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How quickly did you watch goals escalate?

Arancio601
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I am relatively new to the watch game. I have many other vices mainly in the vintage item realm from mid century furniture and art, vintage trumpets, early walkmans and primarily classic Italian cars. The commonality between these collections is design and iconicism. Like with everything I usually start with a humble example and it quickly ramps from there!
Dipping my toe into the watch world started with 70's Casio digital, moved to the very first G-shocks, then onto Seiko Automatics (6138/6139) and now I am maneuvering towards a vintage Speedy and Consteallation.
I read that the idea of a grail watch never really pans out because once you acquire it, you are always looking for the next. In the Alfa Romeo world this is Always Looking For Another.
What are your experiences and how do you regulate? A trumpet collector I know has a simple one in one out policy.
 
dsio
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If you’re single you’re only really limited by how long you can tolerate tinned baked beans and ramen, if you’ve got a partner that’s usually the limiting factor so there’s a need to budget keeping them happy as well. Louboutins work well in that respect I’ve found.
 
TexOmega
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1000 people, 1000 different views

just don't use baby's formula $$ or the rent money
 
Arancio601
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dsio dsio
If you’re single you’re only really limited by how long you can tolerate tinned baked beans and ramen, if you’ve got a partner that’s usually the limiting factor so there’s a need to budget keeping them happy as well. Louboutins work well in that respect I’ve found.
A good tactic Ash. I have a partner but the added 'bonus' of three teenagers to keep my wallet light. I have previously encouraged my wife's hobbies to balance my spending. Primarily though my hobbies have been self funding so I have had play money that replenished as I bought and sold. Problem is I may have hoarder tendencies so it makes it hard to sell...
 
Arancio601
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TexOmega TexOmega
1000 people, 1000 different views
just don't use baby's formula $$ or the rent money

Absolutely, which is why I am interested in the different approaches. might be time for me to change mine if another appeals to me.
 
DaveK
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dsio dsio
…. if you’ve got a partner that’s usually the limiting factor so there’s a need to budget keeping them happy as well. Louboutins work well in that respect I’ve found.

Find a watch dealer that offers this type of service 😉

B461D5BD-7D88-4143-961B-58D99A98503F.jpeg
 
lillatroll
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Mine escalated pretty quickly but now I have acquired examples of watches that both cover all the bases and in the condition I am happy with, I tend to ask myself if another watch will add something different to my collection or will it just be another example of something I already have. I don't need three diver watches, just one modern and one vintage. My next purchase, if I can get it, will be the moonSwatch. As part of my holiday I will go to Vienna for 9 days so I hope I can get one then. The other places we are going to don't have stores selling them.
 
dmtowl
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I started in Seikos, had a bunch. Got my first vintage omega then was buying a few chaper 70s models got bored of them and moved up to 50s and 60s stuff. Lately been having the penchant for 18k solid stuff from that era, military dialed rarities, hobnail dials. All this happened within the span of ~5 years or so. I used to think heavily before spending $1k on a watch now that would be on the lower end of the value of some of my collection.
 
eugeneandresson
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Escalation … too quickly. Like relationships and most things in life, watches are a journey, not a destination…and so the whole grail concept doesn’t quite fit as one’s compulsive psychology that convinces one to pull the trigger makes one think -> there will always be a new ‘apple of one’s eye’.
 
Arancio601
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I think I might sell a few to enable some future purchases. I would like to get to the point where I have 2 or 3 lifers and then acquire different watches, wear for a while (I am a wear the watch everyday kind of guy) and sell if I want to try something else. The trumpet collector guys I have come across call this a trumpet safari, I guess I hope to do a watch safari in the near future.
 
Larry S
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Escalation… too quickly. Made some good buys. Made some mistakes. Got caught up in the vintage frenzy and probably overpaid in some cases. My advice is to take it slow, shop your collection before buying more. It’s not a competition. Watches are not an investment. Mrs S is pissed at me for buying so many, I remind her however of her acquisition binge of tech stocks in the late 90s which I had to unwind at great cost. I have promised to divest and I shall.
 
