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SkunkPrince
·Sometimes I'll wear a watch for a day or a week. I rotate as the whim strikes. Wearing the 2254.50 as the WatchCo Seamaster 300 needs service.
Have your "daily watch" habits changed?
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__ryan__
·I used to be one-watch fellow -- wore a Stowa Flieger for most of 2019. At some point I decided that I needed a better dress watch. That led me to vintage, and I settled on the humble Eterna below. At 34 mm, I thought it was appropriate as a dress watch, but not so much for casual wear. So it sat in the watch box for months, untouched, as I didn't have a need for dress wear during the pandemic.
One day, I decided to just wear it casually to see how it goes... and I really enjoyed it. That was really a blessing because I realized all of these other cool vintage pieces (of similar size) would be easy to wear. Now, I have a small collection that I rotate, and which I'm looking to expand.
One day, I decided to just wear it casually to see how it goes... and I really enjoyed it. That was really a blessing because I realized all of these other cool vintage pieces (of similar size) would be easy to wear. Now, I have a small collection that I rotate, and which I'm looking to expand.
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krogerfoot
·Interesting thread. I bought a house in Tokyo right at the outset of the pandemic, which halved my income and forced me to scramble to make ends meet. Selling some of my collection kept my head above water. Now that I’m going out for work more regularly, I find that I wear a watch for about a week or so where I used to change them out daily. In Tokyo where I might have to trudge for 20 minutes or so in 37 degree C weather through a shadeless expanse to get to a lecture hall that may be just as hot inside, I’m wearing a lot of my weekend tool watches to work.
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MyVintageOmega
·Been retired in the Philippines for nearly 4 years now. Back in the West I wore a watch daily and here I am realizing that one does not even need a watch on. Retired for one......always swimming or diving and no where to be at a certain time. Gonna box them all up at this point. Still loving them but just not using them. Will even perhaps sell what was my daily wear, Breitling .81950. Frankly at 60 years of age now, a quality watch of any make seems more and more uncomfortable. (so "yes" my habits are changing)
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savka
·Back in the West I wore a watch daily and here I am realizing that one does not even need a watch on.
I find this perspective interesting. As a (relatively) young person, I barely remember a time when a wrist watch was actually necessary — the time is always available on phones, microwaves, cars, computers, just about anywhere you look these days. And yet I often read on these forums that people stopped wearing watches when the pandemic started and they didn’t work/socialize, or they work from home, after retiring, etc. because there’s no “need” for a watch.
At the same time, there’s threads about whether younger generations will appreciate (lust over?) mechanical watches. If we view watches as simply necessities, why would they when there’s so many better options? For me, there’s many reasons to appreciate, own, and consistently wear watches beyond telling time. I’ve enjoyed watches as long as I can remember, and I know that’s true for many of us. Not to say that there’s anything wrong with what others have said… there’s plenty of ways to approach this silly hobby of ours. Just sharing a thought that was promoted by this and other threads bouncing around the forums
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styggpyggeno1
·My watch habits have changed over time.
Soon to be 20 years ago it started with a me having money to spare. I had seen a Speedmaster Pro in my late teens and made a pledge to myself that if I ever would have the money, I would buy one. It is still the only watch I have bought in a store new.
From there it was all downhill…
Bought a semi vintage Sea-Dweller and a vintage Carrera cal. 11. Soon I had circa 60 semi vintage and vintage watches of some quality. All this before watches started to be popular in wider circles and prices were still manageable. I was nerding full on. Read all I could on internet forums, wrote some and found local IRL watch friends. I wore at least three different watches every day.
Time went by, I was working in top management and started to notice more and more status-oriented watches on the wrists of others but found out they actually were not interested in watches… just the status. At the same time robbery and theft of watches was going up and I started risk managing my watch wear. Low key vintage watches at work and when out and about. Still about three changes a day.
Then I moved from the city and out on the countryside. Took a CEO job in property management in a nearby small town. No one, I say no one, wore a quality watch. Or any watch… The safety level was/is high, and I started to use all my watches again – regardless of monetary value – but used one and the same for a week or two at work. Only one, female, co-worker noticed and asked me if I had a lot of watches. I told her I found it nice to be able to change watches and she asked no more.
