A Year In Collecting & Battling Addiction.
This is a tough write for me. Throughout my 20s, 30s & part of my 40s I battled daily with substance abuse. I lived day to day, sometimes without food, other days without transport. All of that time laden with debt.
10 years ago my life changed immeasurably. A chance remark I made led to a new career, a clear mind & a burning ambition to make a sucess of what I had left of my working life. Everything's been great but the failings of the past are still there like a dormant vocano. It's how the demons manifest themselves now that's interesting.
I write this in the expectancy that I'll find it cathartic but hopefully my watch addiction will provide you with some interest along the way.
This year has been crazy. 14 purchases, 3 sales. It all started so well;
Jan - Didn't buy anything - sound defensive strategy to start the year the way you mean to go on 👍😀
Feb - That didn't last long, Cartier Tank Francaise, impulse buy.
Mar - Nomos Tangente, half price, I mean you can't turn that down.
Apr - Grand Seiko...well I didn't have one ffs, call yourself a watch lover.
May - Ach a cheeky wee Boldr never did anyone any harm.
Jun - Those b*ggers at Christopher Ward keep launching new models, ach well fill your boots. Oh yes & an AnOrdain Model 1.
Jul - A Longines Hydroconquest, didn't have a Longines & they're great.
Aug - Dear Lord....an Omega Seamaster, a Sinn 556 & a Studio Underd0g.
Sep - Oh my Yema Wristmaster appeared, at least that money was spent last year.
Oct - An Horage & a Clemence, thank the Lord I was on holiday that month.
Nov - Moels & Co.
WTF! I now realise my addictive nature has gone out of control again, only now it's for shiny trinkets one wears on one's wrist. That's so much better than illicit white powders. This is the scary part though, it's not. Buying watches, straps & all of the other paraphenalia that goes with it isn't taboo, you don't have to hide it, it isn't illegal. It's the same part of the brain that's pushing it.
The +ves are that I sold 3 watches, an Aqua Terra Small Seconds, my Speedmaster went last week & I sold the AnOrdain I bought in June. I had great enjoyment from the Speedy & the Aqua Terra, the AnOrdain was an opportunity that I knew I would flip at some point, I just didn't think I'd do so within a few months. As much as I buy I'm more than capable of cutting the ties with 90% of my watches when motivated to do so.
The other +ve is that everything I've spent has come from income, I don't borrow money, I don't pay credit card interest.
So why write all this down? Why put it out there? Well, firstly it's a visual reminder to me that I need to address this way of getting my dopamine hit. I need to get it under control again & getting it out there is a step in the right direction. The other reason is just what the heck am I trying to achieve here? What are any of us going to do with the collections we've accrued? My wife would snap out of her sorrow pretty damn quickly when she realises what a headache I've left her with trying to get some money back out of 30+ watches.
I'm actually at the point where I'm thinking that the watches I'd earmarked for my 4 closest mates should I predecease them, I'm just going to give them to them now regardless. They'll think I've gone stark raving bonkers. Should I just list a dozen of them at £1 on eBay & let the cards play out? I really don't know.
Anyway guys, if you have got to the end of this, thank you. This is very much a first world problem, so I'm not looking for any sympathy. The sirens are going off in my head but I've been here before. We all like to think this watch collecting malarky is a bit of fun.....& it is exactly that. If however you have that addictive streak to start with, it can be every bit as consuming as a class A drug, alcoholism or gambling. It's just that it wears better clothes, has a nicer job & can talk to the inlaws with charm & wit. Don't get sucked in like I have of late.
Thanks for sharing! I think we are all a work in progress. Sometimes we slip up, but what matters is doing what it takes to get back on track. My best wishes to you! 🤗
I agree 100%. I bought 16 G Shocks in the span of 5 weeks. Then I was like stop this enough is enough. Anticipation the watches arrival, opening the box, unwrapping it, putting it on. The dopamine yup. That feeling. Fortunately I stopped. I don’t regret the purchases but I know what you mean. Nice post.
I get it. My drug budget far outweighs my watch budget (cannabis, 2oz per week) and I'm fine with that - I hold down a responsible job and am a functional member of society, unlike the 10 years I had on prescription opiates following a serious bike accident.
So that's how I limit my addictive personality from buying more watches 😂
I've given a fair few watches to mates, actually find it more satisfying than just buying something for myself for the sake of it - tho I've had my Grail a few years. ...
So my advice would be find that one watch that really floats your boat. Once you have your Grail then anything else will steal wrist time from your pride and joy, so the urge to buy will ease off... I'm pretty much a strap collector now 😂
Good luck mate 👍🏻🖖🏻
Thanks for sharing! I think we are all a work in progress. Sometimes we slip up, but what matters is doing what it takes to get back on track. My best wishes to you! 🤗
Thank you. The solution I turned to in the past after some time on the couch, was exercise. I started rowing. Of course I took it to the extreme, never having rest days, upgrading the rowing machine a few times etc. Exercise is however the best way to release feel good endorphines into the brain.
