What a long strange trip it's been ...

[wschofield3]

It's been a strange trip, and only this group would understand, so please, pardon the lengthy rambling.

A couple years ago I decided to sell off most of my collection which then consisted of over 150 watches to consolidate into better watches. I had a mishmash of things that I collected over the years from brands like Fortis, Girard Perregaux and others, but there was no way I was able to wear all of them in rotation. I even went through a period of watching those shows on TV and ordered a couple of Invicta and Swiss Legend. That was a mistake. I gave them all away.

Fast forward to having a decent collection with a nice GO PML, a Grand Seiko and B&M, consolidating to those along the way with Nomos, FC, Ball, Longines and many others traded to get there. There were other great watches that played bit parts as I was driving towards my “perfect 12”.

My perfect 12 consists of a beater, a better and a best in four categories which are chronograph, all around watches, dressy watches and divers.

I then thought that I could consolidate to eight watches in total with just a beater and best in each of those four categories, so I started to look to consolidate all of my watches in each category into one watch. That's when the VC Overseas chronograph caught my eye.

I sold everything, and I was determined to get the VC into my watch box pronto. The new version of it was making the rounds and I figured why not just keep the money in the bank for a while and wait and see if the older version went down in price. I never thought what happened next would….

Here I sit now with a small rotation of watches of which I am appreciating more than any time in my watch collecting existence. I'm questioning spending big dollars on a watch when I get so much enjoyment from my Seiko solar chronograph, BBA and others such as the Eterna and Jean Richard that I purchased for silly money comparative to retail prices, which I believe in other parts of the world, they sell for and are well worth it.

Is my desire to purchase more expensive, more prestigious watches an ego thing for me personally? I'm starting to think so, I'm just not in the income bracket to be able to play in that space comfortably.

Where does this leave me?

Within my dive watch category I have the Ball X-Lume, Seiko baby tuna, a Seiko monster and my soon to be released Revolution dive watch. I think I'm fairly covered in that category as when I'm out on the water sailing or swimming, I don't want to have a super expensive watch to be concerned about.

In my dressy category I have the JR 1681 small seconds, the Mido that my lovely bride bought me and the Buran watch as a beater which I wear to weddings and places where I'll be flittering around while having a few adult beverages. Category covered.

In the all-around category, I still need my “best” watch. I'm thinking about a Sinn 856, Tudor North flag, the Omega AT or the venerable Rolex Explorer.

I truly believe that with that purchase I may be able to sit back a while and enjoy what I have. Or will I?

I scored a lovely Eterna Kon Tiki chronograph which is absolutely blowing my mind on the quality relative to the expenditure. This is really the watch that made me start thinking about investing large sums of money into a watch. Well, that and the fact that I don't have a money tree. If one can get a watch of this quality for under $1000, why would I spend $10,000 on any watch? These are my thoughts, and again, I'm not made of money to the point where I can buy watches at that level and feel super comfortable about it. When I got my GO I thought it might be my only watch at that price point, but I found myself wanting others. Now, I'm not so sure, but I don’t know how much of this feeling is caused by lack of affordability because there is no question I appreciate fine watches that command large sums of money.

Perhaps the tides will turn in the next couple of months as I rebuild my finances from heavy expenditures over the last couple of years due to my daughter's wedding, college tuition bills and other matters of home improvements. I’ll probably be back here wishing on that Breguet Marine big date, the aforementioned VC, and that other watch brand that I am completely bonkers over, Grand Seiko.

Has anyone else been through this up-and-down, all over the place thoughts regarding your watch collection?

OK, I'm off my soapbox now. This is been a public service announcement for me, Mr. Confused.

[FuzzyB]

It is amazing to see where this journey takes us.

My watch buying has slowed down significantly this year. One of the main reasons for that is a challenge to myself to only buy German watches for a year. To get in the proper mindset for the challenge, I only wore my German watches for the first 100 days or so of the year.

Rather than making me want to go out and expand the number of German watches I own, I realized I would enjoy the watches I owned more if I had far fewer watches. I enjoyed each watch more by wearing it for more than a day or two at a time.

Just like you, I'm no longer planning for that big purchase this year. In fact, I'm working my way down the list of watches to see how few I actually want to keep.

[Henry Krinkle]

I too have significantly slowed my purchases. I haev only rarely sold any watches in the past, but I moved a few last year and this year I am even. My collection has not grown in size and I am considering selling off quite a few. Whether or not I do it is another matter. I am still considerign one pricey watch in the future and I am certain I will buy other watches between now and then, but I am pretty happy with the top third of my collectiion at the moment and probably wouldn't miss the rest enough to fret about it.

[jdelcue]

I think I'm still very much on the uphill when compared to some other folks around the boards, in terms of what I currently own and what I'd like to own.

However, I too have "grown closer" to my modest collection over time, and less inclined to just add any ol' watch that tickles my fancy to it.

I've heard and seen and read about and shopped a LOT of timepieces over the last several months, and I've liked a ton of them that I thought I might like to own along the way. Present finances being what they are though, and my usual high and personalized standards when it comes to "collecting', I just never got around to actually owning most of them...

I'm glad though. It's meant that I've had to stay honest and focused, each of the watches in my box is significant in more than one way, they each have a purpose different from the others stylistically, in their utility, historically or culturally they are appealing, etc. -- I can't even begin to count the number of watches that reside in some people's watch boxes based on the principle reason that OTHERS would like to own it rather than themselves.. I vow personally never to engage in that behavior..

