Collectors Guilt?
Discussion
I have a fairly low budget collection of about 8 watches, but I find I tend to gravitate towards say two of them as daily wearers. Which sort of makes me feel silly for having a collection at all.
I'm hoping to get an Omega for a milestone birthday, and will probably daily that as much as I can. So my other watches might not get a look in for a while.
Do you have watches in your collection that you still want to keep but just never get worn? Other than sentimental value, what's the point of keeping them?
I'm hoping to get an Omega for a milestone birthday, and will probably daily that as much as I can. So my other watches might not get a look in for a while.
Do you have watches in your collection that you still want to keep but just never get worn? Other than sentimental value, what's the point of keeping them?

I never liked having more than one watch. Just imagine having a watch that costs as much as a car sitting in the back of the drawer. Taking it out to wear after a while and then seeing the complication doesn't work just after the warranty expired. Nothing a few thousand quid can't fix, eh? Now times this by the number of watches you have. I now wear an Apple Watch daily. Life is simple. Life is good.
Currently have 7 watches, 3 are sentimental so don't get worn very often. One has a loud tick which drives my wife crazy so it doesn't get worn often. One is fairly dressy so is only worn on special occasions which leaves me with an Apple Watch and a Luminox which I wear when I need to detox from the constant notifications and stand, exercise reminders.
I do keep an eye out for certain watches I think will increase in value over time, mostly limited editions that have something unique about them or a good story. My loud ticker was purchased for £450 about 10 years ago and is worth £900 to £1000 now and my dressy watch was £800 a few years back and worth about £1500 now so nothing uber special, probably just about keeping up with inflation so better than having money in the bank.
When I 'collect' stuff I try and collect stuff that will be worth the same or more in the future in case the poo hits the fan and I need the cash. I have done OK with watches, Lego and MontBlanc pens over the years, not enough to make a real difference but it's nice all the same.
I do keep an eye out for certain watches I think will increase in value over time, mostly limited editions that have something unique about them or a good story. My loud ticker was purchased for £450 about 10 years ago and is worth £900 to £1000 now and my dressy watch was £800 a few years back and worth about £1500 now so nothing uber special, probably just about keeping up with inflation so better than having money in the bank.
When I 'collect' stuff I try and collect stuff that will be worth the same or more in the future in case the poo hits the fan and I need the cash. I have done OK with watches, Lego and MontBlanc pens over the years, not enough to make a real difference but it's nice all the same.
I've got 19. Some I never wear, but they're not worth selling. Some I rarely wear, but would miss them if they went.
Realistically, I need a dress watch, a 'sports' watch, a diver, a daily and a 'beater'. And that's what I wear. I do rotate divers in order to give them all a go.
I don't have any guilt, as my most expensive watches are the ones I wear, and I've never bought a watch I couldn't afford and don't have any money tied up in watches that I need for something else.
Realistically, I need a dress watch, a 'sports' watch, a diver, a daily and a 'beater'. And that's what I wear. I do rotate divers in order to give them all a go.
I don't have any guilt, as my most expensive watches are the ones I wear, and I've never bought a watch I couldn't afford and don't have any money tied up in watches that I need for something else.
GilletteFan said:

I never liked having more than one watch. Just imagine having a watch that costs as much as a car sitting in the back of the drawer. Taking it out to wear after a while and then seeing the complication doesn't work just after the warranty expired. Nothing a few thousand quid can't fix, eh? Now times this by the number of watches you have. I now wear an Apple Watch daily. Life is simple. Life is good.
GilletteFan said:

I never liked having more than one watch. Just imagine having a watch that costs as much as a car sitting in the back of the drawer. Taking it out to wear after a while and then seeing the complication doesn't work just after the warranty expired. Nothing a few thousand quid can't fix, eh? Now times this by the number of watches you have. I now wear an Apple Watch daily. Life is simple. Life is good.
I have thinned down my collection quite a bit, not that it was big to start with.
I have maybe 8 watches currently, the most expensive being a Seamaster 300 I bought myself for my 40th a couple of years ago, as it was a significant life event I doubt I'll ever part with it.
I have two which are sentimental that I'll never wear but I keep them anyway, low value quartz watches but have meaning to me.
Then I have a Seiko diver, a couple of G shocks, a swatch Omega moonwatch which again I've never worn, was an impulse buy.
My daily watch is a Samsung watch 5 Pro, its useful and not hugely valuable so I dont worry about it.
I have maybe 8 watches currently, the most expensive being a Seamaster 300 I bought myself for my 40th a couple of years ago, as it was a significant life event I doubt I'll ever part with it.
I have two which are sentimental that I'll never wear but I keep them anyway, low value quartz watches but have meaning to me.
Then I have a Seiko diver, a couple of G shocks, a swatch Omega moonwatch which again I've never worn, was an impulse buy.
My daily watch is a Samsung watch 5 Pro, its useful and not hugely valuable so I dont worry about it.
Bob_Defly said:
I have a fairly low budget collection of about 8 watches, but I find I tend to gravitate towards say two of them as daily wearers. Which sort of makes me feel silly for having a collection at all.
I'm hoping to get an Omega for a milestone birthday, and will probably daily that as much as I can. So my other watches might not get a look in for a while.
Do you have watches in your collection that you still want to keep but just never get worn? Other than sentimental value, what's the point of keeping them?
One good reason is, I bought them at a price that's a lot less than what they're worth now! Essentially, I'd make money, but if I ever wanted to own that piece again (or missed it!), I'd have to pay a fair bit more! If there is a watch that you never wear - and you don't love it, nor would you miss it - I'd probably sell it on! If it has sentimental value, or you bought it for a purpose (holiday watch, interview watch etc.), then keep it! I'm hoping to get an Omega for a milestone birthday, and will probably daily that as much as I can. So my other watches might not get a look in for a while.
Do you have watches in your collection that you still want to keep but just never get worn? Other than sentimental value, what's the point of keeping them?

