$1500 - One watch, two watches, or more?

The fewer, the better.

My vote is A. One watch - make it good

However, I would suggest to buy your one to start enjoy this hobby. You can find a good watch from 300-500 dollar price point first.

Seiko, Hamilton, Tissot all are solid major brand picks.

Save up to at least $3.5k to dive in a decent mid-tier luxury range like Tudor, Longines, Oris, Frederique Constant...just to name a few.

Variety is the spice of life, and if you're asking and on this site, we all know you'll have more than one.

That's good advice. I have about 10 watches. A couple of Monta's, a nice Tissot Le Locle, a Citizen Pro (Fugu), an Orient, a Boluva Lunar Pilot, a Farer Mansfield - stuff like that. I err on the dressier side with a splash of interesting color. Looking at Gackota's or a Seiko Sports 5.

Aspiration watches would be in the Carl F. Bucherer territory - maybe Baum and Mercier.

I agree! $1500 is a sort of an in between price range.

Definitely two IMO, but one should be a G-Shock or similar.

I think I may have one of these in one of my old boxes when I was a kid in '82.

I think quality is better than quantity, I prefer a 1500 watch than 3 500 watches

Ollech & Wajs my friend😎

Yup. I was just thinking that. 🍻

https://www.watchcrunch.com/Mr.Dee.Bater/posts/formex-essence-is-the-perfect-gada-watch-aka-why-i-love-the-formex-essence-39-but-still-wouldn-t-buy-one-in-a-thousand-years-207455

With this money, I would buy the whole watch enthusiast package.

I would split it into a dive watch, a field watch and a dress watch, plus a nice watch roll to store them, a few NATOs or rubber straps to change the look and feel of the diver based on mood and weather, a couple nice leather straps for the dress watch to match your outfits, a small traveling pouch to bring an extra on a trip.

I'd take your time my friend search and research try things on if possible,nearly every time I buy a watch I always see something or something gets released so take your time so whatever you do it's right,money is subjective if you haven't owned a more expensive watch you might not like having something of that value on your wrist,just because they look amazing and built to higher standards doesn't mean you will enjoy wearing,same on the flip side you might not appreciate cheaper watches,happy hunting 👌

You could get a vintage watch from omega, iwc or zenith for that price which would be super cool

My favourite conundrum! A Steinhart , a Seiko and a Blancpain Swatch collab and you will have some left over for a few straps from Horus or WiS. Now if the budget was say double I’d add a Formex and a Mido 😁

The problem with buying cheap watches. They add up quickly. They have no resale. Better one that has some value than two or three that have none. Chances are at this stage you’re kinda new so don’t compound one mistake with a bigger one. My 2 cents. 🙌🏾

I’d agree with that assessment. Watches to me are an accessory that serve a purpose. I’m 53, so I’m not trying to make a ‘statement’ as much as enjoying something of decent quality that also looks good depending on the mood. Many have aspirations of Rolex’s and the like. I don’t. But I do appreciate quality and craftsmanship. I support micro-brands. Resale value is a plus, but not my ambition. Strictly speaking I’m happy with my current setup. Would like a nice red dial though.

For me, 1500$ is a lot, but manageable. I am happy with my 10 watches under 500$, I bought them for fun, try different styles, but now I'm looking at getting more interresting stuff. I might still buy cheap watches for fun, but I'm more and more interrested in trying more expensive stuff.

But then again you might 😁. Having money on my wrist used to be a bit of a security blanket…now it’s low key piece of mind. In this age of digital money it’s nice to know you have “something” in case something ever happens.

This is just a few in the 30+ year collection

Nice collection my friend 👌 some of my favourites there,and totally agree my budget doesn't stretch to the level of your pieces,but in the past I've done quite well in terms of not losing money on selling a piece little bit of profit and as you say was nice to know they were there to fall back on,different levels though could set you and your family up for life falling back on your collection 🤣👌

https://www.watchcrunch.com/pianoman/posts/1500-one-watch-two-watches-or-more-211039#comment-830746

If there is a watch around 1500 which you really love, than go for it.

If you like to start collecting, I would buy a Tissot PRX80 and a Christopher Ward or the new SWATCHxBlancpain

Rule one: only buy what you like

Rule two: when given a choice, buy Rolex

Rule three: only buy one watch at a time. Make one mistake at a time.

Rule four: the best laid plans for your collection are ALWAYS wrong.

Rule five: its a journey, not a race.

Enjoy!

The quality of micro brands in the $700-$1000 range would make me say go for two.

There is negligible quality differences from $800-$1200 and you really don't step up until you get above $1700.

I support quality microbrands when I can. Certain ones are really committed to quality, listen to their customers, and reward loyalty. They also lean towards more interesting pieces (to me).

Some nice micros and indies fall within that like Farer

Best answer I can give it depends on your watch journey up until now. How much time have you invested into figuring out what you like and what you are after? How many watches and kinds do you have experience with in the past?

Basically what I tried to do in my own beginning in with this hobby was to spend as much time as I could on reading up on the watch forums and learning. Finding out what I like and what piqued my interest both from reading but also by trying different cheaper ish side of watch collecting. Once I figured out what I wanted I started saving and sold my whole watch collection. By the time I saved up in the whole time I was still reading and learning as much as I could on watches. I did not deviate from the watch I wanted in that time so I ended up jumping for a Grand Seiko as I originally wanted and intended.

I highly recommend something similar. Spend the least amount of money trying different watches and then when you find something you want as a grail, save up and stop spending any of it. In that time read and learn as much as you can. By the time you have the money for your “grail” if in that time it still has the same allure as it originally had, get it. First, try it on though, if you can.

Second Hour, Traska, Nezumi, Momentum are outstanding. Lorier as well.

Was underwhelmed by Nodus even though the owners are great folks. Nothing wrong with them, would just like to see them step away from NH movements and move up to Miyota and thinner cases.

Was unimpressed with Henry Archer Akva Azura. Felt like I paid for more than I received. Great dial color though.

Formex, RZE and Wolbrook are outstanding value and all hit above their price.