What’s the one thing you hate about being a watch collector?

Promising the wife only 2 per year. She didn't set a limit lol.

I hate that the collector I aspire to be is forever one watch away from me.

Running out of room for the watches.

Nothing. I quite like it.

Paradoxically, having a lot of watches...

Granted, I only have 7, and they're mostly relatively affordable and Japanese, but I find having so many watches that I'm not wearing any one particular watch very often a little unsettling.

I'm a minimalist collector, and through 2024 I'll be taking that number down to a core few, and a sub-collection of a few fun Casios.

"What's the one thing you hate about being a watch collector? These are all first world problems. They’re not really issues, but if I was to complain about anything..

The hardest part for me has to be the never-ending wishlist. It's like every time I tick one off, three more take its place. And the eternal struggle of explaining to non-collectors why you need more than one watch. 'They all tell the same time,' they say, as if each watch doesn't have its own unique story and character!

Or the bittersweet reality of falling in love with a limited edition piece only to discover it’s discontinued or sold out. It’s like finally finding the perfect song only to learn it’s been removed from every playlist!

Then deciding which watch to wear is like picking a favorite child each morning. The indecision is real—and the guilt, palpable!

Trying to figure out which on the wish list is going to be next. And how many times you'll second guess that before you finally make a decision. Oh well like you said, first world problems.

The obsessive who lives inside my head, rent free. WatchCrunch has been an excellent venue to learn about watches, but even more importantly, to take time to discuss and think about what I’m doing in this hobby and why. I’ve been an active collector only about a year and it’s been lots of fun, but at bit frenetic at times. Most (some?) of my purchases have been reasoned and once the decision was made it may have involved a wait for availability. But there have also been more impulse buys than I care to admit.

Certainly all first world, empty-nester, nearly retired problems. I’m frugal and stick with ~$500 or less offerings. But there was quite a flurry of activity recently. Some a matter of availability requiring action but some just out of the blue that felt obsessive. I’m taking a breather now to assess what triggered that and really think about what else, if anything I need.

same but I'm 3 watches away and that's in a financial realm at a tier I can justify.

The constant cheer for “buy buy buy” and the lack of practical considerations outside of specs. For example, you will never get a suggestion on r/Casio to not buy something if one already has 8 of basically the same watch (even color-wise).

Those, a contrarian approach to terminology, and a strange residual hostility to left-handed watches as if they are extraterrestrial artifacts

That nagging voice that eventually comes to the surface: “It’s just a watch.”

Waiting.....waiting...waiting for a watch to drop in price & when the price -does- finally drop, you pull the trigger.

Then, a few days later, with that still smug look on your face, out of curiosity you check the listing again....& the price dropped another $40.00.

You sonofa......🤬

Avarice

That it’s like stamp collecting…you’re pretty much the only one you know that does it 😁

Not being able to have all of the ones that I need.

The fact that companies don't make a watch that I consider perfect 😜 this means I must buy multiple watches

Not being able to afford the pretty things! 😂😂

That's pretty much where I'm heading.

I like to think I am a watch lover/enthusiast rather than a collector, that term has negative aspects. What we do with our time peices echoes in eternity! "Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light or look the world in the face." Marcus Aurelius 😃 My watch drawer is half full rather than half empty!

Not knowing when to pounce on a good deal or when to be patient. Example

I’ve missed out on eBay deals thinking they’ll be there in a few days and then poof.. gone AND

Buying fast thinking they’ll be gone knowing it isnt a limited run and there are plenty.

For me it's that I don't get to see most watches in person. I have purchased some watches that looked so much better in person and some looked better in pictures.

Please seek help....

That is more than 1 expensive watch a week, every week for a year.

The ONLY thing I hate is my OCD of having to check how many seconds my watch has +/- everyday to see if my watch is running correclty 😒

Join us for another episode of things that never happen! ;)

Does your OCD make you hit purchase a lot when you know you shouldn’t?

I made myself a promise this year, if I can go a year without buying a watch I can buy the homage of my dream watch. And yes in my case the homage is incredibly expensive for my budget.

looking at the could have been summer home in my watch box.

The worst thing is also the best thing.

Not being able to afford and own them all…..I appreciate every one I do find, from my cheapest to most expensive.

Admitting to my wife I bought another one. Like most of us🙄😉

This thoughtfulness is well said, @NotThatNeil .