Does the 80/20 rule apply to vintage watch collecting?

My next investment piece:

Leopard Print Daytona

Guarantee you I'll make a killing.

WHAT??? My heart is broken.

110% buy 'em because I like 'em. That leaves -10% for buy them as an investment. The majority of my watches are contemporary (although some go back nearly 25 years). These are pretty much the core of my "catch and release" program. On the other hand, the 4 or 5 vintage watches will probably never be sold by me. That will be the problem of my heirs and assigns. If I chose poorly, then so be it.

My watches tend to be on my wrist or in my safe. My investments are housed at Fidelity.com.

Yeah, we've already gone over this. @Spacefruit reeled this a couple of months ago.

A google around suggests that in 1972 a Speedmaster sold for $320. If you spent that on an S&P tracker (a vehicle which probably didn't exist at the time, but does now) it would today be worth a shade under $8,000.

Suggests that the very best watches keep up with the returns of other asset classes, but the majority of watches don't?

I think the OP was on the right track with his 80/20 breakdown, particularly for newer collectors.

Anytime I talk to someone who is looking to buy their first “good” watch, i take it as almost a given that if they really get into the hobby, they’ll probably not end up loving that first purchase.

For that reason, it’s good to get something that you can flip for as close to your initial investment as possible.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. In my short period of collecting vintage watches most comments I’ve read on this subject, suggest to buy what you like over investment. In practice I have come to the conclusion that most people buy more for investment because I don’t see many people selling for under “market value” or what the latest sale of that particular model of watch sold for. Also when we talk investment, I don’t think it’s used in the sense of “getting rich” but more to buy that next grail with as little added money out of my own pocket.

The reason I have been thinking about this lately is because I rarely wear my more “expensive” vintage watches and most morning I grab a modern watch/Omega.


Why is it easier for me to grab one of the above over my vintage pieces? For starters these are all in my watch box, easily accessible. While my vintage are more secured or in a bank safe. 🤦 (Where is the enjoyment in that) The watches above I don’t feel like I have to baby and be extra careful or lose a DON that will cost me $4-5k to replace. (Once again where is the enjoyment in that) With the above watches, I’m bonding making memories instead of them being somewhere collecting cobwebs.

While I love the look and feeling I get from my Ed White and other pre-moon speedies I rarely wear them because I know deep down I look at them as investments. My dilemma is should I sale and purchase more modern, such as a Snoopy Award, which I would enjoy the hell out of and it would be in regular rotation or keep the vintage which at this point the only enjoyment is knowing that I own them???

Three key factors with watches exist for me:

1) The thrill of the chase is often more rewarding than the watch itself;
2) There are no scenarios where you truly “need” a watch, so you can afford to be patient; and,
3) You often don’t actually know if you like something until you’ve lived with it - and you generally end up liking things less than you think.

I probably bid or correspond on 200+ watches a year, either at auction or in classifieds. I maybe buy 3-5. Some I sell, some I keep. I don’t usually know if I’ll like them until I buy and live with them. I truly fail in love with fewer than I simply like, so I’m always trying to build leeway into the price to allow me to sell them if I don’t love them. Plus, I tend to have a few on hand to play with at all times, so it’s not as gutting to sell ones I’m on the fence about.

There’s also “drop everything grail pieces” that I’d want to sell certain pieces in order to buy - again, having leeway to do this and potential to at least break even in pieces helps build a collection.

For that reason, I’m very careful to maximize value. It’s a recognition more that I can mistake lust for love, rather than trying to profit off the watch. Plus it lets me try different brands, eras, styles, etc, helping me know where I want to go as a collector whilst minimizing downside.

Investment seems like a dirty word here - So maybe we can settle on the massively less sexy “prudent purchase, all things considered”.

This hits my personal ethos on the head. My own philosophy is if it takes owning 200 watches to find the perfect 8-10 that are absolute keepers / don't leave room for "wandering eye syndrome," then it's worth it to burn through those 200 at whatever pace it takes. The key, however, is patience for top quality + a reasonable price. I'm repeating the sage wisdom of others on this interesting thread, but If it's an excellent example that was purchased at even a slight discount to market, any fear of taking a bath on the watch should it not be a keeper is an afterthought. If you make a little money as well that can be rolled into other watches / more important things in life, then that's really the cherry on top.

That's not what Justin tells me.

Oh, and, pennies? You guys still use those?