Zenith Enthusiast... Turned Collector?
With watches I always thought of myself as an enthusiast and not a collector. The main rationality there being that I have met many I would call a "collector," as they had definable interests in specific niches...
Myself with an eclectic rotation in my watchbox, versus my friend who has an assortment of GPs from the 40s thru 70s. Whereas I have a series of different pieces only, he had multiple variations of the same thing, and enjoyed cataloging and noting the rather differences between them all. To this end, I never viewed myself as a "collector."
Does Mr. Reeves have it right?
Recently I've taken a third iteration of a Zenith Defy from the 70s, although this one takes the moniker "Defy Surf" and sits right on the fence between the Defy and Surf lines. I've always been an enthusiast with vintage Zeniths, and Heuers - although now with 3 of the former and 2 of the latter in my rotation what does this say?
To conclude my ramblings I'd love your thoughts: what makes a collector? Do you differentiate between enthusiasm and collecting? At what point do you become a collector?
Neo-vintage and vintage watch enthusiast / Editor and occasional author at ThoseFourWatchGuys.com / Big into martial arts, snowboarding, mountaineering, and motorcycling.
I love these questions even though I find it difficult to put my thoughts into words on this topic. But basically I consider a collector someone who acquires a group of something that isn’t essential. So basically a watch collector is someone who has specifically chosen to acquire and keep more than one watch simply in order to enjoy them.
Most of us are "accumulators".
A "collection" has focus & is careful curated
You don't need to own a watch to be an enthusiast 🤔
I love these questions even though I find it difficult to put my thoughts into words on this topic. But basically I consider a collector someone who acquires a group of something that isn’t essential. So basically a watch collector is someone who has specifically chosen to acquire and keep more than one watch simply in order to enjoy them.
Conversations over subtle nuances is difficult! I like your persepctive
Most of us are "accumulators".
A "collection" has focus & is careful curated
You don't need to own a watch to be an enthusiast 🤔
I tend to agree. Your last point hits the nail even harder on the head.
P.S. Love the Speed Twin. A fellow Triumph rider!
Amazing pieces!
Beautiful pieces 👌🏻
I would say an enthusiast love watches to wear them while a collector might purchase a watch from a collection strategy point of view, a certain series, model, year or other to fit into a grand scheme of a colloion, and not necessarily to be worn at all, including keeping watches with rappers tags safe queens and so on