Thoughts on your collection and quality over quantity

Same here. 

I have more watches than I wear, but it's not about quality so much as design and lifestyle. 

My most worn watch is among my cheapest, and it's quartz. Two of my least worn watches are from my favourite brand, they're just not as good at what they do as another watch I own. 

I tend to have the philosophy of quality over quantity, however a lot depends on how you define both terms. A Patek collector with 3 or 4 haute  horology grand complication watches may very well look at a collection consisting of a dozen watches from the likes of Rolex, Omega, JLC, etc as being quantity focused, where I would look at the same collection as containing several quality watches.

For me personally, I have an idea in the back of my mind as to what constitutes "sufficient" quality. If given $100K to buy watches, I would probably prefer 10 watches at the $10K price point than 1 watch at the $100K price point, but if given $10K, I would probably choose a single $10K watch, or 2 watches at $5K each, over 10 watches at $1K each.

Neither? I only started "collecting" in 2022 and just filled a 6-slot watch box with sub-$100 watches (Seiko chrono, Victorinox field, Casio Duro diver, Invicta 1953 diver, Timex mechanical field, and Casio G-Shock square). I might be done for awhile to avoid going down the rabbit hole. I think 7 watches (I also have an Apple Watch) is a good number - it means that I get to wear them all, and I only keep a watch if it could be my only watch (and only the Victorinox is iffy despite the fact that it actually was my only watch for over a decade).

I plan to enjoy wearing what I have in 2023 along with a few new straps. Someday, I think it would be nice to pick up a few nicer watches (a Hamilton Khaki Field or Seiko Baby Alpinist, and maybe an Oris Big Crown Pointer Date or Longines Spirit), but I've gone over 50 years without a watch having a sapphire crystal, so I'd also be OK if I really am "done."

As discussed, quality is a very subjective term. One may find a Seiko SKX quality, whereas equally, you may find an ALS owner looking down at Rolex. 

These days I do not even think of it. It becomes buying what I like and the process. I find it more than reasonable to equally love a box of Rolex and Omegas as much as a box of microbrands, or a box of GShocks. Could I trade in ten $1K+ watches for another $10K watch?  Sure, but would I like it as much as the ten journeys to those watches? Nope.

I've gone through a BUNCH of different stages over many years re: number of watches, quality, brands, etc, so when I say the following things, I hope people don't think I'm calling them out because they do things differently; chances are I was doing EXACTLY what you're doing now, at some past stage, and thinking it was absolutely the true and right and just and ONLY way to collect :) So without any further ado...

Yes, I find myself slashing my collection of late. I think I will always have about 8-ish watches, but they are going higher in quality, so that even my beaters (aside from a Duro that I just can't give up), are in the 500-1000 range, and I've given up ALL microbrands, and am just concentrating on quality watches from brands with real heritage. So that when I look at my collection today I think banger... banger... banger... and there's no weird stuff. No stuff I'd even have to half-explain to watch people as to why I think it's good. 

Presently, I feel REALLY good about how I'm curating my collection.

Once I got my hands on a few enthusiast/entry level watches, I started working up the quality scale, though I haven’t gotten very far yet. I find that I can really only regularly ware 5-7 watches. It seems that there is room for 1-4 additional “specialty” pieces, such as a watch to work out in and a dress piece or two. 

I‘m currently at 9 watches which is pushing my limit In wearability. I am still interested in adding another 3-5, so I’m trying to be very selective and move up in quality. 

For me, it's not about that. I wear watches to express myself, my personality and what I happen to do doing. I'm wear dress watches when doing art. I'm wear divers when I'm outdoors. And I'll wear g shock when I'm traveling. It's all about the activity and how I'm feeling. And how much diversity I need really depends on what's happening in my life. So the number will change over time, but it has to be organic. Not because I think it's too much or too little. And I think most people intuitively do this. 

I've started shedding some that I'm not in love with on the sub-$100 level, because a) not loving them and b) I want one mid-level quality Swiss piece & keeping 20+ watches is just silly for me. 

I don't like selling, and I also don't want a huge collection, so I've been limiting myself to buying one watch a year since I started in 2015, and really thinking it through. I skipped 2017, so I have 7 watches. A box with six slots, and one on the wrist.

I am honestly struggling a bit with what to do in 2023. I am at a crossroads. Currently, these all get worn. There's no plan or rotation, just what I feel like on the day, and they all still get picked up from time to time. So there's nothing I really want to get rid of.

Part of me feels I should sell one or two, not for financial reasons, just to keep the collection curated and manageable.

And this price range is about where my taste tops out. I would not consolidate to move up, as there really aren't high-end watches I would wear.

If I was to buy a watch today, it would probably be something like a Rolex Explorer or an IWC Mark XX.

So I don't really want to climb the ladder further in terms of quality. My BLNR is a kind of ceiling for me. And I don't want to keep loading up on simply more watches.

...

(Do I?)

I’m up to 8 … I don’t count the family watches from 1954, 1935 and an 18-? pocket watch - they aren’t worn and make me happy just existing.  
For me 8 feels like quite a few and I’ll be torn about further additions without any subtractions.  As u mentioned I hate that some are now getting worn quite rarely 🤔

weirdly - when I last considered selling one my wife said “no it’s too nice, you should just keep it “. 😳

I'm also in this situation. I have watches I'm comfortable just keeping in the closet. If they get worn once a year that's good enough for me. But my main collection is really 4 to 5 mini collections. I think only about 12 watches get worn regularly since I switch them up everyday and sometimes wear two in a day.

I can definitely see myself giving away watches more so than selling them. Selling is such a pain sometimes and not as rewarding, especially anything under $200. But that's just me.