TheGreekPhysique
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Escalation... too quickly. I was good until I made - or my wife rather - made the first big purchase. It was all downhill after that.
 
drjenkins
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TheGreekPhysique TheGreekPhysique
Escalation... too quickly. I was good until I made - or my wife rather - made the first big purchase. It was all downhill after that.

That's exactly the way it happened to me. Wife bought me the initial big ticket item, then two months later I've bought myself a SMP 300M. Slippery slope, LOL.
 
Caliber561
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Unless you're hunting for an exceptionally rare model, you typically have the freedom as a buyer to shop around for a good price. This actually applies to pretty much all of the price 'categories' in the watch space. So if your watch goals escalate quickly, try to keep yourself from getting carried away in the moment. Knowledge and time are the most important resources in the hunt, but sometimes we collectors forget this when we see pictures of shiny things. 🙄
 
Erik_H
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@Arancio601 We all are some sort of collectors. I have been collecting vintage trumpets as well. I managed to halt myself before it got out of hand and sold off some. I am left with 1917 and 1924 Conn, and a fabulous Olds Super. In addition to collecting watches I have had a range of classic cars from 1957 through 1970 models.

I started my journey with pocket watches, maybe 30 years ago. I did the common mistake in the beginning, purchased without knowledge. Enter membership of NAWCC, and knowledge is available. After a while I was able to focus on what I wanted to own, and now have some really nice watches that never will be sold.

My interest in wristwatches came later, but building on the same knowledge I started to check what I really wanted. Memberships in watch fora helped. I haven’t been on this forum for very long but on various general and special forum for close to two decades.

And yes, whatever rules you have set for yourself, another grail (in your mind) will appear. For pocket watches I have achieved what I want. The very best of a few makers. For wristwatches the evolution is still ongoing. But it is a challenge for a collector of newer watches. You have to set your own limits on where you want to go and of course your budget. One watch in, one out works for some. Sadly not for me who never sells…
 
BAJJ
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First watch in 1994, second in 2016, third in 2018 and in the last year and a half about 12. So, slow burner for many, many years followed by a rapid ramp up, due largely to the fact of having disposable income, being happy to justify the spend and getting used to the fact. I don't see any slow down in the next 12 months 😀
 
Adamtrigg10
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I'm really happy someone made a thread on this, I started my collection about 6 years ago with a speedmaster and as soon as I bought one I wanted another and so on and so on. 6 years down the line I have around 50 omegas in the collection so for me it definitely become an addiction👍 😗
 
Ron_W
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What is all this spineless caving to the craving 🥰 ???
Yee of little strength, man up, Cowboy Up ! get a 3 or 6 slot box and that is your max. You want more, sell one ! Remember why you bought a watch in the first place, why was it perfect then and not anymore ? Train your decision making skills instead of getting new, new, new, or more more more. If you don`t, the bottomless pit or rabbit hole is were you`ll end up. Without Purpose or Goal ?
It is pointless....

So there it is; work it out for yourself
Yeah, be selective, be objective
Be an asset to the collection
'Cause you know you gotta get it right, someday
it is more then a box of watches
never knowing what is to come
it is Life 😎

inspire rational © SoulIISoul
 
Arancio601
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Erik_H Erik_H
@Arancio601 We all are some sort of collectors. I have been collecting vintage trumpets as well. I managed to halt myself before it got out of hand and sold off some. I am left with 1917 and 1924 Conn, and a fabulous Olds Super. In addition to collecting watches I have had a range of classic cars from 1957 through 1970 models.
I love the early Conns! I myself am down to two. A ‘39 Bach Stradivarius and a ‘46 Olds Super Recording. So I have proven to myself I can consolidate. Except I still have 4 Classic cars..
 
Arancio601
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@Ron_W I love a little bit of trolling. I am sure you know that you share this forum with many that are the complete opposite of your game plan and happily so!
 
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