I hope you won't feel offended by my question. I was inspired to ask publicly after @speedolex shared this in recent post: (he says, he is: 30+ year collector with 50+ new and vintage watches) I decided to create my own collection. And at the time I still don't know how big I want mine collection to become. Car collectors say it is okay to have that many car so you are able to drive them all. Because it hurt car not to be driven. So far I have 2 oldtimers myself. Changing them, feel like 3 to 4 would be my goal. How many watches do you have? Don't you feel guilty if they are laid still for longer time? What is the ratio new /vs. vintage watches? Thanks for sharing.
This is my grail watch now it's got Explorer hour and minute hands and my beaten up old Omega and this my BIG collection 2 watches haha
@abrahamovic - do a search through old threads and you'll find people have posted their collections before. I think one recent one was called something about "what's in your watchbox"...
I have about 10 omega watches, 8 vintage and two, well one modern and one on the way. I have previously thought that owning a large collection was a bit daft as many of them would not get worn. I do wear all but it is usually for weeks at a time and then not at all for a while. I think having more than ten would be a bit big to enjoy but then again, i am always look8ng for a nother must have watch The biggest issue for me right now is that all my favourite watches are in the UK and I am in Malawi. By the time I go home next it will be almost a year when my only choice of watch has been a nearly 30 year old tag heuer and a Swatch. Don't know what I will wear first but it won't be my Swatch or tag.
I have 9, but I kick myself because where I'd like to be is at 6 plus 2 "worthless" pieces that I'll never sell because of sentimental value. I feel this very weird stress when I own over 8 pieces, I hate not being able to enjoy them and wear them as much as I should...
I think the ratio here is quite high for vintage over modern, and the count changes weekly/monthly for a lot of members. I don't feel guilty about letting some of mine sit, as it makes the "rediscovery" fun when I remember to wear a watch I haven't worn in months. I like to keep it below 10 for myself for the time being, but will be working on whittling it down to half that pretty soon.
Depends on why you collect The joy of owning or the joy of wearing Each is valid and has its own merits Some of the members here have astonishing and very large collections I have hundreds of pieces of Art Deco China I collected over the years - most in boxes but some on display Dinner services I only use at Christmas and coffee services that are too fragile to use - but lovely to look at. I often rotate the pieces like a museum collection I only buy watches I love to own and wear One for every day is good and these might be SS or gold depending on what you're wearing or how you feel that day Like @lillatroll I live abroad and some of my 'best' watches are safely tucked away in the bank But when I get home it's like having new watches to enjoy all over again Focussing on what you like is a good start rather than a scatter gun approach That way you can quickly learn what's good and what's not (and avoid the 'noob tax') One thing for sure - it's addictive and very difficult not to buy that next watch
No way am I disclosing, have had a suspicion for a while now that her ladyship just may lurk around the forum
I have 29 watches, 13 from 1996-2016, 16 from 1946-1969 in my collection. Currently own 12 Omega's. Here is a photo of the Omega's I have at home currently.
12 for me if you count the ST, which will not be here until summer. I also am not counting any of the '57 reissues, although I hope to pick up anywhere from 1 to all 3. 7 out of the 12 are Omegas. 5 Omegas were BNIB or almost NIB, plus there is a '67 and a Watchco SM300, so only one real 'vintage'. The rest of the collection are new/ newish 2 Sinns, a Movado and a Longines from late 1950s, and a Seiko quartz from the early '80s. While I would like to get more vintage Omegas I lean towards Speedmasters and Seamasters, which are costly to acquire now. I like Constellations, but I already have 2 'dress' watches and I rarely dress up. And even when I do, I typically grab a Speedy.
I have a watch box/winder that holds 17 ... they're my "rotation". Everything in that box gets worn at least once a month. Currently, there are 4 away with watch makers - my 5513 is on its way home; accutron is being modified for modern batteries; "captain america" is still a pending project .... and I can't think which is the fourth. There's a second watch box that has half a dozen or so pieces in it that aren't in the current rotation and then there's a Rolco and a Seamaster that are both waiting, either or parts or just for me to get into town to drop in for service. So, what's that bring me to? 29? Edit: I don't own a watch made after 2000 and most are 40+ years old.
@abrahamovic good question! My personal story / watch journey so far: Very "late bloomer" only started collecting mid 2013...interest sparked by contact with a new friend who was heavily into watches. Currently ten modern watches and zero vintage (5 Omegas, 3 Rolex, 1 JLC, 1 Breitling) + for 2017 1 Omega (Speedy Tuesday) + 1 other watch (Omega, Heuer, Zenith contenders for the second slot). I have never flipped...but I might try to keep the collection down to ten watches, as I do not want to own watches that I very rarely use. Not sure I will have the courage to let go... I do use all ten watches now, but certainly there are a few that are favourites and others less worn Here on the OF you have also sorts of collectors: minimalists (try to keep the collection down to a bare minimum 2-3 watches), vintage serial obsessives (collect all the variations of a given model), vintage and modern balance, bling/bling/bling (lots of shiny stuff)...the list goes on. You need to find out how you want to evolve your collection, theme, functional perspective etc....there is no "standard collection model" and it is very much a different journey for each of us...which is why we enjoy hanging out on the OF and sharing our "watch stories"
I have 5 and find it challenging enough to rotate them. I would add on if my wife got into it too but I think 4 or 5 watches that you really like is the sweet spot.
I like reading threads like these .. makes me feel better for having a collection of five which includes my beater swatch. I manage to wear them all but my Rolex and omega get about 90% of wrist time.