The rowing machine is getting dusted down over the weekend & I will be posting a wrist shot in mid row very shortly. If my rowing machine isn't a Porsche, Ferrari, Merc or BMW, it may take a bit longer 😀
I agree 100%. I bought 16 G Shocks in the span of 5 weeks. Then I was like stop this enough is enough. Anticipation the watches arrival, opening the box, unwrapping it, putting it on. The dopamine yup. That feeling. Fortunately I stopped. I don’t regret the purchases but I know what you mean. Nice post.
Wow, 16 watches in 5 weeks. I'm an amateur 😀
In all seriousness, you absolutely know what I'm feeling right now. It's good to talk, it helps alleviate some of the guilt.
Here's the thing... while I understand the issues you raise, and I don't downplay them at all, there's still a profound difference between putting something up your nose, or in your arm... and a nice watch that you can always flog off and get most of, sometimes all, your money back. So while the addictive tendencies are still there, you aren't going to bankrupt yourself, and you're going to have some nice baubles to look at along the way.
Dr Robert's* diagnosis... it's good to keep things in check, but on the list of things to be addicted to, watches aren't bad, and are miles ahead of many other nasties out there.
(*Not a real Doctor)
Thank you. The solution I turned to in the past after some time on the couch, was exercise. I started rowing. Of course I took it to the extreme, never having rest days, upgrading the rowing machine a few times etc. Exercise is however the best way to release feel good endorphines into the brain.
The rowing machine is getting dusted down over the weekend & I will be posting a wrist shot in mid row very shortly. If my rowing machine isn't a Porsche, Ferrari, Merc or BMW, it may take a bit longer 😀
Definitely need those rest days when it comes to working out! Moderation is key to most things in life. I admit since getting into watches this year it has reminded me of the days when I used to collect Jordans/Nikes. I sold off most of my shoe collection years ago after a foot injury and my podiatrist told me to stick with wide running shoes. Here’s to finding balance and moderation together! 🤝
I get it. My drug budget far outweighs my watch budget (cannabis, 2oz per week) and I'm fine with that - I hold down a responsible job and am a functional member of society, unlike the 10 years I had on prescription opiates following a serious bike accident.
So that's how I limit my addictive personality from buying more watches 😂
I've given a fair few watches to mates, actually find it more satisfying than just buying something for myself for the sake of it - tho I've had my Grail a few years. ...
So my advice would be find that one watch that really floats your boat. Once you have your Grail then anything else will steal wrist time from your pride and joy, so the urge to buy will ease off... I'm pretty much a strap collector now 😂
Good luck mate 👍🏻🖖🏻
You're in your happy place, you, Happy Gilmore & the foxy chick wearing suspenders.
You mentioning you're a strap collector now actually helps clear a path for me. I actually get more pleasure from finding an alternative strap for a watch than I do from the purchase of the watch. It's like a challenge, a goal, to find something that in my mind looks better than the watchmaker intends it.
A grail plus regular strap renewal may act as a damper to my current urges. 👍
Great post🤝
Definitely need those rest days when it comes to working out! Moderation is key to most things in life. I admit since getting into watches this year it has reminded me of the days when I used to collect Jordans/Nikes. I sold off most of my shoe collection years ago after a foot injury and my podiatrist told me to stick with wide running shoes. Here’s to finding balance and moderation together! 🤝
Oh absolutely I agree with you there, when you're closer to 60 than 50 your body absolutely needs recovery days. I found that the days I wasn't going to row much like a smoker without a packet of cigarettes. Anxiety, nervous energy, fidgeting etc. No rest days & the body soon tells you. I started to get really bad tendonitis & was told to take up Yoga.
Sorry, but that was just never going to make it on to my menu.
Here's the thing... while I understand the issues you raise, and I don't downplay them at all, there's still a profound difference between putting something up your nose, or in your arm... and a nice watch that you can always flog off and get most of, sometimes all, your money back. So while the addictive tendencies are still there, you aren't going to bankrupt yourself, and you're going to have some nice baubles to look at along the way.
Dr Robert's* diagnosis... it's good to keep things in check, but on the list of things to be addicted to, watches aren't bad, and are miles ahead of many other nasties out there.
(*Not a real Doctor)
I absolutely agree with that, I just drew the comparison as it's essentially the same driving factor in very different habits/addictions.
I view this addiction very much like Marge Simpson did when Homer became a workaholic. She told him this was very much her favourite a-holic of Homer's long list.