Your biggest tip for new watch collectors?

Quality over quantity

dont buy too much 😂

Now he tells me...😂

I'm writing a post on this and yes, size will be discussed. 

“Mine is easy. Size. Is. Everything.”

Save and get what you want.

Check to see if you're allergic to the material used in the watch before buying it like this one Cruncher.

Poor guy, he bought a Rolex Explorer II GMT only to find out he had a bad nickel allergy and had to sell his grail/exit watch. That sucks. 

Edit: found the post. Also it's the black dial, not the polar dial, sorry about that! 

https://www.watchcrunch.com/watchesofbruno/posts/sadly-i-have-to-let-my-rolex-explorer-ii-go-17121

Buy watches only when you have the money for it. Don’t buy on credit, and never use money that’s been earmarked for something more essential. 

You don't need the approval or validation of strangers on the Internet.

If you don't know what to spend your money on, then maybe, just maybe, don't spend the money!  If you ask other people what to buy, they'll usually tell you what they want; quite often completely ignoring any requirements you may have set.  

Spaffing your money on something somebody else wants is just idiotic.

Totally agree with @geogop . Watches are not a necessity, and as such should only be purchased when they can be truly afforded. It's really easy to be tempted into buying watches based on the hype surrounding them, even if it may not be wise to do so. Remember that having the finds available to buy something is not the same as truly being able to afford it.  

Size is probably the most important. I can wear up to 42mm (and wear one right now), but nowadays, when a watch is above 40mm I give it a miss. I haven't figured out yet where my low end is, I'll experiment with some cheap ladies watches.

Other than that, for buying online:

Pay. attention. to. the. listing!  It happened to me more than once that I bought a watch online, it arrived, I didn't really like it - and the reason I didn't like it was already shown in the listing, had I paid closer attention to it. 

Beware of rendered images. They can be deceptive either way. It is sometimes the only choice of image on a listing. Try to find a real-world photo of the watch to get a realistic impression, perhaps in a customer review, perhaps in a youtube watch review, etc.

Size is a good one, although I had to do a bit of experimenting to work that out.

What I would add, in my experience, is that diameter doesn't tell the full picture, but lug to lug is a big indicator. 

Although like everything, there are exceptions. My Seiko 5 SRPG is 39mm diameter and 48mm lug to lug. The latter "breaking my rule" of not going beyond 46mm lug to lug. Although I came up with that rule after getting the watch, somehow it fits me very well?

I have been able to sell two watches that ultimately were too big for me, breaking even on both as well.

This sums it up perfectly

Buy what you like and buy what you can afford. Don't get caught in hype. 

Each kidney is worth around $25K on the black market, but think hard before selling the second one....

also, if you thinking of buying as an investment, don't. There are better places for money you need. However, if you are thinking about your first serious watch, try this.....

Draw out cash to the sum of what you are willing to spend on the watch.. 

Pile it up in the garden and grab some matches....

Answer this simple question - "Am I willing to set fire to this?".

If yes, buy the watch. If not, don't.

Always do your homework first, take your time, buy what you like 👍 

I will second the thoughts about size and making sure you’re buying watches that work for your wrist. My biggest piece of advice is to take your time. This is a hobby that rewards patience. The pull to be impulsive is incredibly strong but it pays to be patient. Ignore the messages about needing to jump on a release in the next 5 minutes. Read, try on what you can, chat other watch people, and enjoy the different parts of the hobby. 

Don't get caught by the hype. Don't overspend. Buy what you like. Make sure it fits you.

And the biggest, most important piece of advice is, don't buy a watch to impress other people.

Just buy an Aqua Terra and walk away from the madness. 

Don't buy something because the community, and/or influencers say, "everybody needs to own/experience ______". 

Buy what appeals to you and pace your purchases. You don't need to buy all the things right away. 

Don't. 

Nah, but in all seriousness, buy what makes your heart and stomach feel funny. Try watches on in person if you can, talk to ADs, brick and mortar shops, navigate prices and trends. 

Have a piggy bank exclusively for watches, and save up every cent you make outside of work, tips (unless you're a waiter) gifts, selling other watches, etc. Then buy whatever YOU like.

The only people interested in your watch are

1. Watch nerds like us
2. People with ulterior motives

Don’t agree with the size idea at all… buy what you like is the best advice.  But I would add, whenever possible see handle and try on a piece in person before you buy.

Know when to stop

All I would say is don’t forget - THEY ARE JUST WATCHES!

I know it’s easy to get caught up in this parallel universe but In reality, nobody really cares, and those that do will appreciate whatever you wear even if it’s not their cup of tea. 

I'm always bemused when someone thinks watches can 'maybe' be too small, as if it's something weird. It happens quite a bit. I have an 8" wrist, for example, and it's pretty flat as well. 40mm is borderline on me, and anything smaller is a deadset, "Is that a women's watch or a child's watch you're wearing, mate?" moment. So while I wholeheartedly agree, if you have a small wrist, you shouldn't be sporting a wrist canon on it, I think it's equally fair in the opposite direction that if you have a wrist like mine, you shouldn't be getting sucked into the whole, it's vintage inspired/decades ago all men wore watches this size/38mm will fit anyone type conversations, as they're just patently nonsense when it comes to watches fitting some of us.

Take time to research and explore.  The world of watches is vast and there are so many great brands to consider.  Don't be afraid to go down the rabbit hole...

There are plenty of low cost amazing watches out there... 

Most of us have way more important things to buy and save for. 

The risk with watches is that we can always see something a little better a little more expensive and then we can spend more and more and that's in my opinion something to avoid. Watches are bad investment. 

Of course we can enjoy wearing watches but at some point having a a big amount of them can make this totally meaningless. This is my humble opinion and i don't judge people having 100s of watches in some boxes with many of them that will have almost zero time on the wrist. 

Get some watches that will have significant meaning for you and wear time is a good indicator of this. 

Of course money is very subjective and spending 80$ for a casio Duro marlin could be the equivalent for someone spending a few thousands for someone else on a Omega or Rolex but this casio made me discover that 44mm is to big for my taste. I can't imagine spending alot of money and not wearing a watch after realizing that i don't like it much or wear it because it is not something i feel comfortable with. 

My first language is french i hope it's not to bad... 

I'll wear a little seiko 5 today! 

Have a beautiful day! 

1- no rush, do your homework.

2- buy a watch to wear the watch, so expect scratches.

3- learn from your mistakes (buying/selling)

4- keep in mind that a mechanical watch will eventually need a service, so consider the cost.

5- don't buy a watch if you don't have enough money left to replace it right away.

6- if it is expensive, don't tell your half. No, don't.