Your collecting philosphy

It is the Mischel marshmallow test for adults for many.

That said, some people like having more watches vs. one really nice and vice versa. Some here have the luxury to buy what they want. Some times it is a $10K piece, other times it may be a $500 piece. For others, they have to save for a $500 piece.

In terms of how many? Entirely personal. For one person five watches is 4 too many. For others? There is no limit and neither is wrong.

My key principle is, Wear more, Collect less. Based on this, my key collection is 10, which I am able to 'satisfactorily' rotate thru the watches. Now somehow I need to get rid of one to get another. Haha

I like a style and hunting. I’m currently on a vintage citizen Promaster hunt too add to my little citizen Promaster collection. There’s just something about watches from the 80s-2000s that do it for me. Smaller size. Mix of new and old tech. I’ve had Rolex, omega, among others. I just like to buy and sell

Do what you need to do. Don't worry about what others say or do. We all have different comfort levels. I Like Rolex, Tudor but I don't bother with them. Seems everyone has one lol.

Enjoy your watch!

Cheers

My philosophy

My watch box holds 10 and I’ve got two spots open. Once they’re full, one in one out will be mandatory. I really only wear 4-5 of them, the others are sentimental pieces.

“Wear more, collect less” would sure be one way of putting my collection. I try to give wrist time to my warches at least 1x a week. Ideally I’d have 7 watches but I’m at 8 now and I don’t feel comfortable with the idea of getting more of them. I don’t like the feel of having money just stashed on the drawer and not wearing it.

It is a versatile balanced collection, that covers almost all my watch needs in my life. I’ll never be caught wearing the wrong watch for the wrong environment.

Ideally wouldn’t want more than 5-6 pieces. I have 4 in mind which would be lifers, and then maybe 2 to enjoy for a while and play a one in one out basis.

My limit would be £10k on a single piece (except the Daytona) but ideally I don’t want to spend more than £6-7k if I can help it.

Quality over quantity. Upgrading instead of hoarding. 3-5 watches max at a time.

After experimenting with different styles and sizes, I have learned what I like and don't like and I have become a lot more demanding of my watches. If it's not a close to perfect match to my expectations and tastes, I'll simply pass knowing a better watch will come along the way. Or I'll build the watch exactly to my needs with the infinite pool of aftermarket parts.

I am also averse to hype brands and the flex culture in general which allows me to open up to the microbrands market for seemingly endless original choices regardless of the name on the dial, and put some killer value watches on my wrist without breaking the bank or looking like everyone else.

I’ve got 2 watch boxes that together hold 20 watches and a 2 watch winder. Because I promised my wife I won’t be getting another watch box so 22 is my limit. I try to make my Collection reasonably varied while making sure all the pieces are ones I’d want to keep. I really wanted an automatic gmt with a worldtimer function and was looking at the Mido Decompression World timer but I went with my Raymond Weil Freelancer gmt as I don’t have anything like it and felt it would stans the rest of time better. And I looked into getting a nice everyday watch with a green dial, date complication and a minimum 100m wr, I was considering the Longinnes Conquest 2023 but went with Formex Essence 39 as that seemed to be better value for money.

I acquired 8 watches in 30 years before inheriting another 40. This rekindled my interest and I have added a further 6 mainly beater watches. I'll buy when I have a few £ and won't when I don't but I have a self imposed limit of around £1000. This is the sweet spot for me but obviously excludes most luxury brands.

When I got into it, I bought a little bit of anything and everything that interested me. That taught me a lot, on a variety of levels. Then I realised what a thriving s/h market there is, and sold off most of my watches, and rebuilt the collection. Did that a few times, actually. To the point where I was laser-focused on watches I knew I loved, and watches I knew would complement each other, to the degree that I think I have a $%^$-hot collection that makes me smile. Is this the only way to collect? No. Is this the smartest way to collect? Maybe in some ways, yes, as it gave me an appreciation of a LOT of watches, but in other ways no, as it took extra time and money and effort. So, in the end, there's no right way to do it. But that's how I did it.

Another problem of a different sort arises over time. Been into watches since 2007. Family members know this, so over the years I have been given many pieces on birthdays, anniversaries, father's day now, Christmas, etc. They might not all be expensive, but they are a part of the collection too.

