What's the dumbest move you've made while collecting.

[redsubby]

selling both of the red subs I had.

[rouxeny]

Buying my wife a Rolex.

Now she wants another!

[sea-dweller]

Sold my 16750 GMT for $3500 back in 2008.

[v6inspire]

Buying a Brietling


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[RGAmos]

Buying only one Daytona in the late 70's when they were priced at about 800$.

[Valedictorian]

Sold my first mechanical watch (Rolex 116000) at 75% of the price to fund a Hublot at retail, which I flipped 5 months later at 60% of the price. Hublot looks like a toy and I don't know how the hell I tricked myself into buying one.

Then purchased a Panerai Destro 219 (I'm a lefty), a Patek Aquanaut, and recently a DateJust 36mm. All of them at retail price. Managed to sell the Aquanaut at minimum loss (only had to purchase a new strap for the buyer). Although a great watch, it is nowhere near as sturdy as a Rolex or a Panerai.

Still contemplating selling the Destro but I keep changing my mind about it. Will probably keep it because (a) I like it as a casual watch and (b) if I sell it, I will certainly take a nasty bath.

I'm minimalistic and don't want to have more than 1-2 watches at any point in time.

[d1ce]

Originally Posted by kromdom

not buying a Rolex first (prior to my 16610, had Breitling, Omega, Panerai, IWC)

+1. I bought a Breitling Transocean which is heavy and has depreciated pretty much.


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[Kingsking]

this thread is bringing back some bad memories lol

Sold a 16613,14060 and 16570 all within the span of about 6 months

[JDR888]

Selling my first Rolex (14060) which I bought brand new in 1997. Sold it to buy a Panerai. Wish I'd kept the Rolex and just the Panerai outright.

Like others should never have sold my first Rolex purely for sentimental reasons plus it only cost me £1630 in 1997....

[chriscole943]

Not doing enough homework and buying an incorrect 1680 sub on impulse/compulsion. It was like having a pebble in my shoe I couldn't remove until I got rid of it 9 months later for a loss. Lesson learnt

Oh and like some others, selling my first bought. Really regret that now.

[Snow-Dweller]

Originally Posted by Dr. Prunesquallor

That doesn't sound like fun at all.

This is meant to be fun?

[Richard Carver]

Worst move; selling a 1978 SS 1675 GMT because I had two GMTs and felt silly having two of the same thing.



Best move; buying an 1802 Day Date with a rivet bracelet and a stella dial long before they made the big move.



Scariest move; Driving along and noticing my 1972 TT 1675 was no longer on my wrist. Those of you who have lost a Rolex or some other cherished item know exactly how I felt. Sick, horror, fear, anger, panic. Mind racing, only place I'd been was the bank drive through ATM, it must have fallen off then!

Some smarmy bastard has my Rolex! What if it's been run over and is now a pile of shiny junk? I turned the car around and raced towards the bank terrifying my lady companion with both my driving and my demeanor. I was probably two miles from the bank and that was an eternity away! In my nervousness I shoved my hand between the seat and the door sill and suddenly felt the cool roundness of my beautiful 1675. A spring bar had given way. To this day the first thing I do with a new purchase is change the spring bars (all my watches are vintage).



Stupidest move; Drunk browsing on eBay late at night. This was may years ago and there were amazing bargains still to be had. I clicked on to an auction for an Explorer I that was going off in a couple of minutes, the no reserve bid was $250! what to do! Less than a minute! The watch looks perfect! You know it's a fake! What if it isn't! aghhhh! I bid 300 and got it.

Of course, it was a fake. Not going to throw it away, not going to sell it so I gave it to the nephew of a friend with the understanding it would never be sold. I saw him often enough to keep him honest and he wore the damn thing for a year before it fell apart.

[RepomanAr]

Dumbest move, was telling the now ex she could buy Jewlery equal to the cost of my latest Rolex , not knowing she know what I spent. Smartest move telling current wife she could buy one purse or piece of Jewlery for ever watch I buy.

[RepomanAr]

And for the record, I have enjoyed every Rolex except my latest.

[Timesurfer]

Having to repurchase the same watch twice, now i'm thing of engraving it with the legend "Don't even think about it" !!!! ;-)

[jrs146]

Dumbest thing I've done is spent too much time on this forum. Too much enabling!


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[milov]

Gather round folks and hear my tale of woe.

My first rolex was a 60's 6694 with grey dial and gold markers on a jubilee. Admittedly I got it fairly cheap for AU$800 in the mid 90's. But it kept very accurate time and it was in very clean condition.

Anyhow, after about 10 years I found myself suddenly short on cash and I decided to sell the watch. The problem was that I knew nothing about the second hand watch market at the time. I did the rounds of antique dealers, but no one was interested. The only person who was willing to buy it convinced me that nobody wants a 60's manual winding watch. And the jubilee bracelet made it worth even less. So I gave it to him for $200.

Every time I see one of these going for 4-5k I cry a little on the inside. And recently I decided that I'll buy a new one, if the right one comes along. I know this is throwing good money after bad, but it will feel right and hopefully give me a little closure.

[ronald1980]

Buying a Franck Muller Casablanca steel on rubber strap for £3k 8 years ago and only being offered £500 this year by numerous dealers ........ I did however manage to part ex it for a 16610LV F serial for £7k because 1 offered me the £3k it originally cost

[Timesurfer]

Originally Posted by Glidelock

This thread sucks! it's unlocked dozens of painful memories that I've spent years trying to suppress in the deepest and darkest trenches of my soul!

[Al1969]

Not finding TRF sooner and starting my collection much later.

[tommy91]

I have many, most of them down to not buying something I should of. As many have said I had so many opportunities to buy now rare watches at good prices and can't believe I didn't go for them.

[xIZeitgeistIx]

Buying a 3000 Dollar Logines as a first luxury watch...

[landroverking]

Selling a rare vintage Daytona.

[MCO1]

For me it is a toss up between buying a quartz Cartier and buying a 47.5mm Longines Hour Angle Watch without trying it on first.

[DJRikki]

Buying my first ever luxury watch (and obv first Rolex) from a bad dealer in Glasgow, Scotland.

[LawMan]

selling what I should have kept
keeping what I should have sold
buying high, selling low.

[Seaotter]

Selling my Tudor Ranger Oyster Prince Ref. 90220 (NOS with box & papers).

[Robbyman]

In 2005 I tried on a Sub Date, Omega Speedmaster and a Breitling SuperOcean.

I bought the Breitling because I thought the Rolex was not quite me at that stage in my life.

What an idiot.

In 2008, I saw in an AD window for £2900 a new 16610 LV, I very nearly bought it. D'oh.

[Mystro]

Not diversifying in other brands than Rolex sooner. I was too Rolex centric in the early years. Its a big watch world out there.

[sco]

I guess I would regret spending the money to overhaul my dad's 1969 accutron spaceview. He wore it in his wedding, and I thought it was pretty special. I spent hundreds getting it working, only to have it breakdown again several months later...

I'd also say that maybe a Movado or two were not the greatest purchases, but looking back they were good stepping stones towards some nicer brands like Omega, Breitling, and eventually Rolex.