Trimming the wishlist and not buying
Recently, I trimmed a few watches from my wishlist. And I kind of spent some time to eliminate a few more. They are roughly 5 watches that are all similar and split into two subgroups, in which I want to reduce as much as possible. I add to my wish list sometimes, but I always try to give it a hard look and trim a watch or two. I already have many watches and And if I were to buy all of the ones currently on my wish list I would have over 50, which I feel is just too many and not responsible. And I tried to vet each potential new Watch in roughly 3 different formats of my wish list to really see if it fits and if there is redundancy.
It’s very easy to add an endless amount of things, because we all want aaaall the shiny trinkets we like. But trimming things back, getting rid of things you don’t need, and overall keeping things orderly and in control feels very good. It feels good to be relatively responsible with my money.
I think about this all the time, but I feel like that I don’t see this topic talked about very much in the watch community. Anyone else try to trim/reign in their wishlist regularly? What is your system?
24-hour clock supremacist, Soviet watch lover, budget bitch, and bit-chuffer ~extrodinaire✨. | he | 🇺🇦☮️🇷🇺. Trying to get the Poljot, Baltic, and Vario badges!
There were a few words in this post that were as scary as the depiction of the Grim Reaper.
Responsible
Cull
System
There were a few words in this post that were as scary as the depiction of the Grim Reaper.
Responsible
Cull
System
👻 BOO!
Yes, absolutely - it's an ongoing thing! 👍🏻👍🏻
I first made an imaginary collection of 20 that includes my 5 watches. 15+5.
But then I tried my best to do an imaginary collection of 10, 5+5 and honestly I dont look at that old bigger imaginary collection much anymore.
I just save to my grail and figure I can get the other 4 after that over the years since Im pretty happy with what I have at the moment.
I keep a spreadsheet referencing releases I have an interest in and might consider for a future purchase. I always try to think about my collection as a whole to avoid redundancy and keep quality over quantity in mind. I feel like I am constantly chopping watches off of the wishlist and replacing them with new ones to stay within a 3-5 watches collection at any given time.
Damn we’re supposed to have systems for this watch thingy??
I have a wishlist and I try to add notes to it as and when I learn something new. I might add dates and price increases as well. Or when I saw/handled one last. Things will drop off the list. There are also things that cost an astronomical amount of money which I can’t ever see me affording but it’s still good to learn
It's not formal but, excluding the whole "no more watches" rule, a watch needs to be waitlisted for a month, then two, then three. At 90 days realize that you don't really want it, remove, repeat.
I don't have a list. I have more of a chart. And I don't want any more (mechanical) watches. If something is supposed to come in, something else has to go.
If I'd have a list, I would say that I'd not be ready to buy a watch, in the sense that I don't want a specific watch badly enough. I've largely only modded in 2024, and didn't buy anything of significance.
I am pretty happy with my collection right now so I don’t have a wish list per se. I have mental notes of watches I want if I ever catch a tremendous bargain when/if I have the money.
I heard a podcast with Peter Rollins once about object of desire vs object cause of desire, meaning that we enjoy the struggle for what we desire more than the desired thing itself. It rings true for me, so I am always more of a window shopper.
Yup. My "Watch Lust List", kept on my phone.
Curently seven on the obtainable at MSRP "Current Desires" list, 24 on the "On Second Thought, I Suppose Not or Superceeded" list, 4 that got dropped and then there is the absolute priority as well as grail piece list. I've been keeping it for about three years now.
OK. system for culling. The first is when you see a watch for the first time in the flesh and you are like, eh? It gets dropped but resides in the "I Suppose Not..." list. It's an on going thing. The opposite can happen though, you see it in the flesh after the Internet just didn't do it justice and you fall in love. Models you want are dropped. A watch is released with a new movement, think Bulova Wilton GMT, you see it, think its OK but pass at least for a while and never get around to buying one. Then all these micro brands start using the same movement. Some get dropped as you find something better to spend your bucks upon. Some you decide aren't worth the price of entry. Many different reasons.
BTW, I did an "extention" to the list a year ago, the dreaded ACQUIRED - 2023 list. Did I really buy that many watches? As Lurch would say, AHHHH.... Keeping a list doesn't help.😉
Damn we’re supposed to have systems for this watch thingy??
Hey, it's fun!
You also know where your money went! 😂
I am pretty happy with my collection right now so I don’t have a wish list per se. I have mental notes of watches I want if I ever catch a tremendous bargain when/if I have the money.
Yeah, same here. The only watches I'd really jump on right away are a few models that are 20-30 years old and I've been hunting them for a long time, assuming the price was right.
Hey, it's fun!
You also know where your money went! 😂
Just make sure the document is password protected so the wifey won’t know the real value of our addiction 🔒
I cull the wishlist of I haven't thought about a particular watch in a while or if it's not on my watch recon or eBay watchlist or in an Internet tab I always have open 😎
My wishlist has been pretty rock solid for the last ~8 months or so and I just got a watch from it recently.
As of today the wishlist has 4 "must haves" on it, one of which is slowly being paid for as I go. After the 4 "must haves" it's.... 1-3 nice to haves and that's it.
Just make sure the document is password protected so the wifey won’t know the real value of our addiction 🔒
Oh, she knows. See, she has her money, I have my money and then we have our/joint money to which we both contribute. 😎