I have several hobbies and they rise and fall over time. I am fortunate not to have to sell in one hobby to feed another. That means that if the watches are low for a while they are still there when I get the feeling again. Which I have right now. I do not write as much as earlier and I am not very active on the net anymore, but I do enjoy watches fully. I am down to a change a day. Usually, a chronograph or dress watch for work and a diver for the rest of the day. All old ones of course…
Retiring, early, in just some years time and are contemplating starting to sell off some (in all hobbies). Using the money for traveling with my wife and enjoying life.
Now planning what to keep and what not. A sweet task often discussed on forums – “The exit watch(es)”!
Soon to be 20 years ago it started with a me having money to spare. I had seen a Speedmaster Pro in my late teens and made a pledge to myself that if I ever would have the money, I would buy one. It is still the only watch I have bought in a store new.
From there it was all downhill…
Bought a semi vintage Sea-Dweller and a vintage Carrera cal. 11. Soon I had circa 60 semi vintage and vintage watches of some quality. All this before watches started to be popular in wider circles and prices were still manageable. I was nerding full on. Read all I could on internet forums, wrote some and found local IRL watch friends. I wore at least three different watches every day.
Time went by, I was working in top management and started to notice more and more status-oriented watches on the wrists of others but found out they actually were not interested in watches… just the status. At the same time robbery and theft of watches was going up and I started risk managing my watch wear. Low key vintage watches at work and when out and about. Still about three changes a day.
Then I moved from the city and out on the countryside. Took a CEO job in property management in a nearby small town. No one, I say no one, wore a quality watch. Or any watch… The safety level was/is high, and I started to use all my watches again – regardless of monetary value – but used one and the same for a week or two at work. Only one, female, co-worker noticed and asked me if I had a lot of watches. I told her I found it nice to be able to change watches and she asked no more.
I have several hobbies and they rise and fall over time. I am fortunate not to have to sell in one hobby to feed another. That means that if the watches are low for a while they are still there when I get the feeling again. Which I have right now. I do not write as much as earlier and I am not very active on the net anymore, but I do enjoy watches fully. I am down to a change a day. Usually, a chronograph or dress watch for work and a diver for the rest of the day. All old ones of course…
Retiring, early, in just some years time and are contemplating starting to sell off some (in all hobbies). Using the money for traveling with my wife and enjoying life.
Now planning what to keep and what not. A sweet task often discussed on forums – “The exit watch(es)”!
Edited:
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MyVintageOmega
·I find this perspective interesting. As a (relatively) young person, I barely remember a time when a wrist watch was actually necessary — the time is always available on phones, microwaves, cars, computers, just about anywhere you look these days. And yet I often read on these forums that people stopped wearing watches when the pandemic started and they didn’t work/socialize, or they work from home, after retiring, etc. because there’s no “need” for a watch.
At the same time, there’s threads about whether younger generations will appreciate (lust over?) mechanical watches. If we view watches as simply necessities, why would they when there’s so many better options? For me, there’s many reasons to appreciate, own, and consistently wear watches beyond telling time. I’ve enjoyed watches as long as I can remember, and I know that’s true for many of us. Not to say that there’s anything wrong with what others have said… there’s plenty of ways to approach this silly hobby of ours. Just sharing a thought that was promoted by this and other threads bouncing around the forums
So.so surprised you commented on this because I read this days back and it seems so relevant. The wrist watch may be the new hard back novel. The watch sale industry is stalled across the board and as for the younger generation, no reason to think they can read the time, Signing into TikTok and Instagram and shaking boobs and arse does not require knowing the time. This Cell phone Zombie Gen is not even toilet worthy. Here's a link to the trend of watches not attracting...... the way they always have.
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/pandemic-watch-industry
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MyVintageOmega
·My watch habits have changed over time.