I would ideally like to have just the one 12 watch collection in the next few years if I'm able to acquire some higher quality pieces. We'll see how I progress. When I'm retired maybe I can aspire to only 3, I'm not mentally ready for that yet though.

It's always about "quality." A $50 watch can be really special, sometimes more special than a $5000 watch. And some people just have a larger "quantity" of "quality" watches than others....

Though I'll never understand trophy collectors. If it's not getting worn, it should be moved on, and there's probably a "quantity" limit of watches that can reasonably be worn. 20? 30? 100? With the reasonable exception of pieces that have sentimental value, if it's not worn at least twice a year it should probably be moved on. But that's just, like, my opinion, man. 

I get watches that look fun or useful... or both :) They have qualities I like and I have a quantity of them :)

This is a great collection!

I started a bit all over the place a few years ago, going for designs and watch types I thought a collection should have. I’ve gone back in the last 18 months as I realised 2 things were really getting my attention: movements and life situations. Didn’t really need a dress watch (never really find myself in dressy situations and its not a genre I’m drown to anyway), didn’t really need a tool watch, etc.

Ended up selling one watch and gifting most of the rest (Seiko 5, Seagull 1963, a bunch of Christopher Wards…) to focus on killing 2 birds with 1 stone with my grail movement within a travelling GMT (GS sbge253), picking up smith versatile for my 6.5” wrist with also a nice mvt (BB 58), the curiosity of titanium (waiting for my AD to fulfill my Pelagos 39 wish), and of course a Mudmaster for those quad bike trails and other outdoors festivities. I’ll finish up later this year by putting my name down for an Explorer 36 (the grail watch for me, if such thing exists) and I really think I’ll be okay for a long while.

Turns out I have other expensive hobbies that need more attention (like paying the totality of my London flat mortgage as early as possible - these things will kill you).

I started with a plan to create a collection that had a watch for all occasions, yet as small as possible.  I desired a variety of styles, brands, and dial colors.    I further wanted to collect in three themes, land, sea, and air.  I determined that I could achieve my goal with 9 watches.

My collection was completed back in December, and I’m not considering any changes.  I’ve never sold or traded any pieces.

All that said, I have bought several homages to have some budget friendly fun.  I don’t consider watches that cost under $500 to be part of the collection.  These are just fun little things that I can bang about wearing without concern.  It also gives an outlet for the times I have the itch for a new watch, because the budget is closed for luxury pieces.

I definitely added a handful to my collection at a faster pace than I probably should have.  I personally believe they are all great quality (I am obviously biased), but some don’t get worn nearly enough for me to justify keeping them, so I plan to modify my collection this year. I’ll likely make some swaps or just sell 2 of them.  So quality is an absolute must for me (and based on my completely subjective opinion), but likelihood of being worn often, and comfortably (on a few different levels of comfort) is equally as important to me now. 
 

My daily watch selection process/habits have shown me what I REALLY look for and care about in a watch that will tag along with me as I traverse life. This has in turn helped me define a set of criteria for any potential watch purchases moving forward. I find this allows me to keep loving this watch collecting hobby and to continue hunting for the next addition to the collection, but it also severely limits the number of candidates for addition to my collection, but in a good way. It makes the hunt more challenging, which I love. 
 

It’s starting to look like a 4-5 watch collection will be ideal for me. At least that is what I am thinking today 🤣

Nice tight collection, solid choices that can fit almost any occasio.

Wristwatch collection — quality 

Pocket Watch collection — quantity 

I sold all of my watches that I never wore and I feel a lot better about the ones I have left, which I rotate, and also I feel good that I've room for anything that comes up to buy... It'll probably be more expensive than I'd previously bought as my taste has changed some, plus having fewer watches of 'heirloom' quality sits well with me.

Personally I have quality over quantity. 3 watches. I'd rather have three really nice pieces than 20 average or ok one's. Just my opinion. 

Currently I'm at 5, but I can definitely see at least 2 of them going away when I get my next big purchase in a few years. It was fun experiencing those watches but they don't need to stay in my "permanent" collection.

I can see myself doing maybe 4~6 "proper" watches at most. I can't imagine rotating through more than that.

There's a sartorial aspect to watch collecting for me and I like to have a variety of watches of different styles and colors to match what I'm wearing and doing.  For example, if I'm going to be watching the Pittsburgh Steelers play American football (sadly not in the playoffs, but I digress), I'm wearing a black and gold watch to match my jersey.  

I'm not a wealthy man as some of you clearly are by seeing your collections, so my strategy has been more affordable watches in a variety of styles.  At this writing, I have roughly three dozen watches, some worn more than others and some I rarely wear, but they're there if I "need" them.  Nothing in my modest collection is worth more than a few hundred dollars - and I'm fine with that - and still enjoy reading posts from men of means discussing their expensive watches.

This hobby is for all and there's no right or wrong way to collect.  I love and appreciate those who are not watch snobs.

Your next step could be in the middle( I like You first and next list) definite watch , one with Sapphire Crystal , like eco drive maybe Even platinum. 

This is good, I've done the purge thing a couple of times myself.  I've figured out it also helps to have a plan or a goal in mind for your collection or basically the same thing happens again.

I find myself constantly buying and selling in the cheap/affordable 500 -1000 range. Right now I'm sitting on 8 watches.

Great point, John! I think I'll plan out what I want for my collection and go from there. I think it also emphasizes how impulse purchases can derail any plan. 

As I was writing earlier in the thread, 8 is where I'm currently at, and it feels much better than when I was at 12. I can live with it, but I think I'd almost like to be at 6. It's still loads of watches, especially if you have 1 or 2 that you really love wearing and have several watches getting hardly any wrist time at all.