Feeling like this is not the hobby for me…
I’ve been collecting watches under 1000 for a few years now.
With the inflating prices of Rolexes, I’m feeling hopeless about getting any. But I love the Explorer 36mm and OP 39mm. and my other option of GS is inflating as well…
im starting to feel like this is a hobby I can’t afford to sustain and I shld just give it up. do any of u feel the same?
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Nah! Not at all!
I've come to realize that the Seikos I've been admiring at < $1,000 are every bit as great as any $5k - $10k Swiss watch. Grand Seiko's are amazing, but the marginal benefit for the marginal cost doesn't seem to be worth it.
I could happily collect just Seikos for the rest of my life!
Don't give up! I started with a Seiko and directly moved to luxury watches now i am more intrigued by lower priced models. (last post is about a Hamilton Khaki Field.. can't decide which color haha) I think you can find something cool at every price and therefore you should continue collecting!
Honest question - do you actually look around for interesting watches, or are you dabbling whilst fixating upon the Rolex and GS as a pinnacle and that’s it?
What does a watch do for you? Why do you collect watches? What about a watch you have makes you connect with it?
Why Rolex and GS, why not an anOrdain and a Vero? Why not a Underd0g Studio or a Helson? Why not a Bremont and an Oris? If you cannot see the wood for the trees then change perspective or have a break.
Have you looked into vintage (slippery slope, but it’s still valid)?
Help us out here… someone might be able to relate.
Nope, I have the opposite problem. I have the means, but I'm lacking the motivation. GS may get me one day,but I'm quite happy with what I have.
One great thing about watches is the variety. There are great watches to enjoy at all prices. Almost every hobby has that insane high-end side where only the mega rich can really participate. But diminishing returns come pretty quickly over $1,000 anyway. With so many interesting microbrands and affordable options available today, it seems to me there’s plenty to enjoy. Unless you’re Jeff Bezos there will always be something out of reach. No need to stop enjoying things just because of that.
I am in the @chronotriggered camp on this one. My ability to collect watches that bespeak wealth and status has been stubbornly frustrated by my lack of wealth and status. A few years ago I had no interest in Soviet era watches. I now own enough that Mahakali could wear one on each arm.
There are many avenues to take, each one interesting and rewarding. The great thing about this forum is that I can vicariously compare and contrast my tastes against those who can spend more than I can or are more hopelessly addicted than I am. Don't fall prey to FOMO. The grass isn't always greener.
Why does it have to be Rolex or GS only? Are you just fixating on luxury and brand prestige so much that it has to be a part of your collection? @chronotriggered brings up good points, there’s kind of a lot of choices out there besides the two most generic luxury watch names.
I'm sorry but NO! Just take a look at brands like Nomos, Sinn, ... There are so many cool watches to get for less than what a new Rolex or GS cost! And if you like GS or Omega for example, you can get vintage pieces for around 1K, so don't give up, keep looking and you will find awesome pieces! You don't need to spend 10K to get an amazing watch, that's for sure 👍🏻
I'm gonna be the Debbie Downer. This is a first class problem the fact that you might not have enough money to buy a luxury watch. This is a literally a good problem to have. All I can say is enjoy hobby and whether is a Casio, Invicta, Fossil or a Rolex. Not many get to have our Luxuries to buy watches as hobby.
Don’t loose your hope, man! Prices will come down eventually. The market (not just for watches, but the whole market) is at an absolute peak right now and I’m sure it will come down soon (in the next few years). When inflation gets worse, interest rates rise and assets like stocks and real estate start to crash, this illusion of wealth we live in right now will fade away and prices of watches will come down after that. Mark my words, I’m 100% sure about that.
In the mean time there are many affordable watches out there waiting for you to discover them, you don’t have to just look at Rolex and other hyped brands.
I realized maybe 5 years ago that I like looking at, learning about, and discussing watches a whole lot more than buying them. I still do that once in a while, but it's not my primary driver anymore.
