Core 4
Like many of you, I have acquired more watches than I know what to do with. I’ve found that realistically, I only cycle between around 4 watches at any given time. I have others that are on the chopping block, waiting for me to decide it’s officially time to say goodbye and others that will always remain for sentimental reasons, even if they aren’t really getting worn.
Here is my current core 4. It consists of a
King Seiko 45-7001
Seiko Navigator Timer 6117-8009
Lorier Falcon III
Seiko SPB143
I think there’s good balance here. Two vintage, two modern. Two with dates, two dateless. Two with rotating bezels, two with fixed. There’s a GMT complication and a high beat movement. All of them work on bracelets/nato/leather, and allow me to routinely swap straps. There’s dressier pieces and more casual pieces.
This core 4 realization has me pausing before other potential watch purchases. Knowing I realistically only ever wear about 4 pieces, it needs to be something I want enough to replace something currently in my 4. And honestly, I’m pretty content right now!
I’m curious to hear from you all. How many watches make up your “core” collection? What do those consist of?
web developer, father of 2, avid home cook, lover of coffee and wine, and a complete watch geek
Excellent rotation! And not only because there's good balance or variety. Those are great to have in your rotation. But I feel, with what's being displayed, we get a good feel about who you are. For my rotation of a few watches, they all tend to be dive watches.
I think a rotation says more about ourselves when we choose to wear what we want as opposed to thinking we NEED to rotate to another watch for variety.
That’s a nice core. That hi-beat is awesome. My core is 5. I have about 10 others that I don’t wear hardly at all.
This collection is very my style, very similar to mine. How do you like the Lorier? How often do you wear the SPB? It seems so big compared to the other guys.
My rotation:
Hamilton Khaki Field Auto
Nomos Club
Nomos Tangente
Seiko5 GMT
Dan Henry 1964
Nodus Duality
Tissot PRX
That Lorier caught my eye. Love how it fits right at home on that brown strap 😍
Right now my core 3 is:
Hamilton Kahki Field
Laco Augsburg 39
GShock Casioak
I have a Hamilton Jazzmaster I have been meaning to wear more often however.
I don't limit myself with any predetermined number. All are open and fair game. Just depends on mood, occasion, clothes etc. I'll wear two ot the different ones in a day depending on what I'm doing.
My core collection has, for years now, been a black 16570 Explorer II and a white DateJust. They cover all my bases and give me endless joy, they're the only two I want to wear everything else is just kind of there.
I know! You can gift them to me 😜
That’s a very nice four 👏. As you say, you have everything covered.
We have very similar logic. My core number is four too. I think I could add one or sell one but four feels good. Mine covers all bases - casual/dressy, bracelet/strap, GMT/date/no date/chrono.
Submariner
Explorer II
Datejust 41
Speedmaster Professional
I like the look you got going with your rotation
I’ve got around 10 and my current core watches are these 7. I wear them all routinely and am excited when first putting on any of them.
Mix it up depending on the day ahead of me, sporting requirements, WR (the Kurono does not like water).
My maybe chopping block is my Oris Star Wars and my GS blue glacier
I probably wear 6 out of the 60+ watches I own. Never sold a watch and probably never will.
I seem to lose a few though. 😕
Bizarrely the more watches I get the more I seem to just wear a select few. 🤯
Think I could easily cope with just my heritage SM300, Quartz Aqua Terra and my two Willards. Maybe even "just" the Seamaster as that gets more time than the rest put together 🤔
At start I had more watches (altogether bought 6) but now I got only 2 (Explorer+BB54).
My goal is to have 3 as I found out I wouldnt rotate all of them coz I love wearing Explorer too much.
BB54 is for when I am not too comfortable wearing the Explorer (could be activity, place, outfit).
Currently looking for a dressier watch (want something blingy). My candidate is DJ36 (fluted+jubilee, i just love the wearability of midsize watches).
This collection is very my style, very similar to mine. How do you like the Lorier? How often do you wear the SPB? It seems so big compared to the other guys.
I love the Lorier. The proportions are just perfect for a good daily. Definitely 1016 inspired, but also draws heavily on the Railmaster. I would argue the Falcon could be a great daily for a lot of people. Just so dang versatile. I wear the SPB quite a bit, 40.5mm is on the upper end of my size preference, but it dimensions have never bothered me. it wears smaller (and thinner) than the specs suggest. Although it’s close to the most expensive watch I own, it gets used sort of like a “beater”. I have recently had my eyes on the SPB317, which could potentially replace the 143 in the core 4