Rule of 72 - Or, To Heck With the Rules, As Many As I Want!

Is there anyone here or anyone who knows someone with a secret subterranian vault filled with row after row and case after case of watches?

I have suspicions about 2-3 Crunchers.

Anyone set a different limit for their collection?

I'm wrestling with this now. I have 25 watches now. More than I think I really need; by a factor of 2. It's been <checks notes> over 3 months since my last acquisition and it will be at least another 8 months or more for the next purchase. (1 or none watches in a year is the new mantra)

I have other interests that were being neglected and even if I could buy more watches, I don't think I would be. An extensive watch collection, of items that are technologically obsolete & enjoyed by only me is at severe odds with my usual philosophy of my possessions needing to be useful for more than one purpose.

Would I like more watches? Yes, some new items & some to replace those currently in the collection.

Will I obtain them? To be determined...

Yes, even the Speedy is in this limbo. Less than other possible acquisitions, but still in limbo. It would be the last item in the want list to leave the want list if I decided to close the collecting phase of my watch enthusiasm, but it might.

Looking at some car collection auctions, some folks didnt have a limit either!

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/09/29/227495741/the-142-000-pickup-truck-with-1-3-miles-tops-vintage-car-auction

I have been thinking do I have a limit of how many watches? While I am not certain of the answer after getting over 30 watches in 2 years or so I know that I am ready to take a break for awhile. I am setting a $100 a month budget for watches and currently that will be saving up for a Hamilton Elvis80s watch. I am very much enjoying my collection journey and where my preferences, opinions, and knowledge is developing.

Hey your doing 72 what the heck

I have a 10-slot box and a 3-slot case. I have no plans of going beyond that limitation. I discovered how quickly one can acquire 13 watches without even thinking about it. I’m tempted to get another box but fighting that urge successfully, for now.

Yeah, they stack up quick don't they. My limit will be financial rather than numerical. If you include my Swatches, I have 7 right now, but that could be as high as 14 before the year is out. That will likely be the ceiling for me, at least for a while.

I have a 12 watch box. That’s my limit. I’ve given about a half dozen away and sold two to get down to this number. Now it’s one-in-one-out.

I found my desire for new purchases is directly proportional to the amount of time spent on watch websites and YouTube reviews. I’ve cut way back on both. It’s much easier on my wallet.

Pretending I didn't hear the question...

My personal rule is 80% of my total watch budget has to be spent on watches I wear on a weekly basis... this ensures that I am maximizing wrist time x value and pushes me to build toward a quality collection over time. The rule also necessarily imposes an implied but not hard limit to the # of watches. My target # is 4 to 6 frequently worn + 4 less often worn.

No limits here, other than risking disapproval from the Mrs.

I've "finished" my Aliexpress journey. Also "finished" my Waltham pocket watch journey. Started my USSR / Russia journey. Sigh.

I just give my cheapest casios to other people i like. But I managed to cap my G-Shock collection to 18 all in a nice box. My Seiko collection is also very manageable at 15. For rules, I don't know, just don't over think it. Get a new hobby so you can diversify.

Im going the opposite of you and decided to scaling down my collection significantly. If you have the space and the financial means, then why not?

I kept my watches from the early days for a long time. A Benetton Bulova Ecology, a Tissot Ceraten, a Swatch Irony Body & Soul, Vostok Amphibia, Poljot Buran Chronograph, BWC handwound dress watch, Royce titanium automatic. But then I realised that I had not been wearing them for a very long time, so I sold them all. I’m not interested in a museum. The watches I want to have are the ones I’m also wearing. I think you start somewhere with no real budget and work your way up. There is a lot of trying things out of course until you find those that really work for you. And that might change again as you go through life 😊

I also like pocket knives so that’s a whole other rabbit hole to try and steer around ……

Blimey, I thought my 8 was a tad excessive 🤯

My limit is what my Credit Card tell me at the moment 😂 until it’s paid off we start over again .. vicious cycle really…

I tell myself that I buy them to wear, and if I am not wearing them then they have to go. It is a self-limiting principle of sorts. I want a smaller rotation so difficult decisions must be made. I use the WRUW feature here to see what I am wearing and not wearing.

I keep adding while I find something of interest that is affordable. Had a look at some vintage recently - I'm less forgiving about watches with patina than aurelian, and have less of a clue of the pitfalls of vintage.

My current fetish is Seiko LCD's

8 is a nice number. I'd rather have 8 great watches than 72 mixed quality ones. Now I'm starting to feel self-conscious about 72! LOL

I get an occasional urge to buy the latest does it all multitool. Always looking for the "One That Rules Them All"

The answer is always "the number of watches you have now, plus 1!"

Buck multitools rule 🙂

Waiting for this to be delivered.