What Makes a Keeper?

For me,a keeper is a watch that makes me happy to put on every time. I have no buyers remorse or desire to sell it. I've sold many watches that went up in value. I don't collect to make money (silly even to say IMO) All watches that are family gifts stay of course.  My Tough Solar G Shock my son gave me is my most prized watch

A keeper huh? Anything I am excited to put on. I have bought a few watches simply to buy them over the few years I have been part or this hobby. Those watches did not last more than a year in my watch box regardless of their value or rarity. All my keepers are my watches that have some meaning or that I really like the styling of. The only watch given to me was by my brother, and I gave it to my brother in law for his wedding. It felt right and looked better on him than it ever did on me.

I've given away several myself--often Seiko mods or vintage pieces.  I have a 7.5" wrist and my son has a 6.5" wrist.  He has most of my vintage pieces now and that got him into the hobby,

I guess for me it's a mix of sentimental value + (perceived) monetary value. I'm more likely going to remember spending a large sum of money, and I'll more likely cherish it out of the box than a more affordable watch.

I guess sentimental value wise, it incorporates the memories associated with the watch and how well I "vibe" with the watch too. For example, as much as I enjoyed my Orient Mako II and made some fun memories with it, I wouldn't be too sad letting it go. For whatever reason I can't quite pinpoint, it always looked a bit off on me.

For me it comes down to how much I enjoy wearing a watch.

I don't have any that were gifted, or handed down, but they would obviously be keepers if I had any. 

For Myself it will be watches that stand the test of time, watches that I continually enjoying wearing and because I am a very pragmatic person watches that have reasons I wear them from the G-Shock(s) that I wear to work to my regular weekenders. If I dont have a use for a watch and do not wear it, it will probably eventually be replaced by something I do wear. But I only keep a maximum of 8 watches in my collection atm so if I want something new something else will leave if I am at the max.

Agreed with most here. A keeper is something that just makes you smile no matter how long youve had it and no matter the price.

If you talk to a watch investor they may say different, but thats not the general vibe on WC.

Like a lot of others here, sentimental value is the most important criteria. 

Thanks for the thoughtful replies!

You are the determining factor of whether or not to keep a watch. It’s always subjective. Lot’s of folks have lots of reasons. I’m a hoarder in that I haven’t let any of my watches go, but it’s a grand total of a bakers dozen, so not out of control. Granted I’ve only started my fascination maybe four years ago, but I enjoy my snails pace.

If it was a gift it gets kept; everything else is passing through.

Pretty much anything i feel like using, could be a daily watch or just for some spefic use or maybe a watch i inherited from some family member and i am now for the time being it's keeper, but it's always a watch that marks soemthing, it isn't about the money, all my watches are common watches but for example my father gave me his Seiko 5 he wasn't using anymore and i would never trade if for any watch, its worth it's beyond any money.

My collection theme deems all watches keepers. 

That said, I did gift 2 watches recently that brought me no joy. Both came from WatchGang, meaning I didn't select them. 

But if I select it, it has a 99.99% chance of being a keeper. 

If it was gifted to me, it has a 100% chance of being a keeper. 

So I guess that's my criteria: if I selected it or if it was a gift. 

My keeper would be a watch that has most of the features I desire.