If you were to start a collection from zero. What watches under $8k you will have, brands, styles materials or else?

 

Why would anyone want a collection?
If I were to start from zero, I would want just a nice watch.

If you don’t know what you like why do you want a collection?
To make money from it?
If so, why would we give free investment advice?

 

I know what I like and have my opinion, the thread intention is to know members opinions ,likes and experience.
Not wise to rely on a forums opinion to engage in buying watches as investment.
Also Im not assuming is obligatory or sort to have a collection, obviously I'm directing at the ones who are related.

 

Wow, he isn’t mentioning investments? Seems to me like a friendly thread idea.

 

You need 2 to have a collection so you need to start at 2.

But for me you just buy what you like and keep buying. As my tag line relates to a lot of watches, brands and styles

Do have a theme in there ( but could have one with date watches also )

https://omegaforums.net/threads/found-it-fun-without-a-date-or-a-brand.38423/

 

Seiko for sure. Either an skx or a turtle.

Does the total watch price have to be $8k? Or each watch is under $8k?

 

Hello @OmegaRody

My first 'nice' watch which I'm wearing now is a Longines Flagship quartz, a small stainless steel piece on a bracelet with a simple black dial and a date window at 3.

I had a young family so didn't have much spare cash, we had collected a stash of tesco vouchers and I exchanged a number of them them for vouchers at a jewellers and decided that was the best I could afford at the time. Apart from the vouchers, I only handed over another £20 to buy it.

Since then, a collection (if you can call it that) has only materialised in the last year, some 10 plus years later.

$8k is a huge figure to choose what to buy, a selection of brands, styles, materials, vintage or modern.

Buy what you like and what you can afford, the value is in wearing and taking pride in what's on your wrist and why.

 

I sort of fell into an accumulation by accident. I had digitals...

It started with a Soviet Raketa perpetual calendar. its bezel and crystal flew off, so that one was done. Then I noticed flea markets had old watches and I had an Omega and a Hamilton and made lots of mistakes... then my mom gave me my great-grandfather's Waltham... and then I started buying more because I liked them, especially trench watches, and then I made that one right...

and here I am today with too many watches. I'll sell you one or more right now.

 

Oh, and to start? Take a site like Chrono24 and look at everything and see what styles you like. Most of the cool ones are expensive, but maybe one you like won't be. There are lots of brands that are not famous any more who made really nice watches. Those sell for less.

But? Omega 2254.50.00, used.

 

Under $8k

 

There's probably a Hodinkee article on this topic, so just read it and buy what they tell you to buy. That way you'll be in line with everyone else.

 

What’s with the hostility? Dude asked a solid watch question on a watch forum.

if I were starting,
1) I’d go Longine Legend Diver for $2k. Enjoy the shit out of that.
2) hunt for a Rolex GMT Pepsi. You can hunt one for $6k.

I wouldn’t drop $8k on a single watch if I were stepping in. Too much, too soon.

 

The current Hamiltons might work too.

 

If I may, a "collection" has a focus. For example, I knew collectors of Kodak Retina cameras back in the day. Me? I just wanted to take pictures.

That's why I call what I have an "accumulation". I have varied interests, Omega watches, trench watches, and a few other things that interested me along the way. For example, I wanted a Lemania watch, so I got one. I have a genuine military trench watch... sold as surplus after WWI? Maybe?

But look around, find your "grail", and then if you need help with it, we can try!

 

If I was to start with a clean slate I would just buy the stuff I wiped off and end up with a similar collection. I buy what I like and keep the ones I enjoy wearing and/or looking at.

If I could go back to when I started collecting and change then I would buy as many modern Rolex as I could. Kept them all new in boxes and worn my Casio F-91W. This year I would have sold them all to cash in to buy the stuff I like, then I would have ended up with double the collection I have today. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

I’m kind of a weirdo and I like diving into a single brand’s catalog. That said, if I could start over I would have just bought an Aqua Terra and saved the rest of my money.
My funner answer, I’ve been looking at the Captain Cook, so 8k could get me deep into the Rado catalog. I’d have to do more research to figure out what that would entail.

 

If I had to start over (assuming I buy everything used):

- Tudor Pelagos ($3.5K)
- Speedmaster ($3.5K)
- Something ~$1K that I could dress up - maybe a vintage Seamaster or Hamilton.

 

Omega 2254.50 1st and then a speedy pro moonwatch. If you want a 3rd - get a 30T2 and then a Zenith El Primero for your 4th piece. If you still yearn for more get a 1960's to 70's Rolex 34mm Air King 1520/30. The last one recommended is a 3xx Omega bumper for your 6th. On the seventh day you can rest.

 

That was a solid watch question? It seemed more like asking the forum "what's my favorite color?" There are any number of ways to collect, themes by style, maker, period. If you don't know, maybe you should buy one watch you like and then hold off for a while. Or watch the What Are You Wearing Today thread until you see something you've just gotta have.

 

Hamilton got my attention with the panda and the khaki field titanium