By the Numbers: A Portrait of a Collector

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[Hey tony

Where are your Rolexes ?

bill
QUOTE="Tony C., post: 439858, member: 1598"]My first thought was "no way am I going to count 'em". But then it occurred to me that I could break them down into broader categories, and still provide an interesting snapshot.

Apparently no one can accuse me of not being eclectic!

11 and up
Eterna
Longines
Mido
Omega

from 5–10
Certina
Gubelin
Marvin
Movado
Seiko
Stowa

from 2–5
Alpina
Audemars Piguet
Benrus
Bifora
Bulova
Buren
Candino
Citizen
Cortebert
Cyma
Enicar
Favre Leuba
Felca
Girard Perregaux
Glycine
Gruen
IWC
Jaeger LeCoultre
Juvenia
Lanco
Nivada
Ollech & Wajs
Orient
Record
Revue
Roamer
Rodania
Technos
Tissot
Zenith

single examples
Atlantic
Corum
Ebel
Eberhard
Fortis
Helbros
Invicta
J. Auricoste
Jenny
Junghans
Lip
Oris
Precimax
Rado
Rotary
Sandoz
Tavannes
Waltham[/QUOTE]
 
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You Go Art !

Been collecting Omegas for just over ten years now. The first one was a Mk II acquired in '05 from a friend, and then sold three years later after he passed away under tragic circumstances. It wasn't that I was tired of the Mk II - I just didn't want to own that particular one any more.

In between the Mk II and the 910 Flightmaster acquired this year, I've bought three Connies, three Seamasters, a Genève, an R17.8 tank, a Denison bumper, two chronometers, an 18 jewel 30T2SC ref 2242, plus a ref 2179, without selling a single one. And a Mk II was gifted by a friend back in December; in a sense, my vintage Ω collection has never experienced a lay-off.

A vintage Longines, five Glashüttes, two Grand Seikos, and four Seikos comprise the balance of my current holdings, going back to '03. A few have left: a Zenith, three G O's, and a Fortis. Not planning on disposing of any, other than one (either the new Seiko or the Ω ref 166.0002 SM) that will go to Dad next month for his 83rd birthday.

Far fewer sales than acquisitions. Five to one isn't only a Doors track 😀.

Art
 
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My name is MSNWatch and I am a vintage omega addict and hoarder.


Never heard of that condition ....
 
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[Hey tony

Where are your Rolexes ?

bill

Damn - I forgot to include the "zero" category!
Edited:
 
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Starter collection of 4 in order of acquisition ... but I'm still in my mid-twenties and only been at this about 10 months so give it time:

1965 Omega Speedmaster 105.012
1959 Rolex Submariner 5512 "Silver Print Eagle Beak"
1969 Heuer Carrera 3147N 2nd Execution
1954 Rolex Air King 6552 "Serpico y Laino"
 
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My dream is to have a quality pair from each brand I'm interested in.
I'm at around __ right now(don't want to count) and some brands need to be thinned. 😗
Brands I have 3+ pieces from: Omega, Vacheron, JLC, Longines, UG, Seiko, IWC
 
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We're truly an international forum now!! Always nice to have different perspectives and opinions from all over the world.
 
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Starter collection of 4 in order of acquisition ... but I'm still in my mid-twenties and only been at this about 10 months so give it time:

1965 Omega Speedmaster 105.012
1959 Rolex Submariner 5512 "Silver Print Eagle Beak"
1969 Heuer Carrera 3147N 2nd Execution
1954 Rolex Air King 6552 "Serpico y Laino"
Congrats
You have done very well in your short time collecting
Let's see what you acquire in your second 10 months
 
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A very interesting thread, thanks everyone for sharing. As a novice enthusiast, it's really interesting to see how different people think about their collection. My nature, I'm a buy and hold kind of guy, but I jumped in a little too far on the deep end and so I have already sold 3 watches, and I will sell probably 3-5 more in the next couple months. I think I want a coherent collection that tells a story, but what that story is, I don't yet know. Though it has something to do with vintage Zenith 😀

Iv'e been enthusiaing for less than a year.

right now, all the watches I can remember and want to talk about:
7 Zenith -- vintage
2 Movado -- vintage
1 Bulova -- vintage
1 Wittnauer -- vintage
3 Grand Seiko -- 2 vintage, 1 modern
2 Seiko -- 1 vintage, 1 modern
2 Omega -- 2 modern
1 apple watch -- permanent loan to my brother
2 pebble watches

most of what I have are chronographs, though I think I would also like more bezel-less (or is that called internal bezel?) dive watches, like
 
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Nothing as impressive as some of the members here but we've got to start somewhere. Contrary to most of you, my fiancée is the one that got me addicted (Oh well it's not like this forum helped the addiction).