If you just gotta have an OP, then save your $ and hope the market cools down. If you want cool watch(es), there are literally hundreds in every price range to choose from. Don't knock less expensive stuff, it can be just as much fun.
And don't sleep on just learning and chatting.
The beauty of not giving a damn about Rolex is that it allows you to appreciate other brands.
Have a look at my collection...
https://www.watchcrunch.com/Gasworks/posts/sotc-2024-7516
There's nothing there over £2.5k and most well under £500. Does that mean it's a rubbish collection.. not worth having. Read the comments underneath.. its not about cost. I've said it many times - value <> cost.
Collecting watches is about the enjoyment of watches, and what I'm serious about is not allowing someone else ruin it by laying down arbitrary (and often ridiculous) "rules" for what is - or isn't - the "right" way to collect and enjoy watches. If you take "influencer|luxury hype-beasts" seriously, you'll end up only being allowed to buy a couple of expensive Swiss and German brands because they're historical and mechanical and have in-house movements; no quartz, no boutiques, no Chinese, no Russian, no this, no that. Rolex made fantastic timepieces in the past - but a reason I keep my Rolex'es is to remind myself, on a daily basis, that it's best - in the end - is to be myself; to keep my own counsel and buy what I like, rather than what I'm supposed to like. If you want a Rolex in your collection, want it because you like the watch and plan to enjoy it... And not because you think someone you don't know will turn their nose up at your collection because you don't have one. Viva la G-Schock, Timex and Casio!
No not really, there's always something to pique my interest whether from a horological standpoint or just an itch. I have my eye on a Loomes, Pinchbeck and Glashutte original. That hankering may change. Who knows a distant eccentric relation may leave me a squidillion in his will and I may just buy a Roger Smith series 4 or I might not.
50+ comments in and the OP is a one-post wonder; this is either a throwaway account for one of us, or forum-bait. Whatever the case, hopefully there is enough here for you to use - and most of us are open to messaging if you want to discuss directly.
I’m gonna go off the bat and offer a simple piece of advice. Understand yourself. Ask yourself as to why you’re in this hobby from the get- go? There are many reasons, as stated by the fellow Watchcrunch members above, but ultimately it boils down to, why do I want to purchase this piece? In your context, either the GSs or the Rolexes. If it’s for the love of these pieces, save up, keep grinding and make good financial decisions. If it’s for the status boost these timepieces naturally exude in our shallow society, so be it as well! If you want to sell your entire collection and get one Rolex in ten years time, by all means! It’s your life, your choices and in the end, your responsibility. No one can and should tell you what to do with your hard earned money. But just know this as well, you’re not alone in this hobby! Evidently so, with the popularity of this thread, ha! 💪
Very true 👍
50+ comments in and the OP is a one-post wonder; this is either a throwaway account for one of us, or forum-bait. Whatever the case, hopefully there is enough here for you to use - and most of us are open to messaging if you want to discuss directly.
Mmmmmmmm 🤔
Mmmmmmmm 🤔
There has been no response or engagement.
0 followers, 0 following, Activity = 1.
An account for one post that’s racked up 50+ comments in 24hrs… Could be legit.
Its not a hobby for the light of heart - consider the concept:
Ahh well...at least its cheaper than a heroin habit.
The high end watch market just had a 10% drop in prices. That will panic the flipper market and drive prices even lower. Their market is saturated with product and every year brings in more watches to dilute their prices. Try collecting the interesting stuff at the other end of the market like the skeletons and open hearts. Or cool microbrands with their retro themes.
I realized maybe 5 years ago that I like looking at, learning about, and discussing watches a whole lot more than buying them. I still do that once in a while, but it's not my primary driver anymore.
If you just gotta have an OP, then save your $ and hope the market cools down. If you want cool watch(es), there are literally hundreds in every price range to choose from. Don't knock less expensive stuff, it can be just as much fun.
And don't sleep on just learning and chatting.
I am currently deciding on my first proper watch. Chances are I will get one and never buy another watch again but I will continue to enjoy and admire other watches. I believe that loving does not necessarily mean needing to own what you love.
