Why do you collect watches?

Cartesian · Jul 31, 2026

pdxleaf
Few inanimate objects besides clocks and watches make us more aware of our humanity.

I entirely agree with this.

Sometimes, perhaps egotistically, I think I collect watches in an attempt to exercise some control over the passing of time: I wind them up and time starts.

But, when I really consider it, I think I collect watches because I like to know that my time and the time of my loved ones didn’t just disappear. Instead, it was marked and measured and recorded - it was watched - by something other than us that can be passed down, imbued with our time, when we are no longer here.

Spanakopita · Jul 31, 2026

They look nice, you can wear them, but most of all they're an endless warren of rabbit holes of geekery to get lost in!

Canuck · Jul 31, 2026

Unlike stamps or coins, you can USE watches, and still keep them.

drh_ · Aug 1, 2026

Because they are a fusion of design, history, fine mechanics, jewellery and an expression of individuality. That makes them such interesting objects to me. Of course they are a loophole to disappear into research. And: there's such a nice community around them.

What's also kind of nice: non-watch people think it is totally weird. Love watches!

gregorylebl · Aug 1, 2026

I wouldn't really call myself a collector yet, but over the last year I've started appreciating watches for the stories behind them more than anything else.

What surprised me most is how every watch seems to represent a different moment in someone's life. Reading through this thread, it's interesting to see how many collections started because of a family member, a milestone, or a meaningful memory rather than simply wanting another watch.

That's probably the part I enjoy the most. The history and the personal connection often seem more valuable than the watch itself.

Canuck · Aug 1, 2026

gregorylebl
I wouldn't really call myself a collector yet, but over the last year I've started appreciating watches for the stories behind them more than anything else.

What surprised me most is how every watch seems to represent a different moment in someone's life. Reading through this thread, it's interesting to see how many collections started because of a family member, a milestone, or a meaningful memory rather than simply wanting another watch.

That's probably the part I enjoy the most. The history and the personal connection often seem more valuable than the watch itself.

You’re so right! One of the favourites in my collection might be considered the first watch I collected. My late father had a jewellery store, and he was a Bulova dealer. In the early 1960s, he started to stock Accutron. At that time, he bought two identical 214 models, one for himself, and one for me. That was 1964. I wore that watch on our wedding day in 1966, at Expo 67 (Montreal) at which time we were subjected to a downpour while in a lineup waiting to enter the Czech pavilion. The watch leaked and spoiled the dial. I wore this watch ar our son’s christening in 1971. It was my main watch until I started collecting watches in 1975, then it saw only sparing duty. I wore it at our 25th anniversary soiree in 1991, at our 50th anniversary soirée in 2016, and at our 60th anniversary soiree in 2026 (in April). It has had a new identical dial fitted (my father converted his to a Spaceview and set the dial aside), it is on its third circuit assembly, second tuning fork, and third index wheel. All this aside from countless crystals, cells, gaskets. Still looks and runs like new!

ghce · Aug 1, 2026

Canuck
You’re so right! One of the favourites in my collection might be considered the first watch I collected. My late father had a jewellery store, and he was a Bulova dealer. In the early 1960s, he started to stock Accutron. At that time, he bought two identical 214 models, one for himself, and one for me. That was 1964. I wore that watch on our wedding day in 1966, at Expo 67 (Montreal) at which time we were subjected to a downpour while in a lineup waiting to enter the Czech pavilion. The watch leaked and spoiled the dial. I wore this watch ar our son’s christening in 1971. It was my main watch until I started collecting watches in 1975, then it saw only sparing duty. I wore it at our 25th anniversary soiree in 1991, at our 50th anniversary soirée in 2016, and at our 60th anniversary soiree in 2026 (in April). It has had a new identical dial fitted (my father converted his to a Spaceview and set the dial aside), it is on its third circuit assembly, second tuning fork, and third index wheel. All this aside from countless crystals, cells, gaskets. Still looks and runs like new!

Cool story but it leaves me thinking who was it at Bulova who had the brain wave to remove the dial and create the iconic Space View watch, does he have a name that history remembers?

YYTIN · Aug 1, 2026

It took me a lot of Time to come to it.

For me there is no family connections or heirlooms. I wish they were but no. That’ s maybe something that explains part of it as I started buying my first vintage Watch at 40years old, following the birth of my second child - who happens to be a boy.

Prior to that, I had a swatch when I was a teenager … and I even got offered a ´Timberland’ chrono for my 17th birthday which I chose and like but I got robbed off it before I Turned 18… So that was it for a long Time…

Around my thirty years old I met a colleague(10years older than me) who became a friend. I did admire his style : he did take care of what I considered then as « details » : Nice shirts, Nice socks, Nice shoes and yes Nice watches… kind of a gentleman. For my 30 years old birthday I then decided it was time for me to get a decent Watch. Not knowing anything I searched for one, and ended up with an automatic Tissot inspired from the 50s. I did like it but without passion. At that Time I was attracted by the IWC portuguese buy they were 10 Times more expensive than my tissot … so that was it again for a Time.

Just before I turned 40, I discovered another dear friend of mine was a Watch lover and collector. That was another push that got me into looking for a « real » Nice one ;-) This Time, I spent some months browsing internet reading about Watch history and ended up décidîng to go for a constellation. This is how I entered this parallel universe. At that Time, I thought it would be the only one. I spent a lot of Time as I was afraid to buy online a vintage Watch, I even asked Desmond some help. - which I got (and this is also part of the reason I’ve stayed and that it became a hobby : the people like Desmond do exist, are really friendly and ready to share and help).

Then I found OF and this is when I really went into the rabbit hole.

I‘ve now way too many watches ;-) and it is very difficult to part with them ;-) Some will surely be passed to the next generation.

So this how it happened for me. Hard to say why exactly.

As others, I guess I have a collector mind (when I was a kid I did have several collections).
And as others I do love the magic of the mechanics
Watches are things of beauty and craftmanship, which I definetely appreciate.
There is history and great stories of humans pushing the frontiers…
And as others, I guess there is this Time/aging things that also counts.
As well as believing some of my watches Will make Nice heirlooms.
Another reason is that I can (I would not have started this if I had not the cash available for it)
It is also a nice way to pass Time ;-)
And Finally there is this Nice community of yours. Definetely a reason I have stayed around for so long.

Felix_La_PuBelle · Aug 2, 2026

Easier to transport and store than cars.

CHAZZOMEGA · 2026-08-18T19:02:37-0500

I collect them because I admire the micro enginering in the tiny movements plus the design of the whole watch and also that they not only keep track of time, I tjink they capture events, memories and also you can enjoy them anywhere at anytime plus some models become kind of " value retention / investments" and also can be passed along to neta generations.

elephantcage · 2026-08-18T21:18:03-0500

Because of this and others like it. Beautiful as any art to me.

And I should add that I love mechanical things and fixing mechanical things. Clockwork devices are amazing examples of what man can create, from huge clocks in towers to the tiniest lady's wristwatches. And when one considers that mechanical clocks have been around since maybe the 13th century....cmon. At our best we are pretty f ing good, and at our worst, as with the current state of affairs in the USA, we still have the potential to rise above greed, hatred, and corruption. To those here not from America, my most sincere apologies for who we have become. We will get back on track. (hopefully before you Canucks are living in Canadiana, 51st American state 😉)

Why do you collect watches?

Cartesian

Spanakopita

Canuck

drh_

gregorylebl

Canuck

ghce

YYTIN

Felix_La_PuBelle

CHAZZOMEGA

elephantcage

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