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How many watches to pass on to my boys?

C
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Hello everyone. I have two boys, 15 and 14 years old now. Seeing their dad buy and trade watches and always have a nice watch on my wrist, they naturally are interested in quality time pieces.

Currently I have about five nice watches in my stable, and I’m thinking that it’s probably just too many. I was thinking of selling a couple, and using the money for other endeavors. However, it seems like every time they see me taking pictures and getting ready to list one for sale, they come to me and say that is what they could see themselves wearing when they get older.
Having one nice watch that I have inherited from my father (a Rolex submariner) this naturally makes me feel happy to think about them remembering me when they look at their wrists, after I’m long gone.
My plan was to end up with three nice watches, one for myself, and one for each of them after I am done collecting and trading. Now, however I’m thinking two each for them. What does everybody else think? It seems excessive to me, to pass two luxury watches on to each of my boys, but I am wondering if anyone else thinks like this?
Photo just cuz we like pics.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Cheers,
Dave
 
SkunkPrince
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Instead of buying and selling, see what you currently have that they might want and let them have the watch now.
 
Capt Cave Man
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I got back into watches about 10 years ago and bought a nice quartz Longines Flagship... wearing it as I type, which was to be my one and only.

Move forward to 2019... I still had a hankering for a 'nice' watch and my wife bought me a Breitling for our 20th anniversary. Since then I now own two further Omega's with another hopefully incoming later in the year.

With 3 teenagers (girl, boy, girl) any watches still in my possession which I haven't already gifted them will be theirs. If they're worth anything in umpteen years it's a bonus but for them to decide to sell, keep as part of their own collection or to simply wear and remember me by.

I don't see a couple of watches each, luxury or not as excessive. If you were planning on selling a couple, you could give them one each for their 18th or 21st which is what I may do just to see them enjoy them too. Unfortunately I lost my younger brother a few years back and most items you save up for and buy are just seen as baggage and are disposed of one way or another. Having a few special things to pass on, valuable or not and hold memories are priceless.

I'm fortunate as my dad is still with us but he was a workhorse in his prime and the watches he has are for the same reason, I've changed the batteries enough times to get them up and running again! If I receive any in the future they will hold a valuable slot or two within my collection.
 
marcn
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C cruisedave
My plan was to end up with three nice watches, one for myself, and one for each of them after I am done collecting and trading. Now, however I’m thinking two each for them. What does everybody else think? It seems excessive to me, to pass two luxury watches on to each of my boys, but I am wondering if anyone else thinks like this?

Doesn’t seem excessive at all to me, btw.

Since they seem to be into watches, I’d suggest keeping them involved in your thought process around this, keep them engaged. It’s a tangible introduction to “I can’t take these with me; which one(s) do you guys really have to have, because I’ll set it aside for you.”
 
Nobel Prize
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my brother passed away and left two boxes of watches behind. He had a great collection of mostly pilot watches and racing watches (he was a competitive acrobatic pilot).

When he passed his wife divided the watches equally and gave one box to each kid (aged 9 and 11). Every year since we have opened the cases and discussed and remembered him here and there. They loved having this extension of his life.

Now they are 23 and 21 and use some of the watches on rotation. They are a little two self aware to wear the Daytonas an even the GMT's and submariners are prohibitive. They mostly wear the IWC's, Heuer and Brietlings.

My father left me three watches. Only one of "real value" a vintage TZM IWC. The others of huge sentimental value because I grew up seeing them on his wrist. Specially a very simple 38 mm Baume & Mercier.

My point is....nothing is too much, nothing is too little. They will remember you, always. the watches will be valuable to them not because there are 3 or two of them, but because they remember them as part of your life.
 
p4ul
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I agree with @SkunkPrince above, with a bit of variation.
Why not let them choose one each now if they really like your collection. Put them away until the boys get a bit older and buy each a beater similar to their selections for now?