Hey guys OP here. Wow im pleasantly surprised with the response. I just found this forum 2 days back and im absolutely loving it. So many watch lovers with differing opinions and views, this is one of the most interactive watch communities I have been in. I'll take time to read through all the responses but thanks for opening up my eyes to a more macro view of watch collecting. I'm now absolutely motivated to dive deeper than I ever have. Hope everyone is having an amazing day and hope we will have more conversations like this soon!
Why quit, as long as you are enjoying it. $1,000 is a lot for me, most of my watches are under $300 and I'm a Timex Fanatic, so everything is great in my world. FWIW, I have no desire for a luxury piece and definitely no desire for a Rolex.
Dude...Sinn, Oris...that is all. You got this.
Get into budget watch collection sub 300$ and even less. Get different colored watches, different bracelets, different cases. There are nice budget watch brands that are making great watches for under 300$.
Just collect with no expectations, just purely on what you like and definitely don't care about other people think, do it just for you.
Absolutely not. Though I would have an Explorer or an OP they are just watch's and In my opinion there are better and more honest and stylish watch's out there for alot less money but every bit and more ownership experience value.
Hey guys OP here. Wow im pleasantly surprised with the response. I just found this forum 2 days back and im absolutely loving it. So many watch lovers with differing opinions and views, this is one of the most interactive watch communities I have been in. I'll take time to read through all the responses but thanks for opening up my eyes to a more macro view of watch collecting. I'm now absolutely motivated to dive deeper than I ever have. Hope everyone is having an amazing day and hope we will have more conversations like this soon!
Welcome back, and I'm looking forward to a tour of your collection - one notable exception aside, you're in my sweet spot for watches, so I'm trying to learn about as many as I can and what people do and don't like.
I love the Submariner in pretty much all it’s steel variations; vintage, new, Rolex, or Tudor, BUT I will never own one, the price is utterly ridiculous to me. There are untold millions of the things out there, they are not rare at all, but stupidly priced (imo) for what they are.
Full disclosure: I am now a part-time, minimum wage earner due to a chronic health condition that will never get better and, frankly, work is a bullshit waste of my life! 😆
Now I mainly play in the budget arena. One of my unexpected favourite recent watches is the Casio Duro/Marlin gold bezel - £60 imported!
I do have a few ‘luxury’* pieces I bought when I had a better income, Speedy Pro, Tudor Black Bay (blue, ETA 1st edition), Sinn 103 acrylic, Longines Hydroconquest, CWC RN Diver automatic - all bought at yesteryear’s prices, I might add! I have a Zodiac Super Sea Wolf 53 on the way (which was at an irresistible sale price.)
I’m just as happy wearing my Seiko SKX007, SRP777, Orient Kamasu, my Casios and G-Shocks, etc etc.
My point is, define the max you’re willing to spend (that may change day-to-day and that’s ok!) and look at watches priced at or below that number.
hth!
*luxury as defined by me, for me is anything above £750.
Watches are awesome at any price range. I am fortunate to have many of the watches I want as part of my collection. I have a $90.00 tough solar G Shock my son gave me that I wear working out, camping, hiking etc. Sometimes just to wear it! There are so many great watches at, under, and just over 1K ! Resco is cool. Marathon makes some great dive and field watches. Hamilton gets props from almost any collector. Seiko Prospe has great product . Omega & Grand Seiko are making some beautiful watches with the best tech. I only own an Explorer 1 & 2 in Rolex. I have owned many other models. I like Explorer. My GS Snowflake is so much better feeling on wrist than a Datejust ever was. Omega Seamaster & Railmaster are great as well. Love them. I would rather wear a Seiko MM300 than a Submariner. I just ordered a GS SLGA015 after trash talking it a bit (maybe trying to talk myself out of spending the $) Try on as many brands as possible and look often. You will find great watches that fit you. Lastly, it is a great feeling to save up and buy your first Rolex. Get to know an AD and bug them often. You will have lots of time to save up. The AD calls right around the time you have the $ for the watch.