In short, if you have to ask "I'm looking at this watch, is it a good investment", it almost certainly isn't.

 

10,000 hours = 1000 days of work = @2500 a day that's $2,500,000. Quite an opportunity cost for some people over 10 years.

I guess you can look at it as an investment in yourself and your happiness. Self fulfillment through enjoying your hobby!

 

The problem is objects that are thought of as investments today can fall out of favor in the future, and vice versa. My goal is happiness investment, if I can buy something, enjoy it and eventually recoup most of the money upon selling it my dividend was the happiness it gave me over the years by owning it.

 

Great analysis @MSNWatch

I’ve spent a silly amount of time in this hobby too.

As I´m old enough to remember some bubbles, like art in the 80´ies, in the part of the world I belong to, I do not trust that vintage watches is a good place to invest in, in the long run.

I started to collect in the autumn of 2005, and made many good buys, in hindsight, during the subsequent 10 years. I would have loved to kept many of them, but couldn´t motivate myself doing so given the development of prices. Buying has been impossible since 2017, because of IMO ridiculous prices.

So today I’ve sold most of my collection, and I don’t regret it for a second Those I have left are those that I can wear, I’m very happy with that!

 

Nearly all the watches I over payed for due to condition years ago are worth the most today.
Also buying and keeping. Never loose a cent if you keep

 

Watches are not investments. they are expensive toys.

 

Investments are things that pay dividends..... by definition.

 

I would say almost every vintage omega would have been a investment if you would have start buying 10/15 years ago. All those speedmasters and 300's which were bought cheap are now worth nice cars. But I once had two houses which were worth more then 1 mln and then the crisis started which had a very negative effect on the prices and my mental state. So fu### investments. Buy to enjoy. Dont put it in a safe. You only live once. Peace...

 

i totally agree. Buy what you love.

 

They are not investments in the true sense of the word then.

As the owner of more than 750 watches bought over the last 35 years.... I think I understand capital growth.

These are called assets, NOT investments!!

 

Like when each morning putting on a loved watch?

 

Capital appreciation and dividend income are very different things

Capital appreciation and dividend income are different things and different facets of an investment asset.
Investments can have either and be both and are not necessarily both or either.
Watches as investments are very high risk assets and as far as investments go are for the very specialist and most likely very diversified investor, if viewed as purely as an investment asset. They do not pay dividends.
Myself, I buy watches that, should the monetary value drop, I still am happy to own.

 

Ergo, my watches aren’t viewed as “investments” in the sense that equities or fixed income are...

 

So do you do this as a main source of income. Are you amassing a certain dollar amount of watches with intent to sell at a certain time. It’s a funny thing with certain investments, you haven’t made a penny until you sell then have to worry about timing, too late, too soon.
I’m not critiquing I think it’s cool. I see a few people here saying they sell watches for a living. I guess it’s like any other retail business but low sell high, they aren’t selling to benefit the buyer. I’ve sold a few things some so I could a acquire something new and some were just offers I saw that would allow me to.
I can see it’s a lot of work. You need to have the knowledge, know what to look for, know what is original and what isn’t, fight the fakers and deal with a lot of competition.
I’m not looking to go into the watch business I just find it interesting.

 

I guess by that definition Berkshire Hathaway hasn’t been a very good investment!

 

I like growth more than dividends but I am for dividend and growth.