How many watches did you acquire in your first year of collecting?

I had between seven and ten watches for years without considering myself a collector or even an enthusiast. When I hit 20 watches I knew that the Rubicon had been crossed. (And that is how men think about Rome at least once a day.)

Orient Mako V1 and a Casio G Shock. Hindsight 20/20 should have picked up a Bathys 100 Fathoms and an OG MKII Blackwater or LRRP.

This was waaaay back in '07....🤪🫣🤙🏻

They just stole that term from the Jeep/Daimler-Chrysler/MOPAR auto group....🤐🫣

I bought three quartz chronos about 7-8 years ago. I really liked and wore the Laco Trier in particular, but eventually decided that chronographs just weren't my shtick. Off they went. Got a Seiko SNK805 and a Junghans Max Bill instead, and then hit a collection growth spurt two years later. Now I'm at a relaxed "maybe 1-2 watches a year, and maybe none" pace.

Pacing myself from here on out to professional milestones/big birthdays/anniversaries etc. but I bought 8 watches within 2 yrs (kept 6) . . . not all were especially $$$, but a couple were up there for sure (including a Grand Seiko).

It just happened. One day I found Watchuseek looking for an answer. Then I found I had funny looking at others watches. Suddenly, there I was buying a watch I saw online and wanting others.

I lost a bunch of weight. Like 70 pounds. So I got a new fresh wardrobe. I could finally wear interesting fashionable clothes. Watches were a natural extension of this. Different colors, brands and styles. I have 8 including a stainless Apple Watch 8, which also looks very nice on stainless bracelets and nicer leather bands. I think I’m good for now. Scratch that. I need a Hamilton. Lol.

Congrats on the life/lifestyle/style change!

For years I had 2 watches, a Cartier Santos & a Pasha. I never looked beyond Cartier even though I loved watches. The truth is that over the years I really didn't have the income that would allow me to buy additional watches that I liked.

In 2019 I was tempted to buy a Christopher Ward for £400. When I got it I was really surprised at the quality. The guy I bought it from told me to check out Zelos, which I did. During the next 12 months I bought 12-15 CW/Zelos watches & that was me hooked. Some of the ones I bought are in the pic below. Since then I have sold/gave away all of my Zelos watches on account of them being too heavy & worsening Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in my wrists but I do really like the brand.

I wore one of two watches for about ten years: a Timex field watch and a Movado dress watch. When one of them died I discovered the enormous world of watches and bought and sold and tried and experienced dozens of watches over a 3ish year period, from micro brands to luxury, different cases and materials and straps and movements and everything in-between. And then after trying everything I settled into a pair of watches that I've worn every day for years now: an Explorer II and a DateJust, so basically the same thing I had before just fancier, but at least I know what I like!

Still in my first year as 2023 comes to a close I’m currently at 7 watches on the year but I wouldn’t say it’s to bad considering two of em are timex’s ones a Casio and another ones a gift from my dad so TECHNICALLY I’m on three watches for the year🤷🏾‍♂️

(This is how I cope with my addiction)

sometimes the journey is just as enjoyable as the destination 🤷

Hi all, my name is Todd, My first year of collecting was last year. I bought 20 watches, sold 2, gifted 2 I previously had, retired one. Now I'm limiting myself to 1 or none a year. Been 8 months since my last drink..., er purchase.

I only bought 2. The only thing holding me back is money 😩

The Bulova is from my youth. The Fossil is a recent gift. The Aragon and G-SHOCK are the only watches I have purchased.

I said 6-10 but I wish I would have gone slower. My advice…Go Slow!

I went to fast at first (Still do I guess) and consolidated the collection twice already, I think it's time to slow down but I don't know how.

Brought about 7 this year. Looking to slow down and have a 1 in 1 out policy

First year I got 4 - BLNR GMT II, BB58, Datejust and an Aventi.

First year was an Orient modding fest for something to do during the pandemic.

Not sure how it started. I was given a Rolex Oyster around 40 years ago and have acquired a number of watches over the years. I probably wouldn't have called it a collection until I inherited around 40 watches a year or so ago.

I'm always curious about these 1 in/1 out policies. It's often treated as a sign of "mature" collecting. But doesn't it also become progressively harder to adhere to this? You've spent more time with your watches, built memories, made more considered choices, etc., so it's increasingly difficult to justify why a watch needs to exit the box. That's probably why I gravitate towards a "raised bar" policy? Each new watch needs to clear a higher bar to justify entering the box.

Raising the bar or 1 for 1, I guess it's what discipline works for you. There's a few poor choices in my collection so 1 for 1 shouldn't be too difficult.

This, 100%

Raised bar, one out/one in, different name for same process.

Also once you can adhere to it, I think you can start to appreciate & acquire nicer pieces since you don't want to flippantly sacrifice a watch you have a deeper connection to so you aren't spending on those lesser pieces.

I think if I was to suggest anything to a newbie now, it would be get a beater, a GADA & a dress piece and implement the one out/one in process as a base, potentially increasing the collection as life events warrant

I didn't "start" collecting watches, I've just accumulated more over my lifetime. No specific start point 🤷🏼‍♂️

In 1987 to celebrate finishing my apprenticeship I bought an omega deville I wore it every day for about five years before I got a g shock to add to it

For me it was 3 or 4 (unsure about when I got the 4th exactly)

My first watch was my Orient blue dress watch, which is both not practical for day to day wear, nor do I really wear blue lol.

So I decided to buy an affordable trio of diver, chrono and dress to try a mix of styles, sizes and brands to see what works for me