When did it start for you?

Wow, first of all: nice collection 🤣

For me it started when I was about 6-7 years old and saved enough money to buy some Casio digital watch with alarm, illuminated display, etc. that I unfortunately can’t find anymore.

That was about it until I was a student (~19years old) When I got back into this hobby after exchanging my Apple Watch for a few watches (Fossil, Tommy Hilfiger,…) They weren’t necessarily good or expensive watches, but the Hilfiger one was a mechanical watch. I would guess that it was a Miyota movement or similar.

That one got me interested and I quickly began to develop a certain interest for decent watches. I watched reviews and explanations and documentarie, etc. about watches and finally bought a Tissot PRS 516 Automatic with my limited student-resources. I also bought a few cheap watches within a year or two, like Seiko, a secondhand Junkers, etc.

I steadily lost interest when I recognized that I wasn’t able to afford watches like Omegas, Breitlings and similar at that moment. I then got an Apple Watch again.

Big jump to August 2021:

I have completed my studies a while ago and have a job that pays enough to be able to afford luxury goods. I walked through Schaffhausen, Switzerland when I came across a jeweler’s shop window and saw beautiful Rolexes, Omegas and what not. In this very moment, my interest for watches ignited again and I made my first purchase around two weeks later (Breitling Aviator 8 that I already sold 🤣). Quickly after came an IWC Mark XVIII for my birthday and a few other watches until today.

Since August I (re)gained a pretty decent knowledge about mechanical watches and the watch industry and until today I didn’t loose a single „bit“ of interest for this topic.

Watches simply have something magical to them. After all the years they still amaze me (again)

That was my story :)

Thank you! Very proud of this collection and glad it wasn't tossed lol. 

Love your story - so funny the twists and turns the hobby takes and the circumstances that lead you to what stays and leaves the collection. I've been looking at IWC lately - eyeing the Pilot 36 IW324010 - congrats on the Mark XVIII! 

I recently got my first Grand Seiko - the SBGX261 and it barely leaves my wrist - wasn't anticipating the purchase, but something compelled me ✨

Cheers to watches 🙏

Thanks a lot! It has been a crazy experience so far, and an expensive one for sure 😩

Some people will say that once you collected all of your grails it’s over, but it’s never over 😄 

First of All, nice collection!!! That Power Ranger strap and the morphin pic hit hard.

For me, it was my dad, he always had this big bulky diver watches on him and I've loved to watch them on his wrist, when I've graduated from High School he gave me one of his collection, a Bulova Moonphase,  which I did'nt use for the sentimental value. That was when I was 18, now I have 30, and for my 30st birthday I've decided to buy a Tag Formula, to match my dad's Aquaracer. And from that on, I've send the Bulova to service and started a collection, not much, but I love every single one of my pieces.

Cheers!!!

Been an avid watch lover for many years. I probably got my first watch in the ealy 60's. Timex of course. Been through a few hundred watches since then. 

I always go by the saying-"Buy what you like" and never felt bound by any expectations. 

I've owned a watch(es) for 50+ years in just about every price range but never felt any need to "go up the ladder" to the next level (what ever the next level means)

At this point I am liking some of the micro brands. It's all about what you like.

I get as much enjoyment from wearing my Casio "Duro" as I did wearing my (now gone) Planet Ocean.

And it only took 5 decades to figure this out.

For me it started when I was gifted my first proper watch - the digital Casio A700. I hadn't thought watches would interest me in the slightest until then. And now I am a true fanatic.

This brings back such good memories for me! I was the same way! I would beat the life out of my watches and the eventually get a new one and repeat the process all over again haha. It all started with a little oink casio my mom bought me from target. 

In the back of the family Kia Sedona, turning the bezel on Dad's Seiko chronograph.  Hours and hours spent staring at that dial.  It would be 16 years before I had a bezel of my own to turn, and the sickness has spread since then!

I was about 8 years old when I got my first "proper" wrist watch, a supermarket one. I've still got its carcass somewhere, though it doesn't work anymore. Then, because I have a habit of watching reviews of things I like, I fell down the rabbit hole of watch YouTube reviews. I got a Swatch from a yard sale, still in its stickers, and now 8 years later my collection is standing at around 18 pieces, with 12 I wear regularly. 

For me it started long time ago when my grandmother gave me a Casio watch. But that time I did not know about my passion. Than 10 years ago I got a very old watch from my grandfather. And 10 years ago I moved to Switzerland .... You can immagine what happened ... 😜

I was always into nice watches as a kid because of my Dad who had a couple of lovely looking pieces he wore for work and at the weekend while we were at race circuit's participating in or watching Motorsport of some kind.

It has gone from there, over the years Some have come and gone and I have always known my grail pieces of which I currently own one and have a couple more in my sights though these days they seem to be receding into the distance with prices going up all the time.

Wish I had not parted with my Seamster 300 circa 2002 in steel and blue dial. Even though I prefer the black version. I paid something like 1100 euro for it in a small shop in Catolica while working a a nearby race circuit for a small WSBK team. Good memories.