How to Stay Passionate About Your Collection

[pgrandster]

Not all of us have the funds to scratch every itch or to keep adding pieces to a collection. I think having aesthetically and technically distinctive watches in one's collection helps keep one passionate about and engaged with one's collection.

What do you all think?

To that end, I think a five watch collection is attainable and every collection needs the following (1) a beater, (2) a diver, a chronograph or other non-date complication, (3) a dress watch, (4) a curiosity piece, and (5) a grail. One's selection for each category should be strategic, contemplating how to avoid aesthetic and technical redundancies. An ideal collection could contain the following pieces:

Beater: Casio Men's GR8900A-1 G-Shock Tough Solar Digital. For those of us with higher incomes, a quality diver will seem like an ideal beater. Selecting a diver can result in a technical/aesthetic redundancy in your selection of a diver watch or curiosity piece.

Diver: Hulk--I think the Hulk is the ideal diver because it checks a box in a category that is almost always represented by black dial watches in a color that blends in or matches almost as easily as a black face watch.

Complication: A white dial Daytona if you own a black dial dress watch or an EXP II Polar--a black dial Daytona/Speedy or a Rolex BLNR if you own a white dial dress watch. You can check this box with a high-end dress piece, but you will still want a sports watch with a complication.

Dress watch: A Nomos Orion or JLC Reverso/Master control/Patek Calatrava/VC/FPJ with a white dial or any of those pieces with a black dial.

Curiosity watch: Any Panerai, IWC Big Pilot, Graham, VC sports, Roger Dubuis, Rolex YM or Sky-Dweller any color dial. If you are a high roller you can get any offering from MB&F URWERK, Richard Mille, Greubel Forsey, Voutilainen, etc.

Grail watch: Any haute horology piece that really excites you and/or that is an aesthetic/technical expression of the best in you or the best you aspire to be. I would go for a PP 5711/1A-010.

[Helmi]

This is a very good summary. It is hard to stay within 5 pieces but you are right. Some pieces do multiple jobs in your explanation, for example a Panerai with GMT function would be a diver + complication piece which allows some space for more categories in the collection

[JacksonStone]

I hate to say it, but there are some days that I feel the best way to keep enjoying my modest collection is not to visit this forum.

[schoolboy]

Sounds good to me!

Right now I have a sub, a Seiko “beater”, and I think it would be cool to add a chronograph later.

But like they say, to each their own.

[dwamps]

Here's my current target 5 watch collection

Seiko SKX007
Nomos Tangente 38 Datum
Rolex Explorer 214270
Omega Speedmaster
Rolex GMT II BLNR

To me serves a wide variety and would be quite satisfying when I can make it happen

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by dwamps

Here's my current target 5 watch collection

Seiko SKX007
Nomos Tangente 38 Datum
Rolex Explorer 214270
Omega Speedmaster
Rolex GMT II BLNR

To me serves a wide variety and would be quite satisfying when I can make it happen

I gave away my skx007 and really miss it!

Once it was properly fitted, it felt really good on the wrist.

[Tha Baron]

Interesting, I definitely want a nomos one day or perhaps a Milgauss for the “curiosity” piece

[kneedeep]

Nice perspective to which I've not been able to limit myself so far.

[wach16]

Here is my list...I am 1/3 of the way there!

Beater: Tudor Black Bay

Diver: Seadweller 4K

Complication: White dial Royal Oak Chronograph (current collection)

Dress watch: White gold Day-Date

Curiosity watch: Milgauss Z-Blue (current collection)

Grail watch: Patek 5970

[GB-man]

When I get the itch to add something and have funds tied up in things that actually matter I add a new strap

Join the nato nation!

Buy a rubber b!

How about a vintage style leather strap?

Yada yada yada

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by GB-man

When I get the itch to add something and have funds tied up in things that actually matter I add a new strap

Join the nato nation!

Buy a rubber b!

How about a vintage style leather strap?

Yada yada yada

Great idea here.

Change things up a bit

[VicLeChic]

I wish it was so simple but to me this hobby follows no particular logic but only pure emotional response.

You could have 5 divers in a collection of 10 and be happy as Larry. You could have a diversified portfolio and be the most miserable collector.

[crazymcmichael]

But.. If i see this question above i am wondering 1 thing: Why is it so hard for us humans to enjoy what we have? We might hae 1 or 3000 watches, but at the end it must make not a big difference. We can be passionated about something to if we only own 1 or 2 right?
What i think: Our problem is that we want more and more, in every visible good we can have just cause it gives us a certain ''kick'' but.. It is very worse and i think you need to fight against that at least when you don't have the access to live a ''good'' life at the same time and don't have the security of enough money on ur bank account to...
1 way could be to sell off a lot of stuff you don't use.. Stuff you basicly forgot about it will clean your mind and perhaps would make u more happy with what you actually own.. Living in a very small place with very little stuff could be very efficient for certain people i think... Ok ok i'm not an expert but i think it is a feeling every human being knows and also knows in the heart that it is wrong and dangerous. Love ur collection bro!! And be happy with a collection that provides you the ability to pick it up, stick it in a bag with ur other stuff and get the hell out of it anywhere anytime!!! It is the ultimate freedom)

[BawlaDK]

Thats Easy

Beater/Diver: Rolex Sea-Dweller 16600
Dress/Complication/Every day: PP5960/1a

Have both and do not aspire to own any other watches at this point

[Rolex addict]

There are only two watches I want that I don’t have. A platinum sub which hasn’t been made yet and the AP 15407 skeleton. I’m simply not paying the premium for the AP. Don’t want it that bad.

