So I'm sure this has been brought up in other ways before, but showing a friend of mine a few from my collection (he's finally ready to 'trade up' from his usual Shinola - no hate for them personally, this'll just be his first mechanical) he brought up a point when he asked me 'so how do you decide what to get if you know it isn't practical, but at the same time your budget is limited?' This question led him to going with a pre-owned Ball Fireman, but got me to thinking. If you had a set, firm budget, regardless of the amount, and you could get one watch you love but that might not be practical or 'Go-Anywhere-Do-Anything' for whatever reason (water resistance, fragility, etc) or two pieces you like but don't necessarily 'love', and stick to your budget, which would you go with? The single 'impractical' piece you love but will only get to wear somewhat limitedly or the two others that combined offer all the versatility you want (a diver and a dress watch, for ex)? Just curious as to what everyone here would choose.
Annual budget? or just an amount for all time? I think most, even those who don't care, will have an annual spend. Then it becomes just a matter of time before you can buy another watch. At some point, the watch you love is just as practical as the tough diver.
I know that's probably never going to happen but if there was one purchase that would be without any budget limit but kind of impractical from a daily wear perspective, it would be one of Jaquet Droz Automatons... stunning art for your safes, err I mean wrists. Or a Breguet Tourbillon. In reality, again funds permitting, I would go for a Datejust and a Seamaster 300M.
I like 60s watches and have refined my collection into those I wear and those I rarely wear. Nearly all are 34-36mm. All bought in the £300-600 price range. For work or pleasure I’m currently enjoying Omegas, bumpers and 5** movements plus a Gyromatic and the odd Longines. I’ve been lucky in acquiring these and am reluctant to risk them. For holidays, beaches and dog walks I’m using Certina DS and Seikos, also loved and collectible, but replaceable.
I always go for emotional connection over rational sense. Most of the cars I've owned were highly unpractical and arguably overpriced too.
Buy what you like. Buy what you enjoy wearing. Bought this. Suits my lifestyle. 100m waterproof, light being titanium, has a solar compass, Cool caseback, colourful dial, decent Lume. Why...... I liked it. Buy what you like. Plenty of watches in every budget. $10K watch or the three below watches, I’m buying three watches
I like all the responses so far - everyone has a different perspective, but there's no 'wrong' way to do it in this regard I think, as long as you do respect the limitations of the piece, and of course that goes hand-in-hand, to me, with admiring and enjoying their abilities (the accuracy of some watches 50 to even 100 years old or more often fascinates me. What it seems we all agree on, one way or another, is: decide what you like and sort of go from there, finding the high and low and mid range pieces that fit the occasion as you go and have opportunity...the fact this also gives me 'reason' to have more than 1-2 watches doesn't hurt either. Btw, @Spruce - that 2nd dark grey or black dial Seiko 17j is killin' me here! Can I ask the ref to put it on the 'list'?