Do you buy watches that you're afraid to scratch?

I'll answer as well.

I only buy stuff I can use without worry.

My first "nice" watch was a Seiko Flighty (these are now over $400 new) and I was mega disappointed when the pusher destroyed itself - a common issue that all the reviewers conveniently skipped over.

A few of them mentioned "don't tighten these locking pushers too much or it might get stuck" - but this is BS in my opinion. - First of all it doesn't tell people that "stuck" means broken beyond repair (no parts available). And secondly if there are tons of people who break it even with careful use then I think it's the manufacturer's fault. Mine got stuck while I was a asleep.

Anyways. Sold it as damaged and now I get watches that are built better and cheaper too. Learned my lesson.

In my experience, you actually get more social capital from non-enthusiasts if your expensive watch is visibly beat up. Remember most people only have one and being a collector at all is a strange affectation.

As a younger businessman, it's a liability if I look like I'm frivolously well-off, but it builds trust if I look like my *grandpa* was rich.

Unfortunately my nicest dress watch is a Citizen Super Titanium, so after two months I think I haven't put one scratch into the bracelet.

Loads of nice scratches on my titanium Casio. But they are super thin so they only really show up in the right angle and light. It still looks great on the wrist. Nothing really visible.

E. Luxury - I beat them up.

I am not a careful or delicate person by nature, so I beat up all of my watches. :)

I buy what I can afford to replace if needed ranging from £60 to £1500 I’m careful with all of them and but also wear them for work as a joiner only owned one luxury brand my longines hydroconquest I’ve worn it for work once so far

I might be the rubber strap for it and keep the bracelet nice

My box holds watches that span the price spectrum in the under $4k range and they are all treated with the same level of care. I would say I put normal wear on all of them, nothing more and nothing less. I practice the same situational awareness as @ayadai mentioned. I just tend to take care of my stuff - whether it’s a watch, a book, camera equipment, etc.

While I wouldn’t characterize myself as babying my watches, I can imagine others might? I wipe them down after every use and make sure to occasionally wind the ones that are out of rotation. I think everyone should do this - no harm in being thoughtful about what you invest both time and money into, no matter what it is. 👍

I think it all depends on the occasion. I get the beater/Casio if I know I need to do some manual work. I think like most enthusiast they have a beater around.

I answered D, not sure if any of my watches meet the ‘luxury’ bracket it’s all relative really, one man’s grail is another man’s first watch. I know one thing, I worked bloody hard for every single one of these little mechanical marvels in my collection, and I wear them all (to work as well) but only when there is a negligible chance that they’ll get scratched. Funny thing is, the one watch I have that is allowed the take a battering, was a work watch (getting into manholes and sewers for 2 1/2 years) and has just returned from a week on a French beach, not a mark, no hairline scratches, nothing. Sods law dictates that if I wore my Sinn the same way it would be falling off it’s strap by now. That’s what the little voice in my head tells me so it must be true right?

I’m only careful with my Santos.

Unpopular opinion; polished centerlinks look better with scratches.😅

I do buy stuff I don't feel comfortable scratching, but I wear them regularly. A few are worth more than what my comfort zone is, severely damaging them would hurt. But since I'm not into "investing" (nor do I believe in this collecting ethos), they have to be worn to make any sense as a purchase.

In general I take good care with my watches, but due to office work the clasps are always punished early enough. None of the mechanical ones sees any wrist time when I'm riding though, regardless of the value!

I wouldn't call my watches cheap... But I use them, but try avoiding abusing them 🤔 So I don't fit the poll.

I buy cheap and luxury. I don’t like to scratch any of them, but I don’t worry about it. I’m E. I wear them all with purpose.

F) Luxury- I wear and enjoy my watches and don’t really worry about it.

It depends on context. If I’m going to be working on a situation where it is likely for a watch to get super beat up, I’m going to wear a designated beater watch. But otherwise I don’t worry about it that much anymore. If a watch gets a little scratch from something, or from working on my laptop or whatever, it isn’t that big a deal.

Most of my watches are “tool” watches and were originally designed fo be used. So for the most part, I just use them and enjoy them. (I was at a meet up a couple weeks ago and one of the guys brought his Royal Oak. This thing had been beaten to hell. But it looked so, so good.)

E. Cheap or High-End: I beat them.

Life is too short to worry about dings. I can't count the number of times I've bonked my watch into a wooden door frame, which is the most common type of ding in my experience. Thankfully, last time I looked, wood was at the low end of the hardness scale, somewhere around 2, while most mineral crystals hover between 5 and 6, and most sapphire crystals are either 8 or 9. So aside from a micro-abrasion, I doubt a wood door frame will do much to the average watch, luxury or not.

But I am a firm believer in wearing my watches, no matter how expensive or inexpensive they are, and using them for their intended purpose, because if you don't, then you're just cheating yourself out of a good tool, and you're living in fear, which sucks. I just can't bring myself to do that. Life is too dang short for that sort of nonsense.

Having said that, I do exercise care and common sense; if I'm doing yard work, or working with power tools, I'm wearing my Casio SGW-100, not my Tissot. If I'm going swimming, I'm wearing one of my 200+m WR dive watches, not one of my 50m dress watches, etc.

I don't baby any of my watches, but I do like them - regardless of price - to look clean. I just don't like a scratched and scuffed-up watch, simple...👍

E wear my Aqua Terra as a GShock, it's what they're built for.

Life's too short to worry, enjoy your " time " 😜

The worry of scratching your watch goes away eventually. You should see my SMP. Every watch will scratch. Buy the watch you like 👍. You can always send it for service and refinishing. Also consider taking your watch off and or wear a GShock when doing an activity in which your watch could be scratched/Damaged.

@DeepCmonkey is spot on. I wear watches based on whatever I'm doing. If I'm wearing something nice, I'm probably not in a situation to have it get trashed. If I'm out in the world, a daily wear is my go to. It's a question of form and function.

If someone gifted me a luxury watch whose value is more than my crappy car, then I would never wear it. I would save the watch and sell it to buy another car with it. Personally, I only buy cheap watches that can take a beating but I’m also careful with them because I’m not an uncivilized brute.

E. I wear all my watches regularly. They all get worn and share the same risks.

I don't have any really expensive watches, and if I did, I wouldn't be concerned about damaging them.

Watches are like eyeglasses or sunglasses - some people are always destroying them, others take really good care of them. My eyeglasses are always in good shape, as are my watches. Shoot, I take care of all of my stuff, that's why I wouldn't be worried.

F. I get what I like - watches are meant to be worn. I don't go out of my way to damage them but I don't worry.

Same

I don't beat anything I own 🍻 always careful

E. I wear them all, take reasonable steps to keep them safe but use them for the purpose for which they were designed. I.e. my divers go diving and my dress watches go to work/dress nights.... etc

My Tudor Bb36 is the only watch I savour for weekends, holidays and special occasions. Apart from that, all my watches whether £50 or £2k will get worn when I feel like it.

I do wear them appropriately though, I.e I won’t wear my irreplaceable vintage Omega to go the beach 😂.

Scratches on expensive watches don't bother me in the slightest. I take care of the nicer ones (as opposed to my trusty G-Shock 5600 which gets unapologetically slaughtered) -- regular servicing, cleaning, etc -- but I don't coddle them. Among other things, a perfectly pristine watch would look a bit weird/out-of-character on me.

Option E. I buy luxury and cheap watches and I’m not careful with any of them and I like to wear them everyday and don’t mind if they get scratched! My philosophy is that watches are meant to be worn!