Hot Take: If it’s a watch and I own it. It’s part of the collection

If you wear it, it’s part of the collection.

Any watch you own is part of your collection I’d say. Don’t let people gatekeep the hobby.

All watches you own are in the collection, no matter the backstory.

Oh, for sure! that's my take on it.

Naa I have 3 good watches and 3 garbage that I never wear. One of the garbage ones still works but I don't like it and I don't wear it. I might just use it if I'm painting so I don't get paint on a nicer watch.

Saying "But I only count these" is such a clumsy flex. No dude, if you have it it's part of the collection. If it's not then sell it/give it away and eliminate the confusion. Either way, cut with the humbleflex, k?

All of mine count as part of the collection. Some of my older ones don’t get much wear but all count as memories. Yes, I’ve got a lot. No, don’t ask.

If you own it, it’s part of your collection. That said, I do count my luxury watches as my ‘Primary’ collection, and I am more serious about those acquisitions. I consider my budget watches (which I define as typically under $500), as a ‘Sub-collection’. I just don’t take the same amount of consideration in the budget watches, often buying a homage to try out a model long term on the wrist for style and feel. Since there’s such a difference in the purchase decision, and it’s not about snobbery, I feel there’s a natural division within the collection. One thing I LOVE about the budget sub collection is that I feel comfortable having them at home, as opposed to the main collection being in a safety deposit box. Idk, it’s definitely not about feeling insecure wearing and owning budget and homage watches. But there’s definitely a difference between the two sides of the collection and so I view them separately.

I live in denial. I don't collect. So nothing is part of my collection 😉

As a collector of many things, I understand the sentiment. But not everything I own is part of "my" collection. From comics, toys, to watches, I have some items I have are for profit and trade with the goal of getting something that is going to be part of my personal collection. All in all, do what you want with your stuff and let others do the same. No need to waste brain energy on how other people curate their collection.

All watches that one owns is part of one’s collection. Even the broken ones and the ones that don’t tell the time that need service - the one within a battery etc..

Lol, I'm the opposite! I never post anything £1k upwards. I think if it's worn then it's in the collection. My only exclusion is the $3 AliX bought for painting. Though even this has a school clock cool look...

There was a boy and his grandfather and their horse.

The grandfather suggested that the boy should ride the horse since it was a warm day and they were headed into town.

They passed some older ladies who remarked, "Look at that selfish young boy riding the horse while that older man is left walking."

So the boy got off the horse and the grandfather got up on the horse and they continued into town.

They passed a young family and heard the remark, "What an inconsiderate man to make the young boy walk while he rides the horse."

So the grandfather got off the horse and they both walked into town leading the horse.

Then they passed a group of young college students who remarked, "What a terrible old man and boy to make that poor horse have to walk around on such a hot day"

The last they were seen, the young boy and the grandfather were carrying the horse...

Your Wrist. Your Rules!

I guess it's just personal preference. I wouldn't count a Garmin as long as I didn't use it as a traditional watch too 🤔 But it doesn't matter either way? We keep track of out own collection and the government has yet to regulate this part of my life 😅

It’s interesting, because I’ve got someone on another thread arguing with me that he can sell his sub $500 budget watches and average getting half or more of his money back. I just don’t think it’s likely to happen for the average collector. I hate to think of my hobby in financial terms. But, I have to take value retention into account if I am to indulge myself in watch collecting. I have my primary collection set and done at 9 pieces, while I’m a little more flexible with the budget sub collection. The budgets are at 10 pieces, but I think I’m pretty much done there now also. I have enough variety at minimal cost to feel like I don’t need or want any more (though with Pagani Design tending to be sub $100 with Seiko movements I wouldn’t think twice about buying another that caught my eye). I can’t imagine having 70 watches! You must truly have a watch for all occasions!

