Community Stories

Is being a watch collector still fun?

michael22
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Archer Archer
Was his name Owen by any chance?

Thanks for reminding me of Throw Momma..., I had forgotten about it. Good memories from when that was released.

I have thought about this topic for a day now, originally thinking nothing has changed, since all my watch looking & talking happens on the web. I live in the middle of nowhere from the watch industry's perspective.

But then I realised I have stopped buying internationally, don't even look. Two months ago or so, I bought a watch band from a Polish maker on eBay. He apologised for not being able to send it, since all postage of such items had ceased. Silly me, reality finally hits home.
So now, when I search for watches on eBay, I hit the "Australia Only" button. Not very many watches to sort through.
 
STANDY
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michael22 michael22
Thanks for reminding me of Throw Momma..., I had forgotten about it. Good memories from when that was released.

I have thought about this topic for a day now, originally thinking nothing has changed, since all my watch looking & talking happens on the web. I live in the middle of nowhere from the watch industry's perspective.

But then I realised I have stopped buying internationally, don't even look. Two months ago or so, I bought a watch band from a Polish maker on eBay. He apologised for not being able to send it, since all postage of such items had ceased. Silly me, reality finally hits home.
So now, when I search for watches on eBay, I hit the "Australia Only" button. Not very many watches to sort through.

Some nice Aussies making straps lately, Guy in Alice springs is doing some good Kangaroo leather straps. Will have to look it up for you if your interested 馃槈
 
michael22
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STANDY STANDY
Some nice Aussies making straps lately, Guy in Alice springs is doing some good Kangaroo leather straps. Will have to look it up for you if your interested 馃槈
That would be good. I just did a quick search & found nothing.
 
gbesq
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It鈥檚 still fun for me. My favorite part of the hobby is the hunt. Although COVID has put a damper on in person meetups, it hasn鈥檛 had any effect on my ability to search for watches online or to interact with other enthusiasts on forums like this and talk shop. To that end, I share with all of you my latest find. A 1959 Omega Gen猫ve reference 2903 in pristine condition. Just look at that dial and those lugs! Been searching a long time for this beauty. Arriving next week! 馃榾
C7B97A6F-E01C-4483-AC6D-8C8248099EFB.jpeg 6D14F046-98DB-4B50-81A0-5E0AFF2AD47A.jpeg A80F88A0-67DF-4E62-BF47-4A4C02571BB6.jpeg
 
OmegaRody
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kov kov
Decided to start this thread as I'm really getting bored with the hobby and hope to get other members' thoughts on the topic.

2020 has been - for me - a blank year in terms of watch-related stuff happening. No GTG's, no fairs, no events, no auctions, almost no watch friends casual meet-ups, no brand factory visits, no museums, nothing. A void.

I decided to reshape my collection and open for other brands instead of Omega only for 10 years but now I realize that it didn't really bring the expected fun since the main component has been totally missing this year : sharing with real people. Yes, I still can share here but you will agree it's nothing comparable to the joy of opening a watch pouch in a GTG and talk about the new incomings with peers.

Funny enough, I am opening this thread exactly one year after Arial Adams wrote this article on A Blog To Watch : https://www.ablogtowatch.com/on-ariels-watch-is-being-a-watch-collector-still-fun/

I read his post again today and have the feeling that nothing has really changed so far, or maybe it even got worse, thanks COVID-19. 馃ケ

How do you guys feel?
Thats true the base of it all is sharing and that cannot be done completely.
 
river rat
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This is the first year I have never added any thing to the collection. I even saw two good deals on a few things I been wanting for the collection and did a pass on them. I use to switch watches during the week but now I been wearing the same one for weeks at a time or longer like I got different priorities these days maybe due to this stupid virus that seems to have screwed up the whole world. Funny you can have a big collection of watches and be happy wearing the same one. The one I been wearing for a few weeks now a old Seiko 6105 and I don鈥檛 know when I will switch up I wore a speedy for a few months before the Seiko. You are not the only one thinking this way.
 
Spruce
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I鈥檝e previously responded on this thread - and I鈥檓 still of the same mind - but last Friday with an hour or so to kill, I wandered into the new watch boutiques on Oxford Street, London. I even tried a few on. I was thinking that if I found a new watch I really liked and with a ceiling of, say, 拢5,000, I could pop it on my lottery win list, in the event that that happens (although I鈥檝e probably got to buy a ticket first).

I went into the OB, the Rolex/Tudor boutique, Watches of Switzerland, and a few others there.

The first watch I came across that I actually liked and would have bought was the Longines Conquest Heritage 35mm. But the rub is that I already have one.

5A2F78B7-EA37-4F46-9A7F-E33CAEDB1DDA.jpeg


Still, there鈥檚 always the black dial version ..........


CBF17077-CA52-4C54-AF02-6B8E31E0CE17.jpeg

(Googled photo - don鈥檛 want anyone thinking I鈥檓 post farming 馃槈)
 
Sherbie
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The hobby is still fun for me.

Infact, this forum has been my go-to sanctuary space during the pandemic, and as such, its been a vital part of me getting through this tough year (we are also deep in the process of moving back to the UK from USA, which has, and still is, how shall i say this, challenging)

so thanks to all of you for keeping me sane
 
Watchout312
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Shabbaz Shabbaz
I feel great. I never saw or spoke to somebody in person about watches so nothing changed. I did however decided to have less watches and I've sold many the past 12 months to use mainly for a big house renovation. And I must say I dont miss any of them.

