Most Dangerous Game - how do you choose the target of your next watch hunt?

I used to be an accumulator, rather than a collector, so it was "see shiny/cool thing, buy shiny/cool thing"

Now I have a loose direction of 'Watch History For My Lifetime', so I'm looking for items in that vein. I need a birth year watch, a time-only red-LED digital, a moon phase, my Grail (a Speedy). 

First let me say thank you for the movie recommendation, definitely going to check it out.  For me it's easy.  I'm a very odd guy (which I am able to acknowledge, so that is why I'm not crazy) lol.  I made up this silly rule in my head where I can only collect Timex.  Due to me appeasing my OCD and this rule, I simply go on the Timex website and see what's new, on sale or catches my eye.  Amazon and ebay are my second choice.  The day I don't see this behavior as odd, I instructed my wife to get me committed.  lol  Great post!

For me it's a slow stalk, I spot something interesting online, then spend months learning about it, and considering how likely it is to fit into my routine. The one and only time I bought a new release was when CW first released the C63 Sealander, and I ordered it the day it was released.  

Because I don't flip my watches, I tend to be very careful about what I buy. 

when Possible the whole Seiko Presage enamel/porcelain dial colection 

Here's a movie - and a watch - recommendation just for you:  Stranger Than Fiction with Will Ferrell. One of the main characters of the film (OK, an important, if not "main,") is his watch: a Timex Ironman Triathlon T56371.  I paid about $50 for this, and it's currently selling for as much as $500.  Who says Timex can't appreciate?

Wow.  Nice to see.  Maybe I'll get lucky down the road.  lol.  I was never in it for that which is why I collect Timex, but who knows stranger things have happened.  I did get lucky and bought one of the limited editions Timex M79 HypeBeast for $300 and I saw them on ebay for over $900.  I'm not selling it, but still get a kick out of seeing them appreciate.  Thanks for another movie recommendation I love Will Ferrell and the fact that his Timex watch plays a starring role makes it a must see.

I'm more of a stalker now, too.  I look for interesting attributes - like movements, unique designs, history, etc.  For 6 months, I played Chinese watch roulette with a Watch Gang subscription. Only 2 of the 6 watches I received were "keepers" and even those weren't worth the cost.  I learned a few things and acquired some decent watches from others who received them and didn't want them.

I don't have any CW watches, so it's interesting to hear about your decision to get the C63 Sealander when released.  What is / was the appeal on that?  I've heard good things about the brand, so curious...

my "hunting" strategy is:

I look at my watchbox and ask myself lots of questions: do I really need a 4th divewatch? what colours am I missing? is a gmt complication necessary in a watch collection? should I add another inhouse movement or get a eta/sellita to keep the entire service costs of my collection down? and so on and so on....

And everytime I see a watch I like, I cycle through all these questions and imagine it sitting in my box next to my other pieces. Does it fit in the collection? This strategy helps me to slow down my purchas intervall and holds me back from impulsive buys. 

Now its a matter of ordering the parts in progression. Started on $15.00 2813 movements and going to work up thru sw200 them 3035 eventually.

what‘s a strategy? I just buy shiny shiny for cheap. Or I just drill down on a brand every now and then, like Gruen or Cyma.

99% of the time…

see watch featured on a blog

find out its a limited edition

from the1930’s

Of which only 3 are known in the world

1 of which resides in the Patek Museum

double check my bank account - just in case the lottery winnings were deposited without my knowledge

sulk because my 1 in 140,000,000 chance didn’t happen

receive a notification from a watch blog

oooh! a watch!

find out its a limited editi….

At the time I had two CWs already(C60, and C65), and was impressed by the finishing for the price. 

I knew that I would like the C63, so I jumped on a white dial version as soon as they were released. I now have five CWs, so I'm a bit of a fan. 

Oh, wow! This plot got recycled yet again? How many times has this movie been made since 1932? A dozen or more? I think my favorite is Surviving the Game with Rutger Hauer and Ice-T, and my least favorite is Hard Target with Jean Claude Van Damme and Lance Henriksen. i haven't seen this one yet, but I may, as the specific time is an interesting twist.

I am sort of a mix between the previous accumulation behavior of @UnholiestJedi and a person who keeps an eye on certain brands; Islander, Seiko, Citizen, Bulova, Timex, and Casio primarily.

