My main reason I’ll probably never do another SOTC

Why would you think anyone looking at your collection think it’s trash? I just took a look at what you have in your profile and I don’t think they’re trash, and I’m pretty certain a large portion of people here wouldn’t think that either.

You don’t need to walk into a high end boutique to have a nice watch, that’s a myth.

Your taste, is what separates you from everyone else. Naturally, it’s not going to align with everyone else. But you know what, that’s okay. Post your watches! Enjoy the hobby! Be proud of what you have!

I see your viewpoint. Some have the ability to drop a fortune on an expensive watch, and only see an homage as a trinket to test the waters, before buying the real thing. For others, including me, they are good watches in their own right, and have no desire to either own the "real" thing, or pay that much for the pleasure.

Each to their own, but it can be mildly irritating / funny to read this opinion. Some opine that a homage is never as good as the real thing, and us homage owners are never truly happy with their inexpensive watch. But, they have the right to say that, even if some fail to realise not all of us have such disposable income, or the desire to spend so much on a timepiece.

We are all different. 😊

Enjoy

The great thing about watch collecting is that there are great choices for every budget range. I personally don’t feel a compulsion to own watches beyond my means—very happy to admire them from afar.

I feel somewhat the same, but WC is also a pretty welcoming place.

Try not to look at it too much in terms of price/status. My entire collection is "budget" to most & resin land waste haha. My most expensive watch is $400 which was a lot for me, and many on here still find it Interesting irregardless of price.

At the end of the day, share what you are comfortable with. There is a pretty open & accepting audience on WC. Something for everyone on here.

My "collection" consists of 4 (+1 ) affordable watches and I am very happy with it. In 2024 I might get one or two more pieces. I don't have the financial power to buy a luxury watch but that's ok and I can happly live with that. I do enjoy looking at other people's expensive and super luxury watches, and here I have the chance to exchange opinions with them, and I appreciate that and I want to believe that they also appreciate it. I've never made a STOC post because I don't find it interesting and I don't have much to show anyway.. I want to view this is a free speech place of which enthusiasts.

Thanks but I don’t own that Omega in my profile pic I wish I did. But most higher end boutiques can sometimes be judgmental. Quick story a few years back I was at a local jewelry store before they started selling Omega, Breitling, Oris etc this wasn’t a high end store by no means. Years prior to them rebranding their store I was at their older location wearing a Casio MTD1010 a Submariner homage one of the employees sees it and says oh is that a Rolex? I kindly said no and the look on his face after I showed him was like someone suckered punched him. I didn’t get any help after that he just walked away like I was invisible. Was he a watch snob oh yeah never saw him with a watch costing less than $10k.

Post that collection! Its a reflection of you and who you are..

How much you did or did not spend is irrelevant and has absolutely nothing to do with the value of your collection. Post up and be proud..the fact that you even have a watch or love watches is the deal..bring it - HNY!

Share only what you’re comfortable with. You do you.

Yeah don’t!! I m getting too tired of SoTC post…

there is a good reason why we have separate words for “good” and “expensive “. these are not synonymous. if you love your collection and wear your treasured watches, I’ll be the first to appreciate it and value over any hyper expensive safe queens. Happy New Year and enjoy your passion for watches 🎉🥳😀

There will always be haters in life - fuck em ya know? One thing I’ll say on expensive pieces - of which I own many - those are the least exciting watches in my collection. I’d much rather look at a unique, well thought out, “lower” budget collection than an expensive luxury collection. Imagine the type of person who would look down on someone’s collection - they’re most likely a douche. Their opinion is rooted in their identity of douche so basically irrelevant. 🤷

But when you’re buying on a budget and then seeing a collection costing thousands or more there’s really no comparison.

Exactly - you shouldn’t compare. Your collection is a reflection of you. It’s not ‘lesser’ than someone else’s because of budgetary constraints. That’s (almost literally) like saying you’re lesser because you make less than someone else and can’t afford what they can. That would be elitist garbage, and not something I - and I suspect most people here - have any time for.

One of the great things about WatchCrunch is seeing different collections at wildly different price points and style perspectives. If it were the proverbial meetup where everyone brought the same thing (be they Seiko 5’s or Rolex’s), it’d be boring.

You’re certainly not obligated to post your collection - or post at all - but if you want to share it here, any worry that people will look down on you is misguided at best or projection at worst, I think.

My accumulation of affordable watches (not sure it’s really a collection) is modest. I think my most expensive watch is the Moonswatch I picked up on vacation. I’ve got my eye on a couple in the $1000 range but I don’t know if I will even pursue them. Spending that much on a watch takes away from my most guilty pleasure…fine acoustic guitars. That’s where most of my discretionary income goes…

You’re over thinking it man, 99% of people do not know or care how much the watch on your wrist is. The person working the counter at a jewelry store can’t afford what they’re selling, they really don’t care. It’s probably refreshing for them to not see a rich snob walk in lol.

As others have said, post what you are comfortable sharing. Your collection is a “view” of your personality.