[JM0127]

Want to stay 'passionate' about your collection? Treat it like you would your wife. Bring it out and play with it occasionally, take it out on a day-date, and bring her home and clean her up and then put her to bed. easy peasy. Start again the next day/week. Look for the little things. Where you were, what was the reason you bought it, why you remembered you liked it. There is a story behind every watch. It's always neat to think about the who, what, when, where, why when I put one on.

With that being said, there are 4 that I want to "complete" my collection but will most likely never attain.

Patek Grand Complication 3970G

Cartier Rotonde De Cartier Flying Tourbillon REF: HPI00593

Breguet Tourbillon REF: 5317BA

Jaeger Ref: 5063540

These are my holy grail watches.

[Spoonage]

Best way to stay passionate... Wear them and don’t treat them like a collectible piece of art. Make them mean something. Yes it is just a watch, but tie it to something special (not literally of course). For example... My BLNR was purchased in 2014 as a reward to myself for commissioning at a 2LT. I was wearing it the day my daughter was born, I was wearing it when she took her first steps. Everywhere I travel that I’m wearing it I take a picture of me wearing it. I will eventually pass on these stories, BLNR, digital files, journal that I write to her, and fountain pen that I use at some point in her adult life... So I have many more years to be passionate about that watch. And with our second daughter due in March, I will do the same for her with another watch and another fountain pen.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Spoonage

Best way to stay passionate... Wear them and don’t treat them like a collectible piece of art. Make them mean something. Yes it is just a watch, but tie it to something special (not literally of course). For example... My BLNR was purchased in 2014 as a reward to myself for commissioning at a 2LT. I was wearing it the day my daughter was born, I was wearing it when she took her first steps. Everywhere I travel that I’m wearing it I take a picture of me wearing it. I will eventually pass on these stories, BLNR, digital files, journal that I write to her, and fountain pen that I use at some point in her adult life... So I have many more years to be passionate about that watch. And with our second daughter due in March, I will do the same for her with another watch and another fountain pen.

I like your style

[watchwatcher]

The best way to stay passionate?

Stop focusing on what's "next" and enjoy the crap out of what you have.

[ap1]

So is it 5 or 6

Solid reasoning

[nipponsuisse]

My grail is my five piece collection made from (clockwise):
- a chronograph;
- a beater;
- a diver;
- one for every day;
- (in the center) a “very close to being” dress.
I found all five fifths of my exit watch, I bring it (them) with satisfaction and in my free time I do other things

[Nav01L]

Isn't the real problem that for every collector, the act of collecting is in the end more important than the collection itself? For this reason, there will always be the compulsion to build a better collection (which if we're honest is probably also what fueled the OP's rationalization). We love to think about what the perfect collection would be and what it would take and eventually we realize that we're just that one watch away from it.

Which leads me to believe that the perfect amount of watches is really N+1.

And honestly, what's so bad about that? Who really needs to be done? And what would one obsess about if one were to be?

This notwithstanding, the OP's system seems pretty sensible to me, other than that I have never really understood the distinction between beater and diver (isn't a diver built specifically to be your go everywhere do everything watch?) and that I just can't bring myself to spend any significant amount of money, wrist time or attention on dress watches. So I could probably even scale down to 3, a Sub, a Navi and a 15202... And that illusive +1 watch obviously ;)

[crazymcmichael]

i like the idea of a collection that is small enough to putt in ur bag and round wrist and get the hell away! i hate chaotic rooms full of stuff.......... but i have also the continues drift to collect everything. Which at the end Always lead that i will sell most off.. so i need to stay away from to much! my rule now is 2 watches lol

[vladamir15]

I normally buy accessories like straps or cases when I get the inch

[JTL31]

Originally Posted by Nav01L

Which leads me to believe that the perfect amount of watches is really N+1;)

^ +1. It's those dang endorphins. Kinda like that runner's high that keeps you coming back for that fix.

[Duc5150]

As others have mentioned change straps and/or bracelets...best way to switch things up....with a 5 piece collection the possibilities are endless.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by GB-man

When I get the itch to add something and have funds tied up in things that actually matter I add a new strap

Join the nato nation!

Buy a rubber b!

How about a vintage style leather strap?

Yada yada yada

This is a good idea, I also do the same with cufflinks and then also have an excuse to go book a nice restaurant.

[rw2008]

I feel like I've gotten my main 3 "bases" covered with quality pieces.

My main bases are: daily, fun and dress.

I may add something like a Hulk in the future to have something of a pool/beach/vacation watch (cause I don't really wanna swim with the RO).

Other than that...probably just upgrading my current collection within the same category. Upgrade the 15400 to a 15202 one day, maybe the black DaytonaC for a white, the 1815 for an 1815 Chrono, etc.

[harvey]

Like to learn...

IMG_3041.JPG


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rossi46]

Originally Posted by watchwatcher

The best way to stay passionate?

Stop focusing on what's "next" and enjoy the crap out of what you have.

Best answer in the thread.

My advice is "KISS" - keep it simple, stupid A small collection (maybe even just one!) that you truly enjoy every single aspect of.

My Daytona is my only >$1k watch and it's super easy to stay passionate about it.