It all depends on how quickly you need cash and how much time you are willing to wait until you get the money you want for a timepiece. I am talking about rare, discontinued, hard to find watches, not Pagani's and Invicta's. When I bought my SKX007J for example I paid around 300$, it is in mint condition and I can easily sell it for more than double the money I paid. The same for my moonswatch. I bought it from a Swatch AD and has official papers and warranty (kept even the official bag they gave me). I could easily sell it for at least 20% profit right now. In this sense you can not only get your money back but even make a profit out of your so called "budget" watches. Now to do this for 70 watches it will take a lot of time which I don't have. You just need the right buyer at the right moment because some of these watches really worth the extra money! I actually have 10 watches for each occasion and I try to wear a different watch everyday so they all get my attention. In the end if I would expect from my watches to bale me out from a difficult financial crisis I would be doomed anyway. I try to proactively protect myself using different means. Enjoy your watches, in the end we are in this for the fun

I’ll tip my hat on your luck at picking up a MoonSwatch at retail. I don’t live near a Swatch AD, and frankly think the secondary market prices are for fools. I saw my AD had one awhile back listed at $1600. That’s just stupid. As a watch it is overpriced at MSRP. I wanted one, but as it became clear that it would not become available I ended up buying aPD as an alternative. If I had a MoonSwatch in my hands I’d sell it, because if people are offering stupid money I’ll take their stupid money.

Regarding the odd Seiko that becomes hot for whatever reason, I agree that sometimes these opportunities happen by sheer chance. If I were you, I’d sell at such an opportunity. The reality, as I see it, is that better watches are released to replace previous models every day. I see watches like I see cars. Both are depreciating property, on average. A smart buyer will typically take depreciation into account before the purchase. That is why I have a Subaru and never considered a Fiat. Nothing against Fiat. But I can’t take those levels of depreciation. Watches are the same. One of the things that Omega offers as a brand is excellent value retention in the event I have a financial emergency. They are popular, easy to find a buyer for, and I know I’ll get more of my money back if I am at that level of emergency. I could probably sell the Seikos for something. But that’s going to be more hit or miss.

Problem again is that I am not a buyer and I don’t think in depreciation terms when I purchase a watch. Otherwise I would’ve put my money in gold or other precious metals or property. Man you gotta let yourself go sometimes and enjoy life. This is where I am with watches. My mother has cancer, my brother an autoimmune disease with which he struggles everyday. There might be no tomorrow! I just have a hobby to have fun with, I am not trying to build a fortune out of it.

I have old watches (before I got into watches and into this disease)

that I haven’t touched in years and just sit in a miscellaneous bin that I don’t think about and could throw out. Those I don’t count as part of my collection.

However if it’s a monetary thing, I don’t get that. If you like it/wear it I would say it’s part of the collection. But to each their own. As YoureTerrifc would say. “For me”

I am sorry to hear of the health issues within your family. Truly hope everything works out.

I must admit to being confused that you refer to yourself as ‘not a buyer’? Are you just getting watches as gifts? I’m really confused.

Thanks! I mean I don’t buy watches for their value, to sell them or to trade them afterwards. I don’t buy watches as I would buy a car or a house and in that sense I am not a buyer making conscious planning or thinking if they will hold their value or anything. I just buy them because I like them and I need to have them

Please read my posts before replying.

Have a great day!

Get paint on the crystal, then sell the design to Swatch.

What if a guy has nothing but a bunch of different Invicta divers?

Operative word is"yet"

Safe deposit box!!! What?? Cant you just keep them at home....?

Sure, but it is an unnecessary theft risk. I may not have the largest, or particularly valuable collection. But, I do know that home burglary is only solved 13% of the times they are reported (as per last study I happened to see). True, you can add your watch collection to your homeowners insurance as a special itemized coverage. But for me the safety box was cheaper, more effective, and gives the best piece of mind. Look, no one wants to think about coming home to a burglarized home.

It happens. In fact, many years ago it happened to me. I will say having your home burglarized changes your perspective of ‘safe’, and ‘secure’.

It happened to a prominent YouTuber who goes by “Archie Luxury “ (though his name seems to be Paul Pluta, whatever). I’ll give you that he was exceptionally stupid. He put it out there on social media that he was going out of the country. He had a valuable collection that he, apparently, left at home in a safe. Guess what? Gone. Even though his pieces were high end, and the serial numbers are out there . . . Gone, and last I knew no information on the thieves.

Not going to happen to me. I once had someone argue with me that bank vaults get broken into also. Which is true. But the big, big difference is that a bank vault takes an extremely skilled group of criminals. Your home, my home, and most anyone’s home is a potential target for a junkie looking for money for a fix. And the police solve bank vault breaks a whole lot more frequently, on average.

got it...it just seems a shame you cant have the security you need at home...If it was me I would just move..JMO Living someplace that is a risk ...not for me life is to short but I understand your situation. My case I can just do what I want when I want but i dont tell everybody about it LOL. Enjoy your collection any way you can...