That is like I constantly flirt with the idea of buying a nice mechanical. Then I remember that having to constantly reset it every time I want to wear it would make me ignore it. So in the end I save my money. Also hence all my pieces are quartz.

I’d think you’d hit the picture limit before we got to the end of yours…

Don't go into the comparison trap. Just be secure, happy & confident with who you are & what you have. Anyone's SOTC may be a kind of entertainment for others who never have the chance to see or own any of them (like yours truly). FYI I never felt disturbed by the SOTCs that you & other fellow crunchers posted so far.

You'll always find snobbery in any hobby, forum or community, just have to live with that (but so far i feel great being a single watch guy on WC, lots of crunchers are cool & kind). You're not responsible for how others may feel regardless how modest or how luxurious your SOTC post might be. Just do it out of your passion, not out of snobbery, and enjoy yourself 🍻

For the record, I've never done a SOTC. Not through fear of anyone calling it trash - if they're going to bag Omega, Tudor, etc, then they're probably quite weird and I don't need to hear from them anyway - but simply because I don't see the point. People pull out their watch boxes and are all, "Ta-daaaaaa!" like they've just revealed something amazing. And, cards on the table, I've seen very few collections I'm amazed by. Not because I think they're trash, but simply it's one person's interpretation of what watches speak to them. And usually those watches don't speak to me. So 9 times out of 10 when I see a SOTC I think, "OK... so what?" And, given that, I find in nonsensical for me to do the same.

Never ever attach your value or the value of things you own to their price tag. If they mean something to you, that's enough. What we think doesn't matter since we don't know much less love you as a person.

Frankly watches as a rule are largely inflated luxury toys; if you actually look at some of the people in these boutiques (especially airport boutiques imo) it'll quickly cure you of any delusions of expensive watch/stuff = class. A whole box full of $10 grand+ Rolexes can absolutely still be trashy in my opinion

You are here, you collect watches, you are an enthusiast, we enjoy seeing all watches and hearing from everyone. I don’t have a fancy car, I drive a Honda Ridgeline. My brother in law has a classic Corvette and invited me to a car show he goes to. In my mind, and it appeared many minds, a lot of people were drawn to the VW Bug that was on display. It’s cool, it’s quirky, it’s fun, and it belonged in that lot right there next to every other car.

You love your watches, we love ours, and all of us are here to share our love of this hobby.

dont worry, we love watches here (at least many of us). no such thing as trash watch to me. to me even apple watch is a watch. :)

I feel like this probably isn't a problem with you showing your SOTC here but I think this is more of an issue coming from the use of social media; i.e. it's becoming common that people get affected by others' comments/actions.

By all means, please do whatever makes you feel more comfortable.

Nothing wrong with a collection of affordable watches brother — most of us have a few, and some of us started our journey with nothing but affordables. With the exception of replicas and clomages, there’s plenty to love and respect about them — one of the most beautiful small collections I saw this year was a Seiko-only one, with a bunch of gorgeous cocktail-time dials. Collect away and post away!

Its a great ability to look at yourself and what your doing and have an understanding with it,I like your post I get it,I've not seen your watches or collection,I feel the same some times just collecting seiko gs none watch people think I'm insane and buying crap,but I generally give love and likes on this site because we share the same passion,even if I don't like a watch or wear it I respect the watch love ❤️you own your actions my friend I hear that,be proud and loud in the crowd my friend,the guy with the RM money could never afford your humility,happy new year 🥳

I, for one, thank you for not posting a State Of The Collection.

A SOTC is like holidays snaps or baby pictures - they mean the world to you, but I have zero interest, and the best I can ever muster is a half-hearted “Oooh, lovely” or “Aw, so cute”.

I could blow smoke up your arse and tell you that your watches are “cool” and “fascinating” but frankly I really don’t give a shit and don’t have the energy to lie to you. Even clicking the ‘fire’ icon feels like too much effort.

I'd rather see a collection of cheap watches full of all the variety that only cheap watches can bring than any boring boxfuls of luxury brands which show us exactly the same watches over and over again.

Bring out your Casios and Invictas!

Also I'll never have to post another SOTC because I purposely made all my cheap watches look the same now too.

Someone else above said WatchCrunch is - imho as well - a welcoming community so please, make yourself comfortable, and you do you! 🙌🏻

But please, whenever you feel like, do share your knowledge and/or watches, especially Seiko and Casio as I'm hooked 🤪

Assumptions….you know the colloquialism. Deciding what anyones reaction will be prior to allowing the to react is arrogant. Put on your big person pants and if you want to show watches you’re passionate about, let the one out of ____ matter…end if you’re the “one.” The post was whiny.

I've never spent more than 80$ on a watch and i'm very happy to be in this hobby, money doesn't matter unless you want to show off to other people. Despite seeing watches here that cost more than my car, I don't feel anyone on here shows off, it's all a hobby and we enjoy watches, not the way we are perceived by other by owning them.

Comparison is theif of joy. Be content with what you have and don’t worry about what others think!