What you're describing sounds incredibly normal though. Some folks have the cash on hand to "go through" a bunch of watches like you did, some go through a bunch of dreams about watches instead.

I think it's only normal that when things kick off in an arena of passion and intrigue such as watch collecting, if one has the means, they tend to "overdue it" quite easily... (clearly a bit of a dysphemism there but you catch my drift)..

Then comes the reeling it back in (and different people get there different ways). And the flip side of that coin is that you start to better learn about your pieces but also about yourself, what you like best and why..

And, naturally, that big gaping whole that you once upon a time could only fill with a perpetual plan for watch conquest.. It starts (slowly or all at once, depends on the person) to be (ful)filled by the stuff you have on hand already, once trimmed down.. Or maybe a little something here or there that you're now focused on acquiring vs. a total array of pieces that are kind of all over the place..

Come to think of it, kind of sounds like finding the right girl and getting married, no? Lol.

On the topic of your sort of side note, about spending dollars on higher end pieces and ego playing a hidden role etc., I think that's really down to the individual tbh..

Its never easy to admit to oneself if the basis for a desire is ego, it can be a self defeating sort of thing to do so I think. But hey, if that's what you really believe, then be true to yourself and stick with it. You will be rewarded in other ways (more money on hand to buy or do other things, recognition from others who feel similarly if you're into that, etc.)

Some folks never really come to know themselves well enough to know when it's ego that drives them.

Some folks do know but do not have the willpower to stand in its way.

Some other folks know, but openly embrace that about themselves, and that's just as well.

And then, of course, some folks just really understand and enjoy and appreciate "the finer things" and, well, they're the types that should go for it if they have the means to do so.

Sometimes, people do not have the means yet they do have the knowledge and appreciation.. And then it gets tough, like you made it sound in your case..

That's a highly personal decision to make imo, prioritizing your purchases and spending power being what it is..

Good luck! Your journey sounds like a neverending one if I can be honest. And whatever, that's totally cool. Those are some of the best ones..

[mlcor]

A very thoughtful post, Walter. A few thoughts from someone who has a couple of dozen watches, that vary wildly in style and price. First, the heritage of the big brands like Patek and VC is attractive, as is the level of fit and finish. Is it worth ten times an Eterna, or three times a Grand Seiko? Hard to say, but they are definitely in a higher level IMO. For many people, the differences are way too small to justify the price differential. For others, the opposite is true. There is nothing wrong with either view.

I have one each of the big three because (1) I had that as a goal, for the history of the brands, and (2) I found one watch in each brand that I truly loved. If the latter wasn't true (and it almost wasn't for Patek), I would have abandoned the goal, because the most important thing for me is, do I love the watch. I would never buy one just because of the brand.

I pretty much enjoy every watch I own, even if I wear it infrequently. I'm not a seller (although I have sold a few off), and I am also teetering on the edge of saying "I have too many watches to wear them all the amount I want to wear them." But I also don't think there are any I'd really want to sell. So I am probably pretty close to the end of my buying, and I'm fine with that. I love the variety and there's a watch to fit pretty much any mood I have in the morning. Or afternoon.

There's no shame in not wanting an expensive watch. There's no shame in liking inexpensive watches. I don't see any inconsistency in really enjoying both my Patek and my IWL.

[TigerDore]

I'm way too new to this to offer any advice or insight, but I really enjoy reading what you've written. Understanding the thought processes of experienced collectors is enlightening and I appreciate the view into your growth as a collector.

[Steppy]

Definitely get your Grand Seiko back, can't have a perfect 12 without one. Thats all I have

[Cybotron]

Been there done that. Sometimes you just got to let things pan out and see where it goes. I think you are getting comfortable on what you have which is a good thing.

[is that my watch]

yeah been through that recently had a huge collection things took my fancy so bought them over the years but never sold any gave a few away then needed some funds so had to move a few on and found it easier that I thought I would so found it easier then to move some on when there was a need for cash say for household needs so then it sudden came to me that when I got a certain little cwc that I like to wear for days / weeks on end this was a bit new I was a once or twice a day swapper ...

to go to not change for days on end then I started to look at my collection in a whole new light got my favour five and probably ten keepers the rest could get move on at some point ..

as being a Russian watch lover I have a big list of watches I want to get a closer look at so have realize I got two collections the ones I wear and the ones I bought to check out that might keep / might moved on quickly well there is a third collection thinking about it the ones I want to keep as collector pieces main Russian.. a few of there iconic pieces ...

[stew77]

Very thoughtful and interesting post Walter! I can relate to the ups and downs of a collection, and I think you are further along than me.

I'm in the "have accumulated too many pieces over the last several years" camp, and I've come to the realization that I have too many to truly enjoy them all or give all of them the wrist time they deserve. So, I've added a few focused watches lately but much more slowly, and I've also sold a few...and need to sell more. I would like to see my collection shrink significantly in numbers, while adding a few that are still on my wish list.

I agree very much with ml's sentiments regarding expensive and inexpensive pieces. I think this hobby offers the ability to enjoy expensive and inexpensive pieces for a number of different reasons, and I'm definitely of the opinion that one should buy what THEY like...truly. Buy what you like and enjoy it, and let "value" remain in the eye of the beholder.