Does anyone sell their watches before buying more?

Can't respond to 3. but for me, as my tastes change over time and my desire to cut out things from my life which I don't use or bring me joy, I ended up pairing my collection down significantly, trying to only keep watches with great sentimental value or extreme practicality (g-shock). I've never kept a Safe Queen and so I knew everything would be at a loss (also don't have any pieces that could be considered investment worthy anyway).

I would think, you need to decide if you have the piece for investment or enjoyment, rarely I find can you take and wear and occasionally abuse a piece and sell it for higher than you paid (save for vintage rolex you bought at retail when it came out...)

Best of luck!

For me....it's a hobby and not a business so if/when I sell it's not to profit. Don't get me wrong, if the market is more than what I paid then fine, it is what it is, however I don't go into buying a watch for future value. I buy a watch to wear and enjoy.

Normally, I'd say about 90% of the time I sell to people who call "dibs" on a watch and if I can help the hopes and dreams of another WIS then I will. Of course that is reciprocated by others, too. That is one part of the hobby I enjoy.

As to your specific questions:

1) I "try" to stick with a 1 in / 1 out strategy and it works most of the time. The tricky part is selling before I buy or sell after I buy and for me I usually sell before I buy, however there are many times I buy first depending on timing 2) most of the time I sell to fund other watches, I like to cycle through and enjoy as many as I can. Yes, that leads to a few regrets along the way, but that the price you (I) pay. And yes, there are times I sell to fund other things such as anniversaries or something that calls for something nice for my wife.

3) con't help there other than I think its fair to say that across the hobby C24 is known for inflated prices. Sellers love to reference C24 to justify asking prices and buyers counter by "we all know they are inflated due to fees" and "asking price is not selling price" 

On the other hand, I haven't heard anything negative about their safety / security so in that regards I'm sure they are fine. 

Bottom line, have patience, have discipline, don't over-extend and finally decide if, for you, this is a hobby or a business. Either path you decide, have fun and enjoy the rise.

I think @VegasDancer makes a fantastic point:  For you, is this a hobby or a business?

For me, this is definitely, 100% a hobby.  As such, I buy and sell and trade just for fun, and I very much expect to pay money for the privilege of engaging in this pastime.  Every time I've bought and then sold a watch, I've sold for a lower price than what I paid - that is the inexorable law of depreciation of physical goods, other than when there are massive demand / supply distortions, as with Rolex, AP, PP, and VC at this particular moment in time.  😀

In addition to the great comments so far, I would add the following:  You know that saying, "Buy the dealer, not the watch"?  It's the most important piece of advice I've ever come across with regard to watch collecting.

I discovered, by accident, the world's most fantastic dealer on Chrono24, and I buy and sell all my watches through him.  Because we've developed an incredible relationship over time:

• I feel that I'm getting the fairest possible price when I purchase from him
• I feel that I'm getting the fairest possible price when I sell back to him
• Every transaction is perfectly frictionless / effortless - I trust his pricing, he trusts me when I tell him what condition the watches are in when I sell back to him, he emails me Fedex mailing labels so all I gotta do is drop the package off, everything's 100% insured, et., etc.

In the past year alone, I've purchased and then sold back 8 luxury watches to him!  I guess I'm like one of those high-frequency traders, except in this case it's watches and not stocks.  😜

If you're like me, and you really enjoy being capricious and fickle with your watches, then identifying that trusted dealer is the best way to minimize friction and costs / losses over time.

Good luck!

Thanks guys that’s some fantastic feedback and replies! for me it’s def a hobby but money is always limited and I’m answerable to my family so a never ending buying spree won’t work at home 😂appreciate all the replies 

Thanks a lot! Can you message me his coordinates? my email id is subhayu.sen2012@gmail.com. Cheers and thanks a lot

Here is my take on your questions:

1. I normally take a 1-or-more-out-1-in approach for I have about 20 watches and a wife in my collection.  Whether I sell or buy first depends on the urgency of the incoming one (auction? limited release?). The guilty feeling is that I have way too many watches as my ordinary rotation. I love all my watches but some just dont have enough wrist time and that is a shame.  They should roam free on a wrist rather than locked in a box. For instance, I am always in casual wear in recent years and some dress watches do not pair well.
2. Selling (not flipping) is always a good idea when you have more than 10. Your taste changes over time, for sure, except a few timeless models.
3. C24 to me is a good place for this hobby yet the cost is relatively high.  Secured checkouts worked well for me so far.

While I sometimes envy the “less is more“ collectors, I find myself too sentimental about too many of my watches to put myself in that camp. I’ve given one watch away to a good friend and fellow WIS, and sold a few more on eBay. The last two I sold were watches that I liked but had stopped wearing (a modded Seiko 5 and a gen 4 Monster), and I used the funds to help purchase an SPB147. The 147 has become my go-to daily, and I don’t regret the sale of the others for a moment.