Soon to be 20 years ago it started with a me having money to spare. I had seen a Speedmaster Pro in my late teens and made a pledge to myself that if I ever would have the money, I would buy one. It is still the only watch I have bought in a store new.
From there it was all downhill…
Bought a semi vintage Sea-Dweller and a vintage Carrera cal. 11. Soon I had circa 60 semi vintage and vintage watches of some quality. All this before watches started to be popular in wider circles and prices were manageable. I was nerding full on. Read all I could on internet forums, wrote some and found local IRL watch friends. I wore at least three different watches every day.
Time went by, I was working in top management and started to notice more and more status-oriented watches on the wrists of others but found out they actually were not interested in watches… just the status. At the same time robbery and theft of watches was going up and I started risk managing my watch wear. Low key vintage watches at work and when out and about. Still about three changes a day.
Then I moved from the city and out on the countryside. Took a CEO job in property management in a nearby small town. No one, I say no one, wore a quality watch. Or any watch… The safety level was/is high, and I stared to use all my watches again – regardless of monetary value – but used one and the same for a week or two at work. Only one, female, co-worker noticed and asked me if I had a lot of watches. I told her I found it nice to be able to change watches and she asked no more.
I have several hobbies and they rise and fall over time. I am fortunate not to have to sell in one hobby to feed another. That means that if the watches are low for a while they are still there when I get the feeling again. Which I have right now. I do not write as much as earlier and I am not very active on the net anymore, but I do enjoy watches fully. I am down to a change a day. Usually, a chronograph or dress watch for work and a diver for the rest of the day. All old ones of course…
Retiring, early, in just some years time and are contemplating starting so sell off some (in all hobbies). Using the money for traveling with my wife and enjoying life.
Now planning what to keep and what not. A sweet task often discussed on forums – “The exit watch(es)”!
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MyVintageOmega
·Glad to hear your traveling. Get to the Philippines and I will do my utmost to show Yah around. Any Member that wants to bug out of the West, drop me a message. There is no better time to get out of Dodge than now (I do not have the years it would take to tell a Member why) I was raised by a 32 degree Freemason. Hell of a life....... and it's a commin...........hard and fast!
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perks713
·I went a good 6 months without wearing a watch or my wedding ring during the first part of the pandemic. All the hand washing and having a 9 month old at the time just made it easier not to. I avoided the forums during that time too.
Eventually I got interested in wearing one again and also started back on the forums. Then I went through a slight buying spree (at least for me). I refinished an old Gerstner machinists chest to use as a watch box, bought some auto winders and got back into switching watches each day.
I tend to pick a watch in the morning and stick with it, I’d it’s still running the next day I usually put it back on. I may go a month or so wearing a FOIS or 2254 but the vintage watches usually only get a day of wrist time at a time.
Most recently I bought an Apple Watch. I’m still working primarily from home and other than my wife and kid don’t really have a bunch of people around. I wear a nice watch during the day while working and than switch to the Apple Watch when my kid gets home from daycare. We live near the lake and being able to leave my phone at home and just use a watch that I can beat to hell has been nice. $70 for 2 years of ‘accidental damage coverage’ makes it a much more disposable item than any other watch I have.
I hope to get back into an office at some point, I miss talking watches with the few people that appreciated them.
Eventually I got interested in wearing one again and also started back on the forums. Then I went through a slight buying spree (at least for me). I refinished an old Gerstner machinists chest to use as a watch box, bought some auto winders and got back into switching watches each day.
I tend to pick a watch in the morning and stick with it, I’d it’s still running the next day I usually put it back on. I may go a month or so wearing a FOIS or 2254 but the vintage watches usually only get a day of wrist time at a time.
Most recently I bought an Apple Watch. I’m still working primarily from home and other than my wife and kid don’t really have a bunch of people around. I wear a nice watch during the day while working and than switch to the Apple Watch when my kid gets home from daycare. We live near the lake and being able to leave my phone at home and just use a watch that I can beat to hell has been nice. $70 for 2 years of ‘accidental damage coverage’ makes it a much more disposable item than any other watch I have.
