Do you have watches just for the sake of it?

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Do you have watches just for the sake of it?

Post by st-rider »

As in as a watch enthusiast / collector do you have watches because you think you should have them?

Is it a box ticking exercise?

These probably stay in the box to be admired or just maybe are let out on high days and holidays and those 'special' occasions.

I'm curious as I have a lot of old watches that need moving on but also stuff that never gets wrist time, Seiko 5 for example, because I'm wearing other stuff. Yet I'm led to believe it's convention, nay tradition, a collection would have in it some Seiko 5.

Also my wife has noticed I seem to have a lot of one type. I like diver watches, for me they're an all round all purpose wear. I might have overdosed.

For example for others is a Speedmaster a must have?
Or are these just stepping stones until you get to your ultimate keeper?

Interested in peoples thoughts :thumbup:
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Re: Do you have watches just for the sake of it?

Post by blowfish89 »

This gold/steel Omega is just lying around most of the time, not being worn.
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Re: Do you have watches just for the sake of it?

Post by neilj568 »

My collection is almost exclusively divers (and I also have a Seiko 5) because this is the style of watch that i like - simple uncluttered dials and easy to read with good lume.

Does anyone actually NEED more than one?
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Re: Do you have watches just for the sake of it?

Post by nbg »

I think that to a certain extent anything more than three or four watches is "just for the sake of it", I.e the point at which you accept you are a collector.

That said, I don't think that I have watches just for the sake of it that don't really get worn, other than two older watches that I was given for landmark birthdays.

I don't subscribe to the view that a "collection" needs lots of different types, complications and brands just so I can tick certain categories. If I have a lot of watches that are similar, that's because they are watches that I like.

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Re: Do you have watches just for the sake of it?

Post by Serlo »

Not so long ago I had a mechanical chronograph because I thought that a collection isn't complete without one. I only wore it five times and never needed the chronograph function :lol:. The same goes for beaters. Nothing I do requires wearing a beater, so the only one I've got (a Mondaine Quartz) is worn for hiking... And I don't do that on a regular basis.
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Do you have watches just for the sake of it?

Post by gaf1958 »

st-rider wrote:For example for others is a Speedmaster a must have?
Speedmaster.... Speedmaster... Now that's a thought, better go out and get myself one of them. ;)

Until recently, my only mechanical chronographs were my Speedys. I've owned others, but they never hang around that long. The new addition I alluded to is an older Seamaster chrono using the same 861 movement that many Speedys use. I do also have a quartz C11 chrono and a Tag Heuer Link Calibre S (the chronograph that looks like a normal watch).

To be honest, I very rarely use a chronograph function, but the moon watches just look so damned good that I don't care about that. Actually, if I know in advance that a chrono will be handy, I'm as likely as not to wear the Tag, as it's just so good at the job.

So I think that in some way answers the question for me. I have very little need for a chronograph watch, yet I own nine of them in total, seven of them are moon watch variants. I think that qualifies as a definite yes. Is sensible? Probably not, but then once you get past two watches, no additional purchase is probably sensible by normal measures, so I gave up worrying about it and just enjoy them.

I other respects, I tend not to categorise watches, so I don't see that I need a dress watch, gold, preferably manual wind as a reason to go looking for one to fit that gap. On the other hand, when I see a watch I'd consider buying, I do tend to look at the others I own to see if it's too similar to one I already have. It's the main method I use to talk myself out of buying another watch. Even the seven Speedys are all quite different. Well, to me they are :lol:
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Re: Do you have watches just for the sake of it?

Post by theaub »

I think a 'must have' is different for all of us. I've owned 'must haves' in the past that I no longer own; tastes change. I must admit I have a few in the collection that are there just for the sake of it; I'm making plans to move them on. Might even involve a CW.
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Re: Do you have watches just for the sake of it?

Post by Webazu »

I have spend quite some time on different blogs etc. learning about watch industry.
I came across an article explaining the importance of the Swatch group to Swiss watch industry and how the industry is doing nowadays. Swatch played an important role to Swiss watch industry during the quartz crisis.

The second revolution of Swatch was the mechanical revolution that was the Sistem 51.
Ablogtowatch lists the Sistem 51 as a watch that gets a nod from the watch snobs.

After all this reading and learning about the Sistem 51 and Swatch as a group the Sistem 51 started to look very attractive to me. Being such an affordable and "meaningful" or "revolutionary" piece... I decided that I had to have, just for the sake of it. I also thought it would be a good idea to try and convince my wife about this new hobby of mine by getting a Sistem 51 for her too.

