Have you ever been separated from your collection

Due to a series of unplanned happenings I can not access three full watch boxes, several singles and my tools and straps. Although temporary I’m hitting a month, well technically two but I was tied up for one so I won’t count that.
It wasn’t bothering me for a couple weeks as I had other concerns but now I’m really missing them and am starting to forget exactly what I have. Perhaps this weekend I can obtain but it may not happen. It’s a very strange feeling, not like being on vacation and away from them like I said just a series of strange unexpected events. Life can be funny like that.

Maybe not the same way you're presently separated, but when I go on a long trip away from home I really miss having my full collection to choose from on a particular day. For overseas travel in particular, I usually have three or fewer watches with me, and usually not my favourites due to concerns about theft or loss.

The upside to separation is that it feels kind of like getting a lot of new watches when you're finally reunited!

I would have anxiety if I was unsure if my watches were safe, but if I know there are safe then I can just enjoy the watch I decided to travel with, and otherwise fulfill any watch cravings by surfing OF.

Funny it did just start creating anxiety. It’s in a double locked safe area but I watched a you tube thing on bumper keys (I think that’s the name) and how quick thieves can get into things. The place has cameras so should be ok but your mind starts running away. If this was a planned or positive situation it would be completely different mentally but things happen we don’t plan

I lived in Saudi Arabia for four years (1986-1989) and at that time I had 25-30 watches in my collection. I had some watches with me in the Kingdom, some in a safe deposit box in Zurich which I had access to about three times a year, and some in a safe deposit box in the US which I would have access to once a year. That's just the way it was, I never thought too much about it, it just took pre-planning. Some watches I only saw once a year. I was buying a lot of new watches in Arabia (Cartier, Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe mostly) and selling/trading them to a dealer in Zurich when I would visit, it was a nice little sideline gig I had. When I repatriated back to the US in late 1989 I cleared the SD box in Switzerland and brought everything back to the US. No issues. Back in those days customs agents in Switzerland or the US were not concerned with watches coming and going in and out of the country.

I don’t have many at home. Usually have three or four on rotation to wear, plus Quartz options. I quite like a swap around every few months. Like having a ‘new watch’ also helps me know which ones are the favourite. Can be a frustration if I do need something specific.

Same. I didn’t see many of my watches for over a year.