First of all - thank you all for your kind comments.
I do not seem to get the quote function to work - so I try some copy/paste instead.
Really interesting that you had an Omega sabbatical. What, do you think, caused them to lose their lustre? And as an importantly, what do you feel was the trigger for them to get their lustre back?
Cheers
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Desmond said
3 months ago suddenly I also lost my interest in watch collecting in general. No ebay peeking, wear the same watch for more than 2 or 3 weeks, seldom writing in forum, no contact with my WIS friend etc. Thanks God after 1-2 months gradually my watch enjoyment return back again.
Probably many veteran here also have their 'fed up' period of Omega brand or overall watch collecting.
I remember your fine article titled " Emoting about watch". I quote relevant part:
(Desmond quoting mondodec)
"Finally, pace yourself. A by-product of a lack of pacing and planning is burn-out. This usually happens when acquisitive impulses overshadow most of the other dimensions of collecting such as fellowship, history and horology, tinkering with old movements, uncovering hitherto unknown facts, and so on. The trouble with giving too much rein to acquisitive impulses is that when you’ve got your hands on as many watches as your disposable income allows there is nowhere to go. Often, in such cases, collectors are beset with an “Is that all there is” feeling where an emptiness sets in after the heady rush of acquisition. Interest wains or is suddenly directed toward another head-long rush into acquiring something completely different. If this describes your behaviour, pause and reflect on ways that you can interrupt such self-destructive patterns."
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This time it was a combination of things. As I wrote - other things (work) took up more time than usual but that alone is not the whole story. It is just easier to blame work. It is something that everyone can relate to. But the truth is that I work as much now as during the months I was "lost".
As many men I overdo things. And as Desmond and mondodec writes there comes periods when you get "fed up" and/or get the feeling of "is that all there is". This is what happended to me. It has happened before and it is going to happen again. I get periods when I question the meaning of things - and I actually think it is a sound reaction. It tells me I have been focusing on the wrong end of the hobby. mondodec hit the nail perfectly in his text above. Hell - I have even written about it myself:
quoting myself...
My piece of advice.
Do not surrender to - what I have named - "grail emptiness". The feeling of meaninglessness and anxiety that can hit you when you have reached one of your goals. The emptiness and sometimes disorientation has its explanation.
Take comfort in the knowledge that collecting is not solely about the possession of things. It is as much, or more and for some, maybe to the full extent - about the quest. The research, the hunt, the journey, meetings, contacts - and the dreaming.
You are not alone in your grail emptiness. I would say we all suffer from it in different ways and forms. I tackle it by finding a new grail to covet and long for. Sometimes I alternate between hobbies to find new inspiration.
I found this some time ago and I think it is well put:
“The main thing is that I discovered that half the fun of owning a watch is, like the fulfillment of all desires, about the pursuit –shopping around is fun and ownership is the beginning of something, but also the end.” Jack Forster, Contributor, Forbes Magazine"
Very best regards
JE
PS - what got me back? Meeting my best WIS friends live over a weekend. Having some crayfish, beer and schnapps. Then concentrate on the interest of watches - not just the buying of them. A reality check was in order - check!