Watch on the shelf

I have a quartz Invicta, and a fake Casio that have been transformed into desk clocks. Other than that, they all have a chance to get worn.

The watch I inherited from my step grandpa, vintage Zenith and in great condition, would be such a shame to ruin it. Just about the only watch I do not consider wearing.

Personally, I don’t see the point of owning a wristwatch I’d never wear.

But, I understand many people see watches as a thing to collect, not necessarily wear.

Not technically displayed on a shelf but I have a few gshocks and my first SKX hanging on rod underneath a shelf along with a few hats and fanny packs.

I have an office and wear all my watches right now. I’d love to pick up a cool vintage piece, even if it isn’t functional, just to disply wih my other trinkets. I’m in the “No but I would” category.

This.

It's a 56mm, 18K yellow gold Patek Philippe Chronometro Gondolo pocket watch. It was manufactured in 1903 and first purchased in 1904 at the famous retailer Gondolo e Labouriau in Rio de Janeiro.

I have it mounted on a wall in a custom-made shadow box. It was built by a woman who produces frames for galleries and museums in New York City.

Yes - I have my grandfather's gold Elgin shockmaster from the late 1950s/early 60s. It is 30mm in size and doesn't work, but it's pretty to look at!

I will wear a watch and wear it well. I am proud and honoured to own a piece of (albeit niche) horological history in the form of my Nivada Grenchen Antarctic Spider, but I would never do it the injustice of locking it away for only me and some internet friends to see. Some watches are a bit too fragile to be worn; not this one. She's a fighter!

On my wrist while enjoying a cold one...

On my wrist while cutting concrete lintels with a 50cc power grinder...

I basically just started the machine and tested it, long term use like that will definitely put a lot of stress on the movement. I'm not afraid to use a tool watch, even a vintage one, for its intended purpose.

I'll probably never have a watch for display only.

It's an inherited relic with three lugs and too cheap to be worth repairing.

My late father's 1980s Seiko quartz moonphase...

It lives in a box on my bedside table. I cleaned it up, replaced the strap like for like, and only wear it on his birthday

Pocket watches

My 5 year old at the time won a watch at an arcade for me. It's completely plastic, the "chronograph" dial is just a sticker and the whole thing is probably cost 10 cents to make (and probably took 200 tickets to get), but it stays on my only watch stand on my desk as a trophy of sorts and my 'favorite' watch. 😀

I do have an Elf

A watch that you don't wear? Like a timepiece you'd just put on a desk, or mount on the wall? I swear there's a word for that kind of thing, hang on it's on the tip of my tounge

I have several watches in my collection that I never really wear, but none that I consider to be a "trophy". Some are in the collection for sentimental reasons, such as the Timex my Dad wore before he passed, or the Seiko Memory Bank Calendar my wife gave me as an engagement gift decades ago. Some are part of my collection simply because there is something about them that I really like, but which aren't overly practical for telling the time, such as my Humism Dasein or Phantasos Triclops.

Watches are meant to be worn my friend.

If it's not being worn it's getting sold

There are a host of legitimate reasons why there might be one or two watches in a collection that are never or rarely worn. Maybe it has sentimental value but it ultimately isn’t for you or doesn’t fit your lifestyle or just plain doesn’t fit. Maybe your partner would be horrified if you got rid of it. Maybe it’s too fragile for frequent wear. Maybe it’s a watch that again is wonderful and checks a lot of boxes . . . But maybe your daily life doesn’t make sense for it . . . Only for special occasions.

I have my late grandmother's 1920's watch which I'm still searching for a strap solution as the fixed lugs are 3/8" wide and were clearly designed for a silk ribbon as the standard woven nylon strap is too thick. Other than that, nope.

My kitchen clock. Does that count?

I did, but just sold it 😂 was the Swatch “It’s Coming”. One of the 3 ‘Millennium’ watches. Came in a domed case and it kind of floated over a three dimensional moon. Bought it to never wear it in 1999. Was time for it to move on

I Have a transformer optimus prime g shock still in its package and a vintage game boy watch still in its package.

Yes. I own the truly terrible Cross WM01, which was even reviewed here for WC and it's something that I can't wear but also can't bin.

Yes but not because its a trophy, its more of “watch that i regret buying” 😂

I Have an orange tag aquaracer that I rarely wear ! Stupidly

Gotta be the vintage watch isn't, spending so much time looking for a good condition one now I'm too afraid to beat it about

I have a Casio A168. Hardly a trophy watch, but it turns out I don’t like digital displays. You can’t tell the time at a glance and, more than that, I don’t get the same ‘impression’ of the time as I do with an analogue display. Somehow, analogue displays give me a better feel for how much time is left in the hour. Digital readouts require some mental maths and visualisation.

Actually a few that I don't consider part of my collection

1. Scammeti: in its original box as a display gag

2. A cheap massive field watch from my mother, I use it more as a clock

3. Some broken watches that I have lying around to eventually take apart and tinker with

Nope and I generally dislike that approach. I understand that you might put a prized watch on a display case or winder on your desk, but at the same time I would wear the watch. If I’m buying something I gotta be using this thing. And the more expensive thing is, the more usage I want to get out of it

Yes, my great grandfather’s pocket watch. I’ve never worn it 😬