Plus I LOVE microbrands. Ever since the early days of Watchuseek and reading up on Bathys Watches and early Bill Yao MKII, I have always enjoyed the stuff from the little guys.

Got my Grail a few years ago, adore it and it's hard not to wear it daily...

Got a 6 slot box, one in one out policy.

Slowly upgrading them .

Fell for the hype on a couple that I'm keen to get rid of , but learned my lesson.

No hard & fast rules , just tastes got more expensive,so purchases have to be more considered. - currently having a vintage piece restored.

Buy what you love but more importantly love what you've bought

Interesting one. My assortment tallies up to just over £10k, which means I could have bought the Air King I so desperately lust after, or the 116710LN GMT Master II I'd like to get in the future.

The reason I have my current 10 pieces and not just one of those Rolex's is because I enjoy the variety of colours, styles, functions etc. I like matching the watch to my outfit, or my activity.

I'll be buying a Vario 1918 Pilot when it comes out later this year, and if all goes to plan, a Bamford GMT next month. I do sometimes wonder if this money should go into my future Rolex GMT Master II pot (I have the cash ready for the Air King now) but then think about all the times I'll wear those other 2 watches before I get there, and decide that's a better idea.

My assortment for reference:

I usually buy what I like at a reasonable price. I set a max limit on my collection, anything above I sell. Capital gained goes back into the hobby and the cycle continues.

I've been a 1 watch + beater guy for almost 10 years. My one and only is a nomos ahoi that recently had to go in for service, and now that it's not around and I've realized I don't love my beater, I've gone in the deep end thinking about what I can get as a new beater as well as possibly one more nice watch to rotate with the nomos.

My general philosophy in life is that anything you own, you should use, and anything you use you should absolutely love. Right now I can't see going past 3 watches - the nomos, a beater, and one more every day watch, but if I find a reason I need another watch in my life and realistically think I would use them all regularly, I could expand.

I'm wealthy enough not to care about the cost of the watches that I like. I'm also lucky enough that the watches that I like are in the 500-1500 US$ bracket.

Have you sold to get another ?

During my immature years I spent dollars that I did not really have for my watch hobby, I did grow up with the help of my best friend who is also my wife and severe critic in all matters. I spend freely when all other matters are in order but never forget that my daughters never asked to be born so I try to be a dad even though they earn good incomes. A recent very generous settlement enriched my whimsical bank account by a surprising sum, I impressed myself by sharing with my family, set aside dollars for rainy days, donated a bit to two charities and bought myself the black leather sofa from Italy that I have wanted since my university years.

This is my idea of my collection. I'm thinking 14 watches in my collection then it's one in and one out. I want to have what I perceive as quality rather than a bunch of watches. I have a cap on what I'll spend on a watch. And all I really want is to be able to smile when I wear them all.

More than decent salary and no dependents.

I have a one in one out policy and I try not to go beyond the capacity of 8slot watch box (soon to be ten😊😍) , I don't feel the rush anymore but I carry on enjoying the hunt.

My philosophy is as follows:

1 I don't borrow money for watches cash or nothing.

2 the watch has to be worn, so the functional / aesthetic fit needs to be there or the piece will be sold or not bought in the first place.

3 I try not to have too many redundancies style wise.

As to the SOTC, I got a gmt grand seiko quartz, an omega seamaster 300 midsize, an omega seamaster vintage from the fifties or sixties, a speedmaster snoopy, an ixor mechanical watch, a square dress watch from a French microbrand, a trusty garmin forerunner 235 and another grand seiko quartz from the early noughties which I'm looking to sell.

I have 12 watches and I wear them all in rotation. Sometimes I wear 2 a day and blend with my outfit.

Only given away to family. Have not sold any yet. Haha

I'm no a prestige watch type o guy, I do have a Deep Sea Dweller but its way down my list of favourite watches. I buy watches based on how they make me feel when I see them 1st time. I do a bit of research and if it's not got major issues I'll buy it. If it turns out I don't like it I'll sell it on, 107 watches later n I've no sold any 🤣 As for financing it, if I got it I'll get it.

I think the one in and one out is fantastic.