I've got a couple of watches that were gifts from Mrs M, that won't ever go, but I'm pretty fluid about the rest.
I decided earlier to get rid of some watches I bought on a whim and keep the money in a separate account, so that if something really special comes along I can buy it.
But Guilt? Oh yes. I think really that I ought to be doing something else with that money, a new lawn, kitchen, upgrade my car, but I've got luckily enough savings to do that anyway so it's not as if I'm disadvantaging the family by having a few nice watches.
I decided earlier to get rid of some watches I bought on a whim and keep the money in a separate account, so that if something really special comes along I can buy it.
But Guilt? Oh yes. I think really that I ought to be doing something else with that money, a new lawn, kitchen, upgrade my car, but I've got luckily enough savings to do that anyway so it's not as if I'm disadvantaging the family by having a few nice watches.
What 8 do you have? Are they all similar?
I see a lot of people who say they have a collection, which when you look at them they are variations of the same watch i.e. stainless steel, black face.
I have a decent size collection, in my collection I have very few similar watches and for me the joy of having a few means that I can have the more crazy ones that would never work as an only watch, but for that occasion that pops up every few months it’s perfect (think Orange Boutique model Corum Bubble).
I see a lot of people who say they have a collection, which when you look at them they are variations of the same watch i.e. stainless steel, black face.
I have a decent size collection, in my collection I have very few similar watches and for me the joy of having a few means that I can have the more crazy ones that would never work as an only watch, but for that occasion that pops up every few months it’s perfect (think Orange Boutique model Corum Bubble).
Sheetmaself said:
What 8 do you have? Are they all similar?
I see a lot of people who say they have a collection, which when you look at them they are variations of the same watch i.e. stainless steel, black face.
I have a decent size collection, in my collection I have very few similar watches and for me the joy of having a few means that I can have the more crazy ones that would never work as an only watch, but for that occasion that pops up every few months it’s perfect (think Orange Boutique model Corum Bubble).
That's true. I could probably say I have several collections of watches.I see a lot of people who say they have a collection, which when you look at them they are variations of the same watch i.e. stainless steel, black face.
I have a decent size collection, in my collection I have very few similar watches and for me the joy of having a few means that I can have the more crazy ones that would never work as an only watch, but for that occasion that pops up every few months it’s perfect (think Orange Boutique model Corum Bubble).
I went through a square/cushion case period, then a cathedral hands period, then an aviator period, now going through a bronze/brass period.

When do you wear your Corum Bubble then?
I have been collecting watches for about 17 years and I have around 100 in total. I've sold maybe 3 in that time. Trouble is, the bulk of them are worth under £100 each, so whilst collectively they are worth something, it would take ages to sell them. I'd be happy to sell about half of them.
Sheetmaself said:
Generally casual shorts and t shirt, or occasionally on an informal night out in jeans and a short sleeve shirt (it will not fit under sleeves!).
I did wonder. When you said "that occasion" and "every few months" I thought you meant something very formal and wondered how it fit under a shirt!I’m currently thinning out the collection with the aim of consolidating down to a few watches I love equally so a few of my more expensive watches are going. I’ll always keep a few what I would class as bread n butter Rolex (subs)in the safe as easy to liquidate if ever needed.
Recently put two VC on the chopping block, traditionelle and full rose gold overseas. These will get put into a full gold AP. Some will see this as madness but the VC just live in the safe at this point with little consideration of being worn.
PP 5980 gone.
AP 26331st and 15202 gone
I see my daily rotation as
My ostentatious DD40
AP Royal Oak full gold
ALS zeitwerk
Explorer II beater for around the house
What gets added will depend on the AD, the above for me though is adequate.
Recently put two VC on the chopping block, traditionelle and full rose gold overseas. These will get put into a full gold AP. Some will see this as madness but the VC just live in the safe at this point with little consideration of being worn.
PP 5980 gone.
AP 26331st and 15202 gone
I see my daily rotation as
My ostentatious DD40
AP Royal Oak full gold
ALS zeitwerk
Explorer II beater for around the house
What gets added will depend on the AD, the above for me though is adequate.
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