One thing that I've found is that as my tastes change, and as my collection grows, there are some watches that don't seem to hold the same appeal as they once did.  Every so often, I decide to wear one of those again, and find myself reminded of why I bought it in the first place.  I've been collecting for just over 3 years, and during that time, I have never sold anything from my collection, although I have been tempted. There are certainly some watches that don't see as much wrist time as they once did, but I'm still pleased to have them in my collection.

A good example is my Omega SMP300 "Electric Blue". I had originally purchased this watch because of the stunning blue dial, but after the fist few months of having it, I started to get bored with it, and had contemplated moving it on. About a week or so ago, I decided to wear it, and after having it on my wrist for an hour or so, I fell in love with it all over again.

My view is dont sell, unless you absolutely have to, or maybe if you are upgrading a reference with a better example.  Every watch I have sold, I have regretted selling afterwards - sellers remorse as its known.  But clearly, if you need the cash to enable yourself to buy another watch you prefer - then so be it.  (nb I am something of a hoarder - so my opinions will be different to others!)

I keep my collection limited. When I take the dirt nap, I don't want my heirs having to shuffle through hundreds of watches they don't want that they can't sell for squat.

Now if all I collected was high-end pieces that they could make big bank off of, it would be worth their time. Otherwise, who wants to leave such a dreary chore for their kids/grandkids. 

Is why I have shifted to fewer, and more upscale watches. 

Likely at the end of 2022 I will gift all my kids and grandkids my entire collection and step it upscale even more as I count down to retirement.

“Sell watches?”  What does this mean?😉  I find selling things generally unpleasant (low-ball offers, security concerns, etc.).  However, I do have waay too many watches, and I often feel bad for neglecting them.

What does "sell" mean?  Never heard of it. :)

Nah. Not worth it, with the watches I buy. I’m on a tight budget, so it’s not like I’m gonna make anything from them.

I only really started collecting seriously about 2 years ago, although I have a few from the 80’s and 90’s onwards, which I have always kept (is that collecting or just hanging on to stuff)?, but really not many. 

I dont sell them, i did however traded away a 14270 away for a milgauss gv before during the early days of my watch collecting journey, i regret not having my exp I while i am happy for having the gv joining the collection. 

I have also traded away a 1680 single red to a 16600, which was a sob story that is a whole new topic to discuss. 

With that said, i dont sell my watches. Even if they dont get much wrist time anymore. 

Every time i look at them and play around with them, they always remind me of certain period of my life and why the watch was purchased. 

Yeah, I think about selling watches from my collection, just like I think about selling items from my other collections. Just never seem to get around to actually selling them. 🤣

Only one of my watches is worth anything and then not very much. I wouldn't know how to sell anything from my 'affordable' selection. I have given some away.

I have a regular shuffle of items in my watch boxes, so that I can be drawn to neglected watches. 

Ok as an update, i managed to sell my watch on chrono

1. I rarely if ever sell, I've got an idea of the collection I want, I keep that as a list and I'm just working though it.  Since watches will be on the list for years before I finally buy them I rarely end up with something I want to ditch.
   
   2. That said, early on I bought a couple of watches in a rush that weren't going to be part of the collection long term so sold them. I used chrono24 (where I've bought maybe 30 watches) to sell and found it super easy and reliable - for me the small difference in fees was worth the piece of mind.

Mattyb  IS RIGHT ON POINT couldn't agree more 

Ihave always sold watch before adding to my collection. At one point I had so many I sold them in bundles to buy a single more upscale piece. To Matts point tastes and what is attractive changes over time. The process and the hunt is the fun part enjoy the journey.

Chrono 24 is a legitimate resale site. I use a private seller on ebay we have worked together for years he is very fair Triadvintage, The owner Kenny and I have developed a friendship over time . Understand "they" have be able to make money on the resale so bargain to the point you are comfortable. Hope that helps     

excellent post!!!

I regularly see a watch I like, …… and I agree with myself that I can buy it only if I sell this or that watch. Then Mr Jekyll takes over and boooom! The wallet is out. I simply can’t wait for the selling bit.    I then justify the actions of my mad friend by making a pact with the devil to now sell the watches I was originally going to sacrifice,. The thing is, this sometimes slips my mind. Oops. This is why I continuously look over my shoulder…….till the next time.

1. I try to keep my budget, rather than quantity of watches around even in/out. And I usually try to only buy watches at prices that I can at least get back roughly what I paid for them.

2. Selling watches is a great idea if it allows you to buy ones that will bring you more enjoyment.

3. I have not used Chrono24, mostly just forums and eBay.