What's your take on the Sistem 51 / Swatch group?
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Re: Do you have watches just for the sake of it?

Post by TG3N »

Webazu wrote: What's your take on the Sistem 51
The Sistem51 is pretty much the ultimate 'for the sake of it' watch in my collection.

It's radically different, and I can't wear it with a suit to work, so if it wasn't very cheap and a technical landmark/novelty, then I probably wouldn't have bought it.

With a Seiko 5, Sistem51, Orient Mako & Seiko Monster in my box, I have quite a few watches that would be construed by many as very 'obvious' watch aficionado choices that everyone should have, so they could all be looked-upon as 'for the sake of it', ho-hum choices. However, I never buy a watch without thorough research & prior thought, still love all of them, and still wear them very regularly (the Monster is today's 'dress down Friday'/'going on the lash later' option).

As pointed out earlier, the choice to have more than a couple of watches would probably be deemed as 'for the sake of it' by non-watch fans, but as long as you're still wearing or appreciating all of them, I don't think it's an issue to have multiple watches. However, if they aren't being worn, ever, and tie-up lots of money, then I see little point in keeping them. Fortunately, I can retain a £55 Seiko 5 without any qualms whatsoever about wasting money!

On the Sistem51 question, by the way, I love it:

- 100% Swiss Made (very few of the big Brands bearing 'Swiss Made' on the dial are all made in Switzerland)
- In-house, revolutionary, 51-piece, brand new movement
- Touched by no human hand during manufacture - that's quite cool, in a way that's counter-intuitive to normal thinking
- 'High-end' features: 90-hour power reserve, ARCAP anti-magnetic alloy, free-sprung balance & bridge, synthetic balance
- Very accurate - six-months after purchase mine is minus 2/3 seconds daily, well inside Swatch's target +/- 7 secs
- Extremely light & comfortable to wear, and most of all, fun!

Yes, it's plastic, cartoonish, quite big, can't be repaired, and very noisy, but I think it's great. A £55 Seiko 5 is also a great achievement though.
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Re: Do you have watches just for the sake of it?

Post by Webazu »

TG3N wrote: - Extremely light & comfortable to wear, and most of all, fun!

Yes, it's plastic, cartoonish, quite big, can't be repaired, and very noisy, but I think it's great.
Agree. I like how light it is compared to everything else. Yeah also plastic and cartoonish... But I kind of like the noise part :D

Here's a pic of mine

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Re: Do you have watches just for the sake of it?

Post by TG3N »

Yours is actually one of the least cartoonish/garish choices, so I heartily approve of it, very nice. Mine is the later-issue white faced/black cased 'Chic' version.

Yes, the hand-winding noise is ferociously loud, probably because it's a plastic case and lacks the sound-dampening nature of a thick metallic casing. I also quite like it, strangely. The best bit is when you catch the large weighted & see-though rotor just right, and it crazily spins at high velocity with a whizzing noise. Probably because it's not bi-directionally winding, so it 'freewheels' rapidly in one direction. I've never owned a Valjoux 7750 movement, but I imagine it's a similar effect to the Valjoux 'rotor wobble' that many owners love.

I'll probably not be able to resist buying more Sistem51s if I see a cheap second-hand deal. There's a lot to like.
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Re: Do you have watches just for the sake of it?

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Yes. I'm having a lovely holiday with just Louie and Bluey (Cartier and Blue Mako) and to be honest I do feel I'd be perfectly happy with just these two as my collection!

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Re: Do you have watches just for the sake of it?

Post by Dancematt »

In reply to the original idea behind the question - nope. I'm not a 'everyone should have one of these' guy. Just buy what you like but every time I look to buy another watch I do just think 'what's the point?' I'm happy with what I've got and my favorite watch which cost just 50 quid gives me much more joy than my most expensive ones.
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Re: Do you have watches just for the sake of it?

Post by atnits »

I definitely want fewer watches. But getting rid of my current ones is such a wrench, I find it almost impossible to do. :?
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Re: Do you have watches just for the sake of it?

Post by BerlinCW »

atnits wrote:I definitely want fewer watches. But getting rid of my current ones is such a wrench, I find it almost impossible to do. :?
Greetings,

Answer to topic question, yes!
And I also agree with the above.

At what point do you wake up and realise that you have more watches than you need and a cull is in order?
I think I'm almost arriving at that point, do I move on those that don't get enough wrist time or those where my taste has changed?
I'm not sure and it is not easy.
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