Collecting. How deep does your watch obsession go?

Gave up on brochures years ago. I have been offered the latest Rolex catalog/book several times at ADs, you know the one with the Air King on the cover, that watch that can’t be found even a display only model, but turn them down. It would just wind up in the basement.

Yep, I know the brochure you mean! I've had a big clear out of watch catalogues recently. I was amazed how many I had!

I do still get vintage boxes for watches I've bought loose though. It makes them feel more complete to me, even if you can't wear the box on your wrist!

Once it gets deeper than my pocket, it's out of control. 🤣

🤣 So I guess it's always in free fall like the rest of us then!

I keep the instruction manuals and datasheets for all of my watches. I also have the box for my Tissot Classic Dream. (I have lost the boxes for my other two watches long ago.)

I'd like to find some good books on technical specs for both watches and movements, if you guys know of any, drop me a PM or reply to this comment.

At current time, the only watch book that I own is "A Man and His Watch," which I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

Cheers! 🍻

Learned from prior collection's that you can branch off and spend more money on the periphery of the hobby. My collections got out of hand. I keep it simple now. But I'm in my 60s and had those experiences. If you really enjoy it then do it. Have that experience.

Cheers!

Yes, it can get out of hand very quickly. I tend to stick to vintage boxes from the same era as my watches. I'm clearly not the only one as I'm often well outbid on ebay!

Originally I was mad keen on finding original store displays/cabinets. These are now well out of my reach. I'd rather get another watch!

I find myself curious, especially about books, but I haven’t gone too far with it. I have the “Marine Nationale” Book by Watchistry that I was inspired to get listening to a podcast and wanting to learn more about French Navy watches (Specifically Tudor as I wanted to understand the history better after I got a blue BB58). I also ordered Sinn’s catalogue book to go along with my small Sinn collection (Sinn sends this book for free). I have also taken a Chinese 6497 apart and put it back together a few times. Don’t have pics of the books atm but I will still pay the picture tax.

'A Man and His Watch' is a gem and should be mandatory for everyone on here; maybe we should run a poll to see how many of us have it!

I do have quite a few coffee table watch books, none specifically on movements, though. I'm terrible; I tend to skim-read and focus on the luscious photography!

'The Magic of Watches: A smart introduction to fine watchmaking' is an excellent little book, technical, albeit I'm sure you know most of what's in it.

The 'Marine Nationale' book is absolutely superb! A friend and fellow watch nerd has a copy, I have yet to track one down.

Don't you find yourself going down the rabbit hole of searching out the vintage models you discovered in the book? I know that's the first thing I do when I start browsing through watch books.

It is now in my Amazon cart 😎

I do find myself seeking out examples of the watches documented in that book. It’s wild how much provenance is worth in dollars to the collectors who focus on these pieces. For the most part I a.m. content to appreciate Vintage pieces with owning them.

Excellent! 👍

I envy your restraint! 👍

Does this answer your question?

Okay, NOW you've got me going to Amazon, LOL.

This is exactly what I'm talking about! Congratulations on an awesome collection, and for being even more obsessed than me!

I admire you for sticking to such a focused view. It's so easy to get distracted by all the noise, especially on YouTube.

My wife is convinced I have OCD. I think she may be right. lol

I have several shelves packed with books, parts, and other bits. I think it is completely normal, as you go along you accumulate. The challenge for me is organization, particularly with the parts. The books and paperwork are easier to organize.

I thank the humans for creating pdf and jpeg formats... they all take up less room.... the wife enjoys them more in my hard drive compared to my watches and tools taking up space...

That's all part of being a collector right? 🤣

It seems logical to me. It feeds the hobby in between finding and buying watches.

You mention 'parts'. Do you restore your watches too?

Agreed. Wives prefer when they're not surrounded by are obsessions.

I don't do movement repairs, but I do bezels, straps, bracelets etc....

I struggle with replacing straps! Always wary of badly scratching the lugs.

Other than a half shelf of watch books, a couple of dozen more straps than watches and a time-grapher, I'm ok. Which, obviously, isn't ok. 🙄

In this circle I'd say that's completely normal behaviour! 👍

Currently I have 56 tabs open in my browser all on watches 🤦‍♂

That was just delivered this week from Amazon! "A Man and His Watch"