The world is diverse!

 

Aficionado is perhaps a more accurate term.

 

I think snobbery inherently lacks justification.
If there is good reason for a preference, it isn't snobbery.

 

Thanks guys, this was tongue in cheek and really meant about me. I don’t have much I collect now other than watches and have been very pleased with the past few purchases I made. That vintage constellation really made me happy but I find myself talking to my wife and coworkers about them a bit too much and need to stop. I’m not trying to brag I just like talking about them. Investments too, I never mention figures or amount of a particular stock I have but will talk about certain companies. Im not a watch snob yet and keep my conversations brief but I need to monitor myself. I was not at all implying anyone here is a watch snob.

 

I see your Revox and raise you an Otari 1/2 track

 

I think anyone who who has a passion for anything can be a snob. When one gets into the minutia of hobby, sport, activity, beverage, food- anything- they begin to become educated and with education come discrimination. No shame in being passionate and wanting to share that passion with others- shame should come to those who look down on others who don’t know as much but want to learn or looking down on those who are contented not knowing. I have a colleague who loves his G-shock watch, he fancies himself a watch guy, and he is- that’s his favorite and nothing wrong with that.

 

I like to think I'm not a watch snob as I buy and wear (or try to when I can afford it) the watches that I like because of their history, movement but primarily because I like them. I buy and wear them for me, not to show off.

I'm not a fan of people who buy watches because it's 'the watch to have' or because of the brand, or just because it's expensive e.t.c. Sadly where I live there are a number of big name shops that are jam packed with these type of people of a weekend who clearly know nothing about the watches they're wearing, don't care at all and just buy for the prestige. That grinds my gears - maybe that means I am a reverse watch snob!?

 

Being a snob - which I am, no doubt - does not mean that your buying motives are price driven; having "expensive" as a deciding/very important criterion when buying is choosing from a Veblen perspective. The four classic (at least that's the ones I was taught) buying motives are Thrifty, Bandwagon, Veblen and Snob. Snob and Bandwagon are opposites; where one group of consumer buys goods because others do, Snobs buy what's different. This is mirrored with Thrifty consumers opposed to those who decides from a Veblen perspective where the interesting parameter is price - cheap or expensive.

There is some crossover between the groups (items that are low in supply (snob) are often expensive too), naturally...

I could buy a Rolex (Veblen), but would rather wear a vintage Mido (Snob) as I like to set myself apart from my peers. This is pretty easy when my peers are my colleagues at work, more difficult when it is a group of discerning collectors as found here (nice Mido, @JwRosenthal)

 

So I am a thrifty snob when it comes to watches, and a veblen snob with tires. Good to know. I once bought a set of Pirelli P Zeros simply because they were the most expensive option.

 

When it is a group found here (Veblen) engaging in conspicuous leisure?

 

What sorts of coins do you collect, if I may ask? (I have a few myself.)

 

I like what is really uncommon and it is hard to impress most of the old hands here

 

Clearly. You also like uncommon, deep-bench economists and managed to work behavioral Econ into a watch thread. That is impressive.

 

And since as we all know a thread without pics is useless, some more Mido snobbery

 

I have a friend who collects bobble heads- he has been collecting since he was a kid and is now in his late 40’s. His wife despised them so he was relegated to the basement for his collection. When he bought a new house he has us over for a house warming and I went into his basement and he had installed a narrow ledged shelf that ran the entire circumference of the basement like a picture molding. Upon it was his entire collection, we are talking hundreds. I am not one for bobble heads but seeing this collection in its entirely it was very clear he was a bobble head snob- perfectly curated, beautifully displayed, years of searching and collecting- it was impressive. Passion like that is an amazing thing to behold..

 

Yes. It bobbles the head.

 

Wow ... I hope he liked living in his basement with nobody to keep him company except hundreds of bobbleheads

 

You talkin' to me??? I'm highly allergic to anti-snob snobs...the true bottom of the snob barrel...

 

Looks like your channeling Harry.

 

I think your definition is different to mine.

snob
/snɒb/
Learn to pronounce
noun

1. a person with an exaggerated respect for high social position or wealth who seeks to associate with social superiors and looks down on those regarded as socially inferior.
   "her mother was a snob and wanted a lawyer as a son-in-law"
   • a person who believes that their tastes in a particular area are superior to those of other people.
     "a musical snob"