I hope to get back into an office at some point, I miss talking watches with the few people that appreciated them.
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krogerfoot
·Since I am not spending as much time with (or getting as much pleasure from) my existing collection, I am finding myself increasingly focused on acquiring new watches, and my collection has grown substantially. It’s a strange dynamic.
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Dan S
·This is interesting. Are you surprised by this? In my case, selling watches I never thought I’d want to part with has been anticlimactic. It’s nice to know that they’ve (mostly) gone to enthusiasts, but in general I’ve realized that I’m not as attached to these possessions as I thought.
I agree. I haven't been selling much, but I don't think it would be hard for me to do at the moment. I still enjoy learning about watches, seeing them and hunting for them, but I'm definitely not as attached to them as I was pre-pandemic.
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kkt
·Before retirement, I'd almost always wear the same steel Connie C-shape with nonquickset date to work, and on weekends branch out more.
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gatsuk
·Used to rotate watches everyday depending on what i’m up to. But when covid hit I couldn’t be bothered wearing a watch.
My interest actually waned a little bit but once quarantine protocols were relaxed and I was free to go out and about the spark magically got back into me.
Now, I couldn’t be bothered setting the time on my automatics. Tried wearing a watch a full day with the wrong time and date and I didn’t even notice.
My interest actually waned a little bit but once quarantine protocols were relaxed and I was free to go out and about the spark magically got back into me.
Now, I couldn’t be bothered setting the time on my automatics. Tried wearing a watch a full day with the wrong time and date and I didn’t even notice.
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keepschanging
·I left city life and now my lifestyle is outdoor and often in the sea, so my vintage and dress watches get almost no wrist time and I'm on quartz divers
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Danwales
·I work away as a guide, usually 5 days on an 3 days off and I only take one watch away with me. Usually this is a Seiko Alpinist or an Orient. Something durable and water resistant. I have tried wearing quartz but just don't enjoy the experience. Latterly I have started wearing my Certina DS1 and DS2 aswell as I feel they are rugged enough for everyday wear.
On days off I will often wear a Cyma or my Seamaster something more dressy. I am noticing I am lusting after fewer watches now and I am happy with my modest collection.
I have realised I am not a real collector but somebody who simply enjoys mechanical watches so I wear something I like everyday.
On days off I will often wear a Cyma or my Seamaster something more dressy. I am noticing I am lusting after fewer watches now and I am happy with my modest collection.
I have realised I am not a real collector but somebody who simply enjoys mechanical watches so I wear something I like everyday.
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Retsamaes
·I bought my first proper watch around my 40th birthday, Costco were selling the Brosnan bond Seamaster for £816.00 and with plenty of overtime at work I decided to treat myself.
I wore that watch everyday until early 2015 when once again I found myself a bit flush and decided I needed a dress watch and bought a 1960s Seamaster of ebay, then I decided to do a bit of research and found Omega forums. Oops it turned out to be a re dialed franken watch and I realised I had just paid my noob tax.
The next couple of years were a bit of a frenzy, I was running a pub at the time and watches were arriving left, right and centre and I was wearing a different watch in the kitchen at lunchtimes being the bar and in the evening, the locals expected it they even bought a few. And the watch talk at the bar was great and I was lucky enough to handle some great vintage Rolex and Omega's amongst others.
Then the prices started to go up and my tastes had got more expensive and things slowed down a bit, no a lot.
In November of 2019 we left the pub as the lease wasn't going to be renewed, it turned out the acre of land it was sat on was worth more to the pub Co that owned it than the pub itself and the wife and I were unemployed. I was still wearing a different watch everyday but no one cared only me and I missed all the banter with the guys.
March 2020 and covid hit I had to let a Speedy and a constellation go to make end meet. Then we decided to sell our house and move to the country, downsize and retire and that's where we are now.
I have added a couple since a Mitsukoshi mod and a Tudor GMT for me when I realised would never be able to afford a vintage Rolex GMT and a Rolex Air king for the wife.
So I am down to about a dozen I usually swop them every couple of days and get pleasure from strap and bracelet changes to add a bit more variety.
