjective sense of aesthetics, often independently of rationale. 

I knew someone who was not interested in watches, but couldn't stop talking about his accidental discovery of Panerai . . . he really didn't care about watches per se, but was absorbed almost to the point of obsession with the Panerai aesthetic. 

There are objective aspects to collecting, but I feel it's the subjective passion for a watch that underpins the process.

Cordially,

Art

 

That being said, we need to talk again about your collecting philosophy...  And the passion and story behind your procurements. 

 

All my best to you Art! 

. . . exit strategy!

....think I'd have fun with that one.  Very intuitively put Art, had to read a couple of times   Thanks...

i have strong emotional attachments to all my watches.  like any relationship, these attachments get stronger or weaker over time, but with time, the weaker become stronger and vice versa.  my glasshutte sport evo just caught my eye at first sight and i loved it.  lately, it's doesn't grab me so much.  but it will, and i couldn't sell it.  and several watches that i don't wear very often still excite me when i see them.  they just have a cool factor.

this is a reason, for me, why the movements and mechanical aspects are less important than the gestalt of the watch itself.  it either hits me or it doesn't.  and when it does, i'm smitten and i will have a connection.  you mention the urwerk in the context of a question about the durability of fashion.  urwerk, i think, will last because of sheer inventiveness.  if i could pull it together, i'd buy anyone without hesitation because they are objets d'art.  there an artistic vision behind them that commands respect.  obviously, the aesthetic is what i care about, but it is the aesthetic that in the long run will also maintain the connection for me, an emotional one, and for a lot of folks, i bet.  the museums can wharehouse and catalogue the mechnical advances, but for the long haul, it will take the emotional to keep me involved, and that comes from the aesthetic.

chris

...but I guess you'd have to have a taste for the art.  Thank you for your comments.

Watches are a blend of likes and dislikes; features and compromises for the individual wearer. And circumstances, knowledge and preferences change over time. But even if some watches get less wrist time than they first did, I enjoy their place in my collection and experience, and I often go back to them to reminisce. While many of us do considerable research and canvas the opinions of other owners before buying, there are often little characteristics that only having the watch on your wrist can expose. And the honeymoon period does exist. But I find that when I go back to watches that I have not worn for a while, the original reason that drew me to them (and even the memory of the ‘chase’) is a strong emotional connection that provides additional pleasure.

Andrew

Ps. another thread topic is how much we can PREDICT what we will like in the future. Many seem to think they can, but they forget to look at their history.

...about little characteristics about the watch only exposed during wear. That is why "on the wrist" reviews are so important in getting a more comprehensive look at the watch.  I like your thread topic idea. Maybe for the next one. Thanks Andrew!

and a neat subject...

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I can see who and which watch you are relating to in the article!

Glad it worked out for you and Anths!

Congrats as always on your husband's special grail! Have yet to see it in reality, but hopefully one day!

Cheers

Stephen

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I am not sure what it is about a watch that makes it special. Often it is not possible to know at the moment of purchase, even if we have been often to the dealer and done all our research. After all, most of us have dated someone seriously for quite a while and then realized that this is not "the One". And we have chased after someone or something only to find that the desire was all in the chase and capture, and not in the possession. But I like a big selection from which to choose - I am more a collector than a connoisseur. Every morning (and sometimes a change for the evening) I can find a suitable friend to accompany me through my tasks and pleasures. Those that rarely or never leave the watch box will eventually be sold or traded, but frankly I would rather just give them away to good homes.

Ginger

I find it fascinating how watches and relationships have so many parallels. Guess it makes it all the more fun

Great OP, and very interesting thread so far!

My guess is that any and all of the root causes set forward by various posters apply to many individuals.  For me, the one that really rings true is that the more striking the watch is (in unconventional visible ways), the faster I tire of it.  I first found the PuristS in 2004 as I searched for a PP 5015, which I found devastatingly attractive but wore less and less.  More recently, i bought a PSM Thalassa sight unseen, and within months determined that the dial was just "too blue."  Same thing, by the way, for the UN Maxi Marine chrono with the blue dial, and even for the UN Executive Dual Time -- just too harsh on the eyes after a bit, despite the initial "wow" factor.

A potential exception (I hope) is the VH Antiqua, which certainly has "wow" and is unusual looking, but is also both horologically significant and just gorgeously made.  It also has a visual feature that plays well to my eye, which is the asymmetric layout.  As an amateur/hack watch photographer, even I know that there are certain visual layouts that appeal to the eye, and some that do not (rule of thirds, triangles, etc.).  Some of these rules seem fairly universal, and others I would suggest are more personal.  For me, the idea of asymmetric layout really plays -- so when I peek at my wrist, it makes me happy.  The 5015 fit this bill (but was ultimately doomed by its more flamboyant visual cues); I have owned several watches based on the JLC dual time movement with its distinctive PR, date, and second time zone displays, the Antiqua, even the slightly differently sized sub-dials on the VC OS chrono.  I'll hazard a guess that if you look at all of your watches, you will find that several of the keepers have similar visual cues of some type.

Best,

Gary G

I realised Gary, that I like subdials, be they Journe-inspired or chronographs. I have been drawn the Lange 1 Moonphase for years for the same reason, but it's just the movement that puts me off committing. So it seems that these are the visual cues that are keepers for me.

 

They really do illustrate well the ideas I was trying to set forth. Thanks!

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This is a great discussion

 

1. There is no question that the quest far outshines the conquest in most ases. I have experienced this many times in the past but have not sold off anything after the glow has gone

2.The more I wear a watch, the more weary I become with it and it does tend to go into the back recesses of the collection. Again possibly because of laziness these pieces just remain but I have not sold them offf if I have not worn them for a year ot two.

 

3. Clasic style outshines any fashion statements inmy collection. Because I only collect vintage I do not have anything that can be deemed fashion.My tatstes have changed over the years btu I seem to stick with classic vintage styles which are all similar. Smallish pieces, rectangular although a few are slightly larger sports models

 

4. emotioanl attatchment- well I think we all have pieces that we inherited or have a deep personal meaning. None of these would even be considered for culling.

 

So overall my collection grows in  number and is statrting to be a little too large .

 

despite what I have just written there may come a point at which I may trade up and reduce the number in the collection

 

For the time being I am happy

 

Julian

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.  I'm glad that you agree with me on the points   There is nothing wrong with holding on to your watches.  Perhaps you are one who doesn't let go easily   Happy collecting and thanks again.