International Collectors vs. American Collectors--Is there a Difference?

The more I learn, the more I realize I do not know, thus causing me to dig deeper and deeper into the minutiae of vintage watches. As of late, I have found myself corresponding with more and more collectors in Europe and Asia, and fewer from the US. I am not sure exactly why that is, but suppose that my new found interest in 1960's chronographs is a huge influence.

My question for the OF is whether or not there is an overall difference in collectors from the US versus those from other parts of the world? If so, what are some of the determining factors? Does brand (i.e. Rolex, Omega, PP, etc.), thematic (i.e. sport vs. complicated), or age of watch and collector (i.e. modern vs. vintage, young vs. old) play a major influence?

Or am I just reading into it too much, and watch collectors are watch collectors, no matter the age, global region, or the type of watches they collect.

For a point of reference, my world view mainly consists of OF and IG.

I have relationships (mostly online and sometimes via facetime and rarely in person) with several people that I have met over the years of collecting vintage watches, probably 50/50 as to US vs. overseas people. I have found that the common interest has led to what feels like serious, deep bonds with some of these guys. YMMV.

That's an interesting question, but one that's hard to answer.

One certain difference is a tendancy to be interested in domestically produced watches, so there probably aren't many European Hamilton collectors, most Smiths collectors are Brits, Germans like their Sinns etc.

Beyond that I guess it might depend on national characteristics, although of course they are very broad generalizations. Europeans are considered more risk averse and take a longer term view than their US counterparts. Maybe they are less influenced by current trends ?

In the end who knows, and probably the statement "watch collectors are watch collectors" is pretty much right.

One thing is for sure and that is it's a lot cheaper for you to import watches, from Europe than it is for Europeans to import watches from the US.

You're reading too much into it.

I think your reading to much into it. It's one way now. It will be another way next month and another after that.

I would venture most Europeans are not as used, as Americans, to managing large pools of cash - we don't have to the same extent private retirement accounts, college funds and so forth to be managed through investments -- those are taken upfront through govt taxes. (Or at least have been, for a long time-- changes are only coming slowly).

So for most people there is less cash available to move around, and the culture of playing with markets or making snap decisions on high value assets is just not as ingrained in the collective psyche, not something people grow up getting used to in the same way.

I think there are likely differences based on differences in the historical significance of watches, how watches were introduced, and trade relationships between countries.

In Europe there is a long tradition of watches having significance as a technology and business. I suspect that Europeans are more inclined to think of watches as being something special and significant because of the greater likelihood of having relatives with a connection to the production of watches as well as a greater tradition of watches being sold in jewelry stores as opposed to department and discount stores and watch making being considered a valued and honored profession. As the source of traditional fine watches Europe has been a relatively open market for watches. Considering the import tariffs which led to the reduction of jewels in watches being shipped to the U.S. or the rebranding of watches sold in the U.S., the "best" stuff to some degree was withheld from the U.S. market for a significant period of time. So European collectors have had greater access to fine timepieces than U.S. collectors. I would think European collectors overall are more inclined to appreciate watches further in the past than U.S. collectors because of the greater long term significance of watches in Europe.

This situation mirrors the situation with respect to Japanese market watches and collectors where once again the best Japanese watches tend to only be sold in Asia. Japanese collectors as evidenced by the Yahoo.jp watch market, clearly have different access to time pieces than European and U.S. collectors. Up until relatively recently, collectors outside of Asia were given to think of Seikos as inexpensive department store watches, completely unaware of Lord Marvel, King Seiko, Grand Seiko and Credor, or the technical achievements of Seiko in the chronometers competitions of the mid to late 60s.

There are also many markets where colonization and/or military actions have brought watches to certain markets and subsequently influenced collectors. The efforts of individual brands in distinct markets has also shaped collectors in certain markets. Brands that are not well known in the U.S. market for example may be well known in other markets (eg. Favre Leuba in India).

On an International forum, the differences between markets will likely diminish over time as awareness of and access to different markets increase.