I am the hoarder type. I love getting parts and good deals so I end up with lots of stuff. Lately I have been winding down my collection to a few favorites. I have thought about selling it all so I could have one watch. I wonder if other collectors get the feeling of chasing grail watches like I do. For me, I enjoy the hunt. I don't stay satisfied for long once I buy a grail watch and have my eyes on a new one. Have you guys settled on your grail watch yet or are you always on the hunt for more?
Always hunting! Best watch seems to be the one you don’t have in your wrist yet. anyway, I really enjoy my watches, and everytime I sell one (rare), I feel depressed for a while.
Timepieces have been around for, well, since the 16th century. The length, breadth, depth, and dimension of watches to collect, tell an interesting story of ingenuity and evolution. To limit one’s collection based on any factor aside from budget, is to ignore a hugely interesting collectible. A watch with a story to tell is (to me), more interesting.
After plenty of 1950s and 1960s vintage purchases (Omega, Zenith, Longines, Bulova), I broke down and bought my first Rolex at the new year: a 1995 Sub 14060. I’ve been a “never Rolexer” for years, but there’s no denying it’s a killer watch. It’s been 5 months or so since purchasing it, and I have rarely worn anything else. I know I’m not the first person to suggest the 14060 as a one-watch collection. PS if I had the disposable scratch for a good example, I would have gotten the 1016 as the comment above mentioned. Unimpeachable design.
After plenty of modern Rolex’s am turning to vintage watches as the hunt is more interesting and you learn a lot. if I had to keep only one watch it would be a PP 5231.....
If I settled for a watch that could be dressed up or down it would probably be a PP calatrava. A Rolex Sky Dweller is a nice blend of bling and complications.
Not that I have only one watch, but if I did it would be my 2017 SMPc. It’s really the perfect size at 41mm, not too thick, great 2500D movement, waterproof, date complication, fantastic lume and that beautiful glossy black dial that looks great with everything from jeans and t-shirt to a tux. It’s the ultimate all rounder.
I think I would be content with a JLC Geophysic (E168), as it is a 'undercover' rarity that can be worn everyday without much fear of theft. (PP amagnetic ref 3417 would also be great too...)
Grand Seiko's have amazing dials and movements. A very underrated watch brand when you compare price/quality. It can also be an undercover daily watch.
I admire any serious collector that is able to amass a large collection, knowledge, and then focus it down to a few (let alone one) piece, in any field. I am personally not there yet, still holding on to my mantra that watches are not wives, you are could have more than one at a time.
I don’t think I’m capable of a one watch collection. My best would be probably two, a chrono and a diver one.
Yep Ehh...disagree. There are watches I "collect" because they match my interests horlogically and aesthetically and then there are watches I buy just for looks. I'll leave you to figure out which category I'm more willing to sell off and which one has the higher allowable budget.
I'm trying to limit my collection to just one watch ... of each type: One diver, one tool, one dress/time-only, one dress moonphase, one aviator, one driver. So 6. But then I'll probably want one vintage and one modern of each, so 12. And then one automatic and one manual wind of each. So my one-watch collection may eventually have at least 24 pieces.
I'm such a hoarder that the thought of selling every single watch except one is haunting. I enjoy the hunt though. If I sold them all to buy one really expensive watch, then I probably wouldn't wear it on a daily basis.