I see a number of people here seem to buy watches for loved ones along with themselves. My wife isn’t crazy about my watches and she has no desire to acquire a nice watch she is content with any quartz piece that works and looks decent. Having said that she doesn’t seem to mind my collecting watches except a few times when I obtained four in one week. I’ve left the house at weird hours to meet someone for a local trade/purchase. She has even bought me a few watches, a very nice looking seiko that is quartz but still very nice looking and she got me a watch that had the Red Sox logo, my favorite baseball team. I sold that one with her permission as it was like 48mm and I can’t wear those. So I consider myself lucky, of course she doesn’t want me dropping thousands on a watch but when I have done it I wasn’t put in the dog house, I did get the silent treatment for a day.
I attempted once, had a vintage Rado in my sights for an anniversary gift, but I had a moment of clarity and dropped it in favour of having a ring made. The overjoyed response ( part relief I'm sure) settled it in my mind that she has no interest, only occasionally in the 'how much', but as long as new kitchens and bathrooms turn up regularly there is no problem. I currently have my eye on a either a Rolext GMT or a Sub next , so have just put down a deposit for a conservatory .
She tolerates it...."oh bought another watch." Sometimes she rolls her eyes, like when I take a picture of my watch to post on WRUW. I could go on, but you all that are married probably have same experience if your wife is not into watches.
She's talked me into keeping my allocated Apollo 11 50th, convinced me of the ST2 Ultraman and keeps telling me that a bi-color Globemaster looks good on me. So, safe to say she's worse, I guess.
It has gotten strenuous as of late...as my purchases have been, well, on the larger size. But as I tell her, watches are better than vintage cars...or golf...or hookers and blow.
My wife looks at my collection as funds that could be put to better use elsewhere. So NO she’s not a fan. Pressure to sell has increased since I “retired”. Frankly I’m beginning so see her point.
She laughs at how much time I spend browsing here and looking at watches, but she’s totally supportive. My watch collecting habit sprouted from browsing watches for her as an anniversary gift. She isn’t into vintage Omegas though so that has to change! She has a dedicated spot in my watch box. It switches between her two favourites; a rose gold Edox Les Vauberts Day/Date and a Timex Weekender.
My significant other doesn't mind one way or another, leaves me alone with my thing. Not that I am jeopardizing family budget or anything...
I think that she is under the mistaken belief that the watches are investments. During a period of very low returns elsewhere this seems fine but when she realises that I have no intention to sell and that watch values can go down as well as up she may be less impressed.
But are watches better than plastic hookers? Plastic hookers have tons of advantages over non-plastic hookers...I think...