Very nice. I am finishing my basement for the fam with a few watches I don鈥檛 wear anymore.

adding a colonial inspired tavern for me lol.
 
Fost
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MaiLollo MaiLollo
I have found one of my best friends thanks to watches @Fost and created many other meaningful connections.

Part of the fun for me is in hunting / seeking the references I love most, but it takes a lot of time, and since time is our most valued asset...
This year, buying a house, taking the time to look into another passion of mine (cars), has taken time and resources away from watch collecting.

Also, I bought the watch I always wanted at the end of 2018, a pepsi 1675, and it became my favorite watch. It has killed my watch buying madness a bit, which is not a bad thing I guess 馃榿

So all in all I feel the same as some of you: I'm on the lower part of the rollercoaster that is watch collecting, but as long as I'm on the rollercoaster, I'm happy 馃榾
I love u bro 馃榾
 
noelekal
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I despise 2020! It's been wretched on several levels and throws a chill on life generally. I'm so ready to see the backside of 2020! Still, I enjoy my chosen hobbies greatly since retirement in early 2016 and have been able to pursue several of my admittedly too many hobbies to a greater extent just since the spring of this year when I stepped off the last board on which I ever intend to serve. More importantly, I have the time to take care of personal business, to be devoted to family, a sweet wife of 42 years, an aged father, kids and grand kids (new one on the way, arriving in October), and to devote some time to personal improvement, both in mind and in health. So, there's yet a bright side, even to the wretched year 2020 and I feel richly blessed.

I did "be stupid" and expend funds on another collecting hobby pursuit in February and March, just before the virus shut-down and the economy took the hit. A watch is incoming this month and another which has been the subject of long term consideration and study is anticipated later this year.

As the "Home For Wayward Watches" is located in a remote region in the middle of Texas I greatly enjoy the watches for me, myself, and I. Nobody else around these parts notices or cares and there are certainly no kindred spirits who appreciate watches. No matter. I appreciate 'em, even if there's no place I need to go and I'm just wearing 'em around the house all day.

OmegaForums adds to the enjoyment of watches for me. Perhaps I should branch out and take in additional watch forums, but a cursory look around the internet hasn't found any that truly appeal as this forum does. OmegaForums is also the most well run and user friendly of any hobby forums I frequent.

There's something about a round-cased mechanical watch on the wrist that is cheerful to me, has been cheerful to me since I was bored in Mrs. Kinney's third grade class back in 1965 and watching the second hand on my childhood Caravelle tick its way around the sub-dial. Mechanical watches have never ceased to amaze me with the degree to which they are capable of keeping time.

Yes, being a watch collector is still fun and will be for as long as I desire to learn more, all while enjoying the pursuit.



Need to get the poor worthless Caravelle running again for sentimental reasons. Anyone know who would be good to work on cheap-o, worn out watches? I'd send it off. I seem to recall it has seven jewels.
 
B枚rn
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To me, it doesn鈥檛 matter if I lost the motivation of the hobby or not. I still have to wear a watch everyday.
 
kov
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I feel a bit better today. A remainder of dopamine while marking one of my old WTB threads FOUND. 馃槑

The best is the hunt.
馃え

Okay, what's next? 馃う
 
airansun
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kov kov
I feel a bit better today. A remainder of dopamine while marking one of my old WTB threads FOUND. 馃槑

馃え

Okay, what's next? 馃う

Only you know. But, there are plenty of watches that you don鈥檛 know enough about.

Yet.
 
repoman
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I've been bored to tears with the hobby, since late last year. Pandemic hasn't helped I'm sure with no GTG's or events. I moved away from my local boutiques/AD's that I had good friendships with and that didn't help. Haven't acquired a new piece in over a year and haven't seen anything inspiring at all in that time. Price escalations haven't helped either as some of the things I was interested in got to unobtainium levels for me. I still wear a watch everyday, but tend to just wear the same watch everyday out of boredom, and too lazy and uninspired to fetch a different piece from the safe. I've begun contemplating selling off some watches to buy a boat (thinking I'd probably enjoy the boat more than watches sitting in a safe not being worn). Like @Taddyangle said, best part of the hobby has been the friendships I've made over the years, and I feel like those will remain whether I'm still engaged actively in the hobby or not.
 
S
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Has the fun gone for me yes. It is hard not to be a cynical with endless releases of Limited Editions and new models with small changes from the previous. There was about 13 L.E.鈥檚 by Omega in one year! Many of the watch companies have just opened back catalogue and done a re release from the 50鈥檚, 60鈥檚 and 70鈥檚. In my opinion very lazy design. The marketing people have moved in and think that the customers will accept any sort of tripe. The 321 (moonwatch) and El Primero stories get more embellished on every telling. With many companies having in house movements and parts not being released, the independent watchmaker will become a rare thing. The hobby also seems to be invaded by speculators who just want to brag about how many AP 50th鈥檚 * they got and how much they sold them on for. * substitute for any steel professional Rolex etc. Do you remember the time when you could walk into an AD and buy a watch? AD鈥檚 have some part to play in this where you are looked up and down then judged if you can afford to purchase.
However on the bright side the small independent brands or micro brands still have some level of integrity.
 
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