What makes you a watch collector????

[Euge]

Hi Everyone!!!
Do you consider yourself a Watch collector?
I do, but I don’t know what would be the definition of a Watch Collector.....

Would it be consider to people that only collect high valued vintage historical timepieces???
Or any watch collection???

I just have this 2 vintage watches....
plus some more non vintage......







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[liu_watch]

Buying more watches than we need makes us collectors. I consider myself a collector. Somehow people shy away from the word collector, don’t understand why.

[Busyboy]

I'm not keen on a collector nametag

Sometimes it's all invested in very few models, and I think collection denotes, many

Instead I prefer

aficionado
/əˌfɪsjəˈnɑːdəʊ,əˌfɪʃ(j)əˈnɑːdəʊ/
noun
a person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or pastime.

[Euge]

Originally Posted by liu_watch

Buying more watches than we need makes us collectors. I consider myself a collector. Somehow people shy away from the word collector, don’t understand why.

I agree!!!


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[BisonHead]

An interest in the marque, collection of 2 or more i would say. Or more watches than wrists, don't want to alienate the Octopuses on here.......

Knowledgeable about the subject or willing to learn about the marque or genre. (In my case)

[ap1]

I think it means we have something “off” in our brains mostly

[Euge]

Originally Posted by ap1

I think it means we have something “off” in our brains mostly

This is for sure!!!


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[tudorbaja27]

I prefer enthusiast. The value of your watches have nothing to do with whether you're a collector/enthusiast or not.

[Slider817]

Totally subjective, but having only two watches doesn’t really make you a collector, more of an enthusiast.

Probably five watches plus is where I’d consider and enthusiast developing into a collector.

Obviously not including that pile of junky watches you just haven’t thrown out or given away, but thoughtful and serious purchases. Everyone’s interests and finances are different so I would limit it to the price or style of watches.

[ezinhk]

I buy more sneakers than I need but don’t consider myself a sneaker collector...haha

[Euge]

Originally Posted by tudorbaja27

I prefer enthusiast. The value of your watches have nothing to do with whether you're a collector/enthusiast or not.

I agree the value (cost of the watch) has nothing to do with a collection. I meant historical horological value, as the Speedmaster for example...


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[Euge]

Originally Posted by Slider817

Totally subjective, but having only two watches doesn’t really make you a collector, more of an enthusiast.

Probably five watches plus is where I’d consider and enthusiast developing into a collector.

Obviously not including that pile of junky watches you just haven’t thrown out or given away, but thoughtful and serious purchases. Everyone’s interests and finances are different so I would limit it to the price or style of watches.

This is why I wanted to see other points of view, are we collectors, aficionados or enthusiasts.....

My case, I can tell you I have more watches than fingers plus I also have a pile of junky watches,
I believe its a WIS thing....

Some close friends tell me I’m crazy!!!
I just listen.......

It’s like some other people having a lot of guns or guitars....

Just wanted to see different points of view of the TRF friends here....


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[Dan Pierce]

My wife just shakes her head and says “boy, you are ate up!” Not sure what category that puts me in. Watches, bass guitars, bourbon, and now I forgot the rest.
dP

[Token74]

Good question this.

I consider myself an enthusiast.

I tend to think of collectors as people that...

1. Have a target collection end state
2. Follow a certain theme
3. Enjoy collecting as much as using/wearing

So, someone who has enjoyed spending 20 years searching for and buying up the Dirty Dozen, only accepting completely original pieces, would be a great example of a collector.

I’ve been referred to as a collector in the past because the majority of my watches are considered iconic (another word open to interpretation)...including a Nautilus, a Royal Oak, a Reverso, a Speedmaster, a Sea Dweller, and a Daytona. However, whilst I like the stories attached to these, other than the Reverso and the Speedmaster, I bought them simply because I liked them, rather than because I was trying to put together a collection.



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[FTX I]

Redundancy

[stockae92]

Watch collector needs a theme and knowledge about what they are collecting.

I know people that are "watch buyer" but not "watch collector". They only buy because their watches tell people how much money they have spent. They can't talk watches for more than 5 min besides how much they cost.

[KBM]

Originally Posted by Token74

3. Enjoy collecting as much as using/wearing

This is a big defining point of a collector for me, and the reason why I consider myself a watch lover instead, as I can't fathom the thought of extracting great pleasure from simply owning a watch that I plan to keep stuffed in a safe my whole life.

[janice&fred]

Originally Posted by kauebm

This is a big defining point of a collector for me, and the reason why I consider myself a watch lover instead, as I can't fathom the thought of extracting great pleasure from simply owning a watch that I plan to keep stuffed in a safe my whole life.

yes i couldn't agree more. we have always felt that if the watches were too valuable to wear and enjoy then we don't want to keep them. yes it might make perfect sense to some to salt away a megabuck rare watch but for us owning/collecting expensive pieces takes all the fun out of the hobby. of course everyone has a different upper threshold for what they regard as too valuable and/or too rare to enjoy using, but yes i agree once one starts packing them away in a safe they could be considered a watch collector instead of a watch lover.

[brandrea]

To me a collector is someone who buys significant horological pieces, rare, vintage, and modern.

I prefer to think of myself as just a guy who enjoys watches. I have 5 in total but in no way do I feel that makes me a collector.

[janice&fred]

Originally Posted by brandrea

To me a collector is someone who buys significant horological pieces, rare, vintage, and modern.

I prefer to think of myself as just a guy who enjoys watches. I have 5 in total but in no way do I feel that makes me a collector.

oh with over 32k posts under your belt you definitely enjoy watches

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by janice&fred

oh with over 32k posts under your belt you definitely enjoy watches

very true

[tubojunk]

Originally Posted by Busyboy

I'm not keen on a collector nametag.

Same, for some reason I always cringe when I walk into an AD and they ask me am I a collector.

I like to think of myself as a watch wearer.

[Burlington]

Originally Posted by tudorbaja27

I prefer enthusiast. The value of your watches have nothing to do with whether you're a collector/enthusiast or not.

Spot on here

[Headshrinker]

Having a few watches, having a little knowledge and love for them; makes you a collector.

[Euge]

Originally Posted by Headshrinker

Having a few watches, having a little knowledge and love for them; makes you a collector.

I kind of feel this is how I would describe it!!!


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[MILGAUSS88]

1 to 10 watches = an enthusiast.
10 to 19 watches = a beginning collector
20 and more and still actively looking for more watches = collector
200 and more = advanced collector.

A watch "aficionado", just pertains to knowledge and enthusiasm, you would not necessarily even have to own a watch. (By dictionary definition.)

[DGB]

Interesting topic,
Watch aficionado, lover, enthusiast: a collector is all of that.
These are just steps of watch loving and the collector is the ultimate level.
I would say when you spend most of your free time hunting, learning about watches, planning what is your next watch, buying the exact watch you want, identify the exact variation of the watch you have, know the different details between same references and of course owning many watches, you are a collector.

[1William]

I think that someone who is classified as a collector will typically have more than one of something and will have knowledge of whatever they collect that is beyond what the average consumer will have. If you have two watches, one dress the other sport, and you could care less about them and just switch out based on activity, I would say you are not a collector, you are a watch user. This can be somewhat subjective discussion, but I think that is close.

[Euge]

Originally Posted by MILGAUSS88

20 and more and still actively looking for more watches = collector

I think I’m in this category you describe....


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[Jojoshop]

And if you have over 20 watches and you got no sentimental value other than getting hugest return than you are a gray dealer