His:
1 1960 Waltham Chronograph (Poormans something)
1 Glycine Triple date disk
1 Tudor Oyster Royal
1 Frédérique Constant Ultraslim Monophase (It's been at the AD for three months, waiting for a custom made bracelet for my small wrist)
6 Universal Geneve
- Polerouter SS Cal. 68 (I should put that one below because I'm not wearing it)
- Polerouter Gold plated Cal. 215
- Polerouter SS Cal 215
- Gold plated Cal. 332 ref. 406511/2
- SS 138ss Bumper
- SS Cal 262 (in coming)

Her's:
Baume et Mercier Linea
Bulgari CarbonGold Roma 1884
Universal Geneve Compax
Mido Multisport

I thought it would be nice to bump this thread up with an updated list after 5 months.

11 Universal Geneve
3 Polerouters (68 SS, 215 SS and 215 Goldplated)
1 Cal. 262 in SS
2 Cal. 263 in SS
1 Compur goldplated
1 Uni-compax 18k
1 138ss Bumper in SS
1 Cal. 332 goldplated
1 Cal. 800 goldplated

1 Tudor Oyster Royal in SS
1 Frédérique Constant Ultraslim Moonphase Manufacture in SS
1 jumbo IWC Cal. 89 in SS (at the watchmaker)
1 Seikomatic in SS
1 Titus Geneve Chronograph 18k
1 1960s Zodiac goldplated

The only ones that are sure to stay in the collection are the UGs and the Frederique Constant.
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Nobody seems to have included clocks as part of their collections. Or perhaps no self respecting watch collector would admit to collecting clocks. Along with 100 + pocket and wrist watches, I have 3 Seth Thomas clocks (2 World models), 1 1911 Junghans chimer, 1 Mission style striker, 1 Canadian made Pequegnat mantel striker (Pantheon model), one New Haven tambour striker, and 1 Ansonia Boston Extra mantel striker. Along with these, 1 Hamilton model XI marine chronometer, and 1 Hamilton model XII marine chronometer. Along with all this insanity, books! Project watches? Hundreds of pounds of those. Tools? Where do I start? Now, my wife's growing collection. 4 Omegas, 1 Rolex, 1 Gruen, 1 Wittnauer, several Bulovas, most of these watches being karat gold, bought as salvage, and returned to working condition. My analyst tells me there are worse obsessions! 😀
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Nobody seems to have included clocks as part of their collections. Or perhaps no self respecting watch collector would admit to collecting clocks. Along with 100 + pocket and wrist watches, I have 3 Seth Thomas clocks (2 World models), 1 1911 Junghans chimer, 1 Mission style striker, 1 Canadian made Pequegnat mantel striker (Pantheon model), one New Haven tambour striker, and 1 Ansonia Boston Extra mantel striker. Along with these, 1 Hamilton model XI marine chronometer, and 1 Hamilton model XII marine chronometer. Along with all this insanity, books! Project watches? Hundreds of pounds of those. Tools? Where do I start?

You are right almost forgot about those, they have long been sold but
1 Clock in my 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier
1 Clock in my 2005 Toyota Echo

😉 needless to say I know nothing about clocks.

Serious question, @Canuck where do you keep these clocks, do you have a special room for them. Pictures would be great to see when you have some time.
 
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No Atmos?
 
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Speaking of clocks, does anyone have a wife who is a clock-blocker? 🙄
 
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Compiling a list is not so easy anymore.
2 UG Tri Compax
1 UG uni compax
1 UG Polarouter
1 UG 216
Longines CH 30 Chrono
Longines 13.33z Chrono
Omega Speedmaster 2998-6
Omega Constellation Pie Pan
JLC Grand Reverso Duo
JLC Master Calendar Moon
Victorinox Divemaster 500 Mechanical
MontbBlanc GMT Timewalker
Rolex GMT Master II
RGM 801 COE
RGM 455 chronograph Custom Enamel Dial (on order)
Angelus Gilt Dial Chrono
Gallet Chrono

I enjoy wearing all of them. Time me thinks to shop my collection before adding any more for a while.