When compiling my recent SOTC, I fully realized something I had probably known for a while, which is that my watches often come in pairs. In fact, I currently have 12 watches that I would consider part of a pair:

- Two Lumieres
- Two Sealander GMTs
- Two Bel Canto Classics
- Two Piccola & Jofrette PJ1s
- Two Omega Speedmaster Professionals
- Two Rolex Submariner Dates

I was trying to work out why this is. Is it indecisiveness on my part, that I cannot choose between two options? Or simply that I like the same watch with different dial or bezel colors in equal measure?

But then I realized that I seem to apply the same pairs principle more generally as well, particularly with clothing. If I like something I just tend to buy two of them. So my wardrobe rotation tends to be a blue (or grey) sweater with khaki (or blue) chinos with blue (or brown) shoes. Each item is the same make and style, just in two different colors.

Does anyone else have this same 'affliction' with pairs of things? I'm not sure if I'm extremely dull or just highly efficient.

Do shoes count?

iain wrote: ↑Mon Apr 21, 2025 4:05 pm Do shoes count?

I started typing a very sincere reply, politely pointing out that I had already mentioned shoes above. Then I realized your 'pairs of shoes' comment was in fact laced with humor.

To answer the question seriously then.

This is not something I’ve ever done, I’ve bought a few watches that I’ve owned previously but in a different colours, but I’ve not had two in the collection at the same time.

As for clothes, if I like a particular brand of shirt then I will buy more of them, but again in a different colour or pattern. Never the exact same one twice.

I do have multiple pairs of jeans that are very similar but that’s more for practical reasons as contrary to popular opinion, us northerners do tend to wash from time to time.

timepieces_and_bags wrote: ↑Mon Apr 21, 2025 4:00 pm I was trying to work out why this is. Is it indecisiveness on my part, that I cannot choose between two options? Or simply that I like the same watch with different dial or bezel colors in equal measure?

But then I realized that I seem to apply the same pairs principle more generally as well, particularly with clothing. If I like something I just tend to buy two of them. So my wardrobe rotation tends to be a blue (or grey) sweater with khaki (or blue) chinos with blue (or brown) shoes. Each item is the same make and style, just in two different colors.

Does anyone else have this same 'affliction' with pairs of things? I'm not sure if I'm extremely dull or just highly efficient.

I have a pair of answers...and neither has to do with indecisiveness.

Men are lazy as my wife often reminds me. I hate shopping so when I find something that I like and that fits well (rare combination), I purchase pairs or multiples as long as they are divisible by 2. I have 24 Brooks Brothers dress shirts (white, blue, blue/white stripe), 6 LL Bean Polo Shirts (Dark Blue, Dark Green, White), 2 Gap Jeans, 2 Brooks Brothers Chinos (Dark Khaki, Light Khaki), 4 Brooks Brothers dress slacks (Light Khaki, Dark Khaki, Light Grey, Dark Grey), 2 Asics running shoes (Blue, Grey), 2 Allen Edmonds dress sneakers (White, Brown), 4 Alden Plain Toe Bluchers (Walnut Brown Calf, Brown CXL, Snuff Suede, Dark Brown Suede), 2 Alden Longwings (Dark Brown Alpine Grain, Light Tan Alpine Grain), and the oddball one-off Alden Black Captoe (though I have been considering getting a brown captoe)

I might have mild OCD because pairs work into other parts of my life as well including watches: 2 Rolex, 2 Tudor, 2 Seiko, and 1 CWL but I have been looking for another one so I will have a "pair" (see below).

I have a few duplicate t-shirts (plain black ones I use for walking and the gym).
I have a few pairs of duplicate socks (of the walking variety).
Joggers and walking trousers (a few)
Confession: 20+ identical pairs of boxers/trunks in my underwear drawer. (I found some I really liked and laid in a stock). Enough of that.

Other clothes and shoes? No, I like to ring the changes.

Watches? No way. I have four CWs but they are all very different. No two other watches are the same make, and none of them are really similar. By intention.

@timepieces_and_bags
Your definition looks rather tightly defined…

On the basis that you seem to have left out a pair of GMT Masters…

Presumably because one has the crown on the left and the other on the right.

If I am allowed a looser definition by counting 5 and 6 digit models as the same, even though we know they are completely different, I will go with…

Explorers
GMT Masters
Submariners (albeit only one remains, as I sold my 14060M last year)

I have also had a pair of Moonwatch case Speedmasters at the same time (Speedy Tuesday sold)

Other pairs…
Reverso
Black Bay
Alpinist
Sealander 36LE
Trident 38mm
Trident 43mm
Twelve (albeit different sizes)

Perfectly normal behaviour.

Neil

In the watch world, I definitely have a collection pair propensity. And it is not limited to pairs, though pairs is a common manifestation. It centers around colors for me. I have both color variants of the C9GMT; C65 Sandstorm and Blackout; two colors of the C5 Malvern Mk1; two (of three) Longines small seconds; and two C65 Trident autos.

Perhaps it’s because I am father to twin sons? But my preference predates them. Just one of my quirks.