SInce leaving the pub I rarely see a decent watch but take some pleasure knowing someone may appreciate what I am wearing.
It seems prices are going down and I still have a hankering for a GMT and/or a Day Date but it's looking very unlikely.
Good hunting
Mark
I wore that watch everyday until early 2015 when once again I found myself a bit flush and decided I needed a dress watch and bought a 1960s Seamaster of ebay, then I decided to do a bit of research and found Omega forums. Oops it turned out to be a re dialed franken watch and I realised I had just paid my noob tax.
The next couple of years were a bit of a frenzy, I was running a pub at the time and watches were arriving left, right and centre and I was wearing a different watch in the kitchen at lunchtimes being the bar and in the evening, the locals expected it they even bought a few. And the watch talk at the bar was great and I was lucky enough to handle some great vintage Rolex and Omega's amongst others.
Then the prices started to go up and my tastes had got more expensive and things slowed down a bit, no a lot.
In November of 2019 we left the pub as the lease wasn't going to be renewed, it turned out the acre of land it was sat on was worth more to the pub Co that owned it than the pub itself and the wife and I were unemployed. I was still wearing a different watch everyday but no one cared only me and I missed all the banter with the guys.
March 2020 and covid hit I had to let a Speedy and a constellation go to make end meet. Then we decided to sell our house and move to the country, downsize and retire and that's where we are now.
I have added a couple since a Mitsukoshi mod and a Tudor GMT for me when I realised would never be able to afford a vintage Rolex GMT and a Rolex Air king for the wife.
So I am down to about a dozen I usually swop them every couple of days and get pleasure from strap and bracelet changes to add a bit more variety.
SInce leaving the pub I rarely see a decent watch but take some pleasure knowing someone may appreciate what I am wearing.
It seems prices are going down and I still have a hankering for a GMT and/or a Day Date but it's looking very unlikely.
Good hunting
Mark
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johnireland
·At my peak I had 35 or so assorted watches, all vintage and with patina or a good story, something that made me smile every other day when I would wind them. But after three or four years of winding but not wearing, I started letting them go, and I focused on just what I really liked, and liked to wear. The Rolex 1013 and 1018 became my two...then four...then six, back to five, up to eight...and so on. Retired and with no where I have to go or be, I still enjoy rotating my watches between daytime and night time...sometimes putting away the gold and only wearing the steel, then the reverse. Now I've added a few Omegas to the mix and that allows me to play with one of each.
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meglos
·I've fallen out of wearing a watch every day a few times in my life.
-In 2016 I had a lot of medical issues and was off work for about 6 months recovering from several surgeries and medical procedures. During that time I rarely wore a watch because most of my time was spent sleeping, cooking, or doing housework since my girlfriend was the only income.
-During the Covid lock down of 2020-2021 I was working from home and helping to take care of my Dad who was recovering from a stroke. Didn't wear a watch then because I didn't want to think about damaging it while helping him move around, go to the bathroom etc.
When my Dad was living with us he mentioned several times how his dad had died so young at 45 years old. I had been wanting an Omega Sea Master for 25 years but kept putting it off year after year. It hit me, who knows how much time I have left? That spurred me not only to get back in to watches when he was better but to finally pull the trigger on an Omega for my own 45th birthday.
-In 2016 I had a lot of medical issues and was off work for about 6 months recovering from several surgeries and medical procedures. During that time I rarely wore a watch because most of my time was spent sleeping, cooking, or doing housework since my girlfriend was the only income.
-During the Covid lock down of 2020-2021 I was working from home and helping to take care of my Dad who was recovering from a stroke. Didn't wear a watch then because I didn't want to think about damaging it while helping him move around, go to the bathroom etc.
When my Dad was living with us he mentioned several times how his dad had died so young at 45 years old. I had been wanting an Omega Sea Master for 25 years but kept putting it off year after year. It hit me, who knows how much time I have left? That spurred me not only to get back in to watches when he was better but to finally pull the trigger on an Omega for my own 45th birthday.