2 main categories for me:

1. a particular brand that I like that I dont currently own and pick a model I like

2. some type of movement/feature i dont see in my other watches

of course they have to be something i personally find interesting and gorgeous as well ✌️

A great idea for a post thank you!

I have a plan (at least that is what I tell my wife)

As a recent collector I have purchased watches from Casio,  Vostok , Citizen , Seiko ,Orient and Hamilton. All of these based on my research on the inter-web late into the night.

I am at the moment budget driven , maximum five hundred odd quid , so I'm looking at different pieces largely from the above list.

Of course in my plan there are a couple of deviations already! Namely I have my eye on a Glycine Combat Sub and the Vario trench watch?

In the longer term I will have a much larger available budget.

So my longest term targets include something from Reservoir( I love their designs), Omega ( always wanted one) and Bremont ( as I'm English so must have at least one UK make!)

Sorry this has rambled on a bit but  I can talk about this all day which is the most fun!

Going off on a last tangent I have developed an interest in Vintage (just a Pobeda so far) and the fact these are quite budget friendly means they pass muster with the War Department (wife again).

So the hunt is on and this watchcrunch dog has some hares in his sights!

I'm so bad at impulse shopping. Luckily I've been holding off pretty good, but slim pickings at stores by me.

I'm not so actively watch hunting right now, I just gotta whittle down the contenders that I picked out from seeing the watches in pics, then reading a bunch on them. (A rangeman, mudmaster, seiko diver, citizen diver, seven deadly sins auto) 

I went with the traditional color, shown here in the middle.  Thanks for the info on Reservoir - will check it out.

Wow is this post going to win ”Post of the Week!” Ok it got my vote 

My pleasure and good choice, great on that bund!

Just target any A. Lange & Söhne watch.  There is no bad choice and they are worthy advisories.

Did exactly the same, pre ordered mine as soon as they came out and I don't regret it. It's my 3rd CW, C63 Sealander, Sandhurst Field and a 38mm Pro 600 diver. Such great value watches 👍

After the initial couple buys as I got into this addiction, I have been able to plan the more "expensive" (for me, realize this is a relative term) buys.  However, I have made a couple of impulse watch buys after a bottle (or bottle and a half) of nice wine🙄  Somehow I convince myself I can afford the watch easily at 12:30 am as I am swirling my wine glass and my self-delusions take hold!  

Currently contemplating between Seagull 1963 (take the Aliexpress plunge or from a more tried and true avenue but more expensive) or Baltic Bicompass (thanks to @Omeganut post a few days ago).  Also looking at a Grand Seiko and/or GMT rest of the year...and then decide what I want after that, go with the flow.

I usually will get a reco from friends in the watch community or maybe see a banger on some you tube channel. I'll check it out and look at the specs, features, and pertinents. I will usually hold off a couple months to see if the interest wanes. If I'm not feeling it, I won't buy it. I'm a sucker for orange and blue dials or any dial w/ great details in it. Also size does matter to me. Anything under 38  looks like a ladies watch on my wrist and anything over 45 is way to garish for my taste. 

Also...I'm not a dress watch guy, but damn, Cartier Tanks have really been calling my name for the past 6 months or so ....

My hunt starts with something that "speaks to me" as cheesy as that sounds. From there,  i start researching specs price etc. and go find one to try on. 

1)decide what I want 

2) Save my coin

3)purchase said watch

I like to live dangerously 

Curious... How do you decide what you want?

I just set it as my phone background for 6 months , if I still want it after then , its meant to be ...even then I still wait a while before I pull the trigger.

I have a pretty good idea now what I want , once I hit that point , My buying will slow and I will pretty much be done , perhaps ill just buy like on special occasions.

I only have a few rules

1)buy what you really love and want to keep ,because even the hottest models age.

2) like a curator , try to build a collection that has a story and character , not an IG flex flex hi I have money box

3) its a watch. Try not to overthink it, my life isnt going to be chronicled in the form of some  best selling autobiography, so im pretty sure none of the muggles care  what catfancy has on his wrist. 

good day

Oh wow thats why Timex is so impressive. Very nice!

Honestly I let my eye guide me. If it's aesthetically attractive, I'll put it on my list. I am also drawn to watches with unique functions. For instance, after learning about GMTs, I had to have one. I just think it's cool when a watch can do something out of the ordinary.