What is the longest amount of time you’ve kept a watch and what motivated you to keep it?

15 years, and I kept it because it was so shitty I wouldn't even bother selling it, and I have a hard time throwing things away that are still technically "good".

This Kalber watch given to me by my Grandfather over 50 years ago.

I keep it because it reminds me of him. It currently doesn’t run and the last watchmaker I took it to told me in no uncertain terms to never bring it back. 😂 I’d like to find someone to fix it or possibly put a quartz movement in it. Although, It’s hard to justify the expense on what was a probably a $5 watch when he bought it. I’m not really sure of the age but it was a well used watch when he gave it to me.

I believe the longest I’ve had a watch is about 5 years. That’s when I began the hobby.

I’ve never sold a watch, though I have given a few away.

What movement is in it? Perhaps learn to service it yourself?

It’s been a long time ago but IIRC the jeweler said it was a cheap Swiss movement with 3 or 4 jewels. I’ll regulate a watch but tearing one apart is beyond me.

I bought a quartz Citizen 30 years ago before my wife and I got married and I still have it. The movement needs replacing but due to the sentimental value I can’t part with it.

I buy what I like. Why sell? My oldest is 1978 longines.

married 36 years and still got the watch she gave me.

32 years.

My 1st watch purchase.

I didn't collect at that time so it was one watch I wore just about every day. Still accurate. Still lights up.

The oldest one I have is 17 years old. I kept it because we had some interesting times and travels together. Still runs like a champ.

Longest owned watch I have is a cheap Timex. I bought it back when we first were married. We just pasted 27 years. It's a Timex. You don't keep memories of a cheap $20 watch. But I don't get rid of any watches.

This Advance Quartz. It’s been with me now 30 years. Was the first watch I bought when I was 14/15.. $5 bucks. Still works. Need to replace the battery for the digital part.

I have a Swatch that was given to me in 1984.

35 years

Never sold a watch.

My Rolex Explorer II ref 1655. Purchased in 1978 for about $850 and wore it every day for 20 years. I finally sold it when I realized how much it was worth then and couldn't justify wearing $20,000 on my wrist. Hell, it was going to cost over $500 just for a long-overdue service on it, and I couldn't justify that when brand-new high-quality watches were available for just the price of that service!

I now wear Steinharts and, frankly, my OLKO Special Edition of their Ocean GMT is a wonderful homage to that long discontinued Rolex...and a BETTER watch!

I’ve never sold or otherwise gotten rid of a watch that still worked, so 29-30 years for this one, since I’ve had it since high school (never wore it then, tbh):

Of my “nice” watches, it’s 17 years and counting for the one that really started it all:

36 years, a gift from my maternal grandmother. Works just as well as on the day she bought it.

Ya’ll are balling, mine is 6 months 😅 and I already feel like it’s been with me for ages 🤪.

I've never really sold any of the watches I've owned. I've returned a couple that I wasn't really happy with or they broke and i didn't bother to fix them but other than that I've kept mine since I've been collecting over 25 years

I still have the Seiko Kinetic my folks got me for my 16th birthday (so more than 25y in my possession at this point). It's non-functional and I don't think I'll get it working but it was my daily for about 10 years so has a lot of sentimental value.

My Rolex…..kind of. Purchased in 1981 to reward myself on moving from Los Angeles to Northern California….the watch was stolen 5 years later but replaced within two weeks buy insurance so 43 years.

Both killer watches 👍

An old quartz dress watch from 91, a JLC Reverso from 97, a Breguet Classique from '06 - they were all I had with a square G-Shock until perhaps 4 or 5 years ago. I really need to return to those days, it was much simpler.

About 12-15 years. Not even sure when I bought it but I’m know it’s somewhere in that range. I have it because I love it.

With a watch I actually wear, 21 years. I have “longer lasting” watches, but I don’t wear them. Just keep them around because I have a problem 😂

I still have it. Although I always loved watches, I was not addicted until 3 years ago. My wife bought me a watch for my 40th birthday (In June I turn 60). I wore this watch every day for 17 years and it still keeps perfect time. It's a dress watch, but I wore it as my everyday watch. I can't even keep count how many leather straps I went through. I now keep it on my desk and it has never been serviced and never had to change a battery because it's an eco-drive. It keeps going on the minimal light it gets from the lamp on my desk.

I never went swimming with it, but I wore this watch daily in all other activities and never babied it at all. Amazing quality for this watch that cost $100. Here is the Citizen Eco Drive that deserves a happy retirement. Thank you for your service. lol

Thanks for the post, it will give me an excuse to wear it today.

43 years, the watch I found as a child. A McDonnell watch from the happy ring house in Irelands O'Connell street

About ten years, my grandad gave me his old Seiko when I was 6 or 7, The crystal recently came off and the hands got bent, but I'm going to order new hands and get them fit at my local jewellers when I get round to it

17 years (wedding watch - I will never part with it!).