My collection might be complete..but I don't want it to be.

[SUPERDOC]

Has anyone else been in this spot before?

I'm sure some of you have.

The adage of happiness being the pursuit of something and not the catch of it is ringing true for me...

But I now have about 15 watches. A watch for every occasion. Rose gold, two tone, yellow gold stainless steel, leather....

After getting the GMT IIc, I've obtained the last watch that really interested me...

The past little while, I've just been buying straps of different exotic skins.

And even those, half are just in the display case, only a few made it onto a watch.

y'know those new subs are cool, but I couldn't really find a place for them with a GMTIIc in my collection...I'm too emotionally attached to my watches to flip them...

Normally I have a tarzan approach where I'm looking at that next vine while holding the current one...
For the first time I'm without one in my sights, and it's not nearly as much fun.

so what now? Have I peaked? Tapped out?

Is this some degree of collector's depression? Who else has experienced this? and what does the future hold?

[frostie]

Wish i had this kind of problems with 15 watches starring at me

i have only one and i am looking forward to my next one

[Tools]

One nice thing about this hobby/passion is that it can be easily rekindled.

Like you, I don't really have a watch in my sights that I just have to have.. But I know that if that spark is suddenly ignited by a good deal on an early Sub or GMT, even though I already have those, I will fall all over again..

[BigHat]

I'm at 11 and thought the most recent purchase would be the last. I was wrong. If you buy to wear vs. collect, I think 15 is about right, but flipping will likely occur and you'll be keeping the ADs in business.

[thecoinopcollector]

Start looking at vintage Rolex watches. May create a whole new appetite for you.

Marc

[mike]

R.J., I think this is something we all deal with on occasion. There comes a saturation point where the feeling that anything more detracts from what we've worked hard to put together.

I kind of went through that a while ago and did some revamping on the direction I wanted my collection to go. ( I'm still not sure I'm done, but I'll take my time LOL!).

[Trurolexer]

RJ, maybe 15 too many?
I'm planning only want to collect 10 pieces. After that I'm done...
4 more left...

[Spark]

Originally Posted by mike

R.J., I think this is something we all deal with on occasion. There comes a saturation point where the feeling that anything more detracts from what we've worked hard to put together.

I kind of went through that a while ago and did some revamping on the direction I wanted my collection to go. ( I'm still not sure I'm done, but I'll take my time LOL!).

I have gone through this kind of thing more than once.
My passion for time keepers started very young stimulated by my late father. I wanted a watch at 4 years old and spent a lot of time learning to tell the time so I could have one.
I started collecting watches as a hobby over 10 years ago and I have gone through a few phases where I totally revamped my collection from haveing one good piece from as many watch houses as possible to certain types ie early trench watches the 50's watches then 70's watches.
Now I have a nice range of watches manly sporty type watches, but just watches I like not just anything as long as it fitted the bill and I'm currently quite happy until the next time I feel the need to diversify.

[BigHat]

If you wish to stop buying, cnx all your watch mags and never visit a watch forum--otherwise you're screwed.

If not for TRF, I never would have felt compelled to get a white Millie less than a month after getting an 18kt Sub.

[SUPERDOC]

Originally Posted by frostie

Wish i had this kind of problems with 15 watches starring at me

i have only one and i am looking forward to my next one

Yeah...but it's that looking forward to the next one that I'm missing.

Even when i see one I like... the new Sub...I think..yeah but I've got the GMTc

Or the new DeepSea, I think yeah, but I've got a big steel ...and so on...

I know it'll just take one to get me revved again, but it's just weird...like a void right now not having one to hunt...


Mike.... I was hoping you would reply to this thread...I show my wife your collection, and it gets me a little further off the hook...
I was wondering if you ever hit the saturation point...

[mike]

Originally Posted by Spark

I have gone through this kind of thing more than once.
My passion for time keepers started very young stimulated by my late father. I wanted a watch at 4 years old and spent a lot of time learning to tell the time so I could have one.
I started collecting watches as a hobby over 10 years ago and I have gone through a few phases where I totally revamped my collection from haveing one good piece from as many watch houses as possible to certain types ie early trench watches the 50's watches then 70's watches.
Now I have a nice range of watches manly sporty type watches, but just watches I like not just anything as long as it fitted the bill and I'm currently quite happy until the next time I feel the need to diversify.

Mark, I think that's the direction most collectors go. At first we have an idea of what we want in this hobby, but after a while--study, interaction with other collectors, history, etc... we sometimes go through a refocusing of what we want a collection to reflect.
Mine has always centered around the professional pieces (mostly GMTs and Subs) as these were the watches I grew up with, these were the watches that I wore most of the time.
That's not to say a semi-grail can't creep in, but when I've strayed to far from this I've found myself feeling a bit scattered with a feeling of funds being tied up that could be best served in the original intent.

[mike]

Originally Posted by SUPERDOC

Yeah...but it's that looking forward to the next one that I'm missing.

Even when i see one I like... the new Sub...I think..yeah but I've got the GMTc

Or the new DeepSea, I think yeah, but I've got a big steel ...and so on...

I know it'll just take one to get me revved again, but it's just weird...like a void right now not having one to hunt...


Mike.... I was hoping you would reply to this thread...I show my wife your collection, and it gets me a little further off the hook...
I was wondering if you ever hit the saturation point...

In some sense yes. It's tempting to "add" to a collection when chance presents itself. I try to take a critical look as to how a piece fits into the overall scheme of my collection and I freely admit I have pieces that are sparingly worn compared to others. That doesn't mean I like them less. It means they fit a niche in what I want to project with my collection.

In fact my collection has been reduced from 22 pieces to currently 18 (which I admit I'm very fortunate to have). I find that for me less is more in that I'm enjoying my watches more because they represent more of what I want my collection to project.

I'm first on the list at my ADs for a DSSD. It's certainly a reference that has evoked strong feelings and isn't even out yet. LOL! As the next step in the evolution of the Rolex diver, I'm looking forward to adding the "big one" to my collection.

I think whether it's few or many, the value of any collection is in the sense of pride and satisfaction it brings to the owner. When that criteria is fulfilled it's time to stand back and enjoy.

[roadcarver]

Couldn't have said it better myself. My passion for watch collecting dwindled dramatically for the past year, but something will bite me and cause me to have a fever again.

I'm tapped out at 6 watches right now, and nothing has really "sparked" the passion again.

Originally Posted by Tools

One nice thing about this hobby/passion is that it can be easily rekindled.

Like you, I don't really have a watch in my sights that I just have to have.. But I know that if that spark is suddenly ignited by a good deal on an early Sub or GMT, even though I already have those, I will fall all over again..