You get to buy more watches!!
 
blufinz52
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I have about a dozen watches and have placed a note in each box with the name of the person I want the watch go to. I'm sure I will sell a few of them as time passes and will give some away at some point, but if I get run over by a bus tomorrow, my wife will know who to give each watch to. One of the boxes has the name of a prominent OF member 😉
 
cvalue13
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blufinz52 blufinz52
One of the boxes has the name of a prominent OF member 😉

you shouldn’t have, but im honored 👍
 
C
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SkunkPrince SkunkPrince
Instead of buying and selling, see what you currently have that they might want and let them have the watch now.
I thought of that. At 15 and 14 years, they are pretty tough on watches. the 15 year old has literally destroyed or lost every watch he's ever had. Right now he is on a trial run with an old Spinnaker that I have. The brand new band on that one lasted 2 months before I had to replace it. I was thinking that if they don't trash them, one of my watches would make a great graduation present. Definitely from college and maybe high school. Funny enough, the younger one has a couple of pretty nice Seikos and they are still pristine.
Edited:
 
C
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marcn marcn
Doesn’t seem excessive at all to me, btw.

Since they seem to be into watches, I’d suggest keeping them involved in your thought process around this, keep them engaged. It’s a tangible introduction to “I can’t take these with me; which one(s) do you guys really have to have, because I’ll set it aside for you.”
Yeah - that's exactly how we engage in conversation about my watches - it's really fun for me because my wife doesn't really care about watches, but both boys love going into nice shops with me and browsing.
 
C
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Nobel Prize Nobel Prize
my brother passed away and left two boxes of watches behind. He had a great collection of mostly pilot watches and racing watches (he was a competitive acrobatic pilot).

When he passed his wife divided the watches equally and gave one box to each kid (aged 9 and 11). Every year since we have opened the cases and discussed and remembered him here and there. They loved having this extension of his life.

Now they are 23 and 21 and use some of the watches on rotation. They are a little two self aware to wear the Daytonas an even the GMT's and submariners are prohibitive. They mostly wear the IWC's, Heuer and Brietlings.

My father left me three watches. Only one of "real value" a vintage TZM IWC. The others of huge sentimental value because I grew up seeing them on his wrist. Specially a very simple 38 mm Baume & Mercier.

My point is....nothing is too much, nothing is too little. They will remember you, always. the watches will be valuable to them not because there are 3 or two of them, but because they remember them as part of your life.
That is a great story and sentiment. Thanks for sharing it with me. So sorry about your brother, as well. I really like the idea of giving them a watch when they are young and being able to watch them enjoy it and wear it. Making memories with them is important to me.
 
SkunkPrince
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C cruisedave
I thought of that. At 15 and 14 years, they are pretty tough on watches.
Having isn't wearing. 😀 But a $100 or so mechanical with a nice Seiko movement in it can teach a few things. Or a Vostok Amphibia.
 
C
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SkunkPrince SkunkPrince
Having isn't wearing. 😀 But a $100 or so mechanical with a nice Seiko movement in it can teach a few things. Or a Vostok Amphibia.
That's a good point about having vs wearing. I hadn't really considered that. I'll see how the Spinnaker lasts for the 15 year old.
 
B
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I love the idea of passing down (at whatever time) numerous watches. Increases the likelihood that they wear 1 or more in my opinion.

I have a couple of my grandfather's watches and I appreciate the variety (keeping in mind here that the largest one is 34mm).

Others are too small, but I'm going down the path of getting the 34mm serviced and running smoothly again.
 
Professor
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I'd say a minimum of three, one dress watch, one high quality diver and one chronograph.
Of the three I'd say the diver should be of fairly recent manufacture with a high rep for longevity, which puts Seiko on the table. If more than a few years old have seals replaced and pressure tested.
The dress watch can be vintage and kept serviced with Moebius so it won't pack up too soon. Same goes for the Chronograph.

Main thing is don't saddle them with watches that may fail in a couple of years of hard near daily use.
 
Speede
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In my scenario, I will choose One timeless classic to each and they would be identical so there is no comparing if one increases in value over the other etc. either a speedy or a sub, I would want them to be in my own collection for a few years and routinely worn so the kids have something that I had worn and cherished.
but it’s your choice and whatever makes sense to you.
 
BlackTalon
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I have one kid -= a son -- and he gets all my watches. I have a handful tucked away that will be unworn, plus a handful of ones I wear. It's possible some may get sold for college funds. Only time will tell.
 
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