Why do you collect watches?

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Lavaine
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Re: Why do you collect watches?

Post by Lavaine »

Wearable, functional art.
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tikkathree
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Re: Why do you collect watches?

Post by tikkathree »

A good question which I occasionally ask of myself and, like others, come up with a "don't collect as such, just enjoy looking at/wearing/admiring". In other words they're little trinkets which look nice and serve a function.

I used to "collect" in the true sense of the word small-bore military training rifles from 1890 onwards so mostly .22 rimfire and all live firing weapons (none of that deactivation malarkey here thank you) from the Boer War onwards, British, American, European. The local Firearms Licensing Authority recognised that it was "a collection" and I undertook academic research as well as occasionally shooting them in competitions for such rifles. Ultimately I got fed up of the fact that they had to be locked away out of sight so most of the time I couldn't see them so were as much fun as stuff stored in a bank vault.

I still have a "collection" of Olympus OM Series SLR cameras and lenses, so that's the OM 1, 2, 3 & 4 bodies and variants. They still don't cost much to buy but I enjoy shooting film with them. There are probably as many cameras as there are watches but I've settled on the OM System for aesthetic and practical reasons.

Watches then? Someone has already said it "Because I can". My tastes continue to evolve. I'm rather settled on the maximum number of watches I think it's okay for me to own at any one time - about thirty. I like that with care it's possible to own a watch for a while, flip it back onto the web and at least get my outlay back and sometimes a bit more - it's better than the bank at the moment.

Don't I want to collect Porsches? Oh sure but have neither the resources nor the storage facility so that's the end of that one.
C60 MKI, MKII, MKIII: "some",
C6 & C60 Kingfishers,
C600 Tritechs,
C63 "some",
C65 "some",
C4, C40, C8, C9, C3, C5, C20 & 23FLE
Some other brands
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rgb
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Re: Why do you collect watches?

Post by rgb »

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: But I find myself struggling whenever they ask, "Why do you collect watches?"
How about, "Because collecting and storing children is frowned upon by the magistrate, and they eventually spoil anyway." End with an appropriate "Bwahahahahaha..."
Rolex Explorer II | Tudor BBR | Tudor North Flag | Omega Seamaster Pro 300M | Speedmaster 3513.30 | TAG Kirium F1 | Chr.Ward C9 GMT | C10 Mk1 | C65 LE | Oris Player's 7410 |
WR: 7.25"

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Re: Why do you collect watches?

Post by gbbird »

I collect things I like, it's as simple as that. Guitars, mountain bikes, cd's, watches. One of something is never quite enough for me, and when I 'get into' something I need several of said objects. The desire to buy and buy eventually passes and then I usually find something else to collect.
Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day

CW - C60 blue, C60 black orange, C600 tit, FLE13
Gerlach - Orp Sokol, P50, LuxSport. Ball Engineer
Omega Speedmaster. Oris Aquis
Longines Hydroconquest
Magrette - Regattare, DualTime, Moana
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Re: Why do you collect watches?

Post by poppydoodlesdad »

Why do I collect watches? Simple, I have no more room in my house for large scale tat....


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Some watches
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Re: Why do you collect watches?

Post by MadJam250 »

Cross-refers nicely with this thread: http://www.christopherwardforum.com/vie ... on#p464513

I still don't really know why, specifically.

I love mechanical watches for the engineering qualities yet I also love attractive and/or quirky quartz models. I wouldn't say I am an avid collector, personally, but my need to keep an eye on the market (and this forum) helps me suss out what my next acquistion mght be, realistically or in a fantasy (money isn't an option) world.

Non watch enthusiasts wonder why one needs more than one watch (some would argue that even one is a waste of time, hoho, or money!) but like so much, interests and hobbies are personal and subjective with sometimes no specific rhyme or reason. I have one pair of feet but more than one pair of shoes, so I guess it follows this principle :-)
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* CWL, x2 (C2, C3)
* Steinhart Titanium O1Ti500P
* Tissot Visodate heritage incoming
* Certina DS Podium chrono
* Seiko SARB033
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* Invicta 8924, 9094
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Re: Why do you collect watches?

Post by bspj »

Subtle, special, secret male jewellery, quietly whirring on the wrist, only recognised by cognoscenti.
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Re: Why do you collect watches?

Post by Mr. Harrison »

Because I'm worth it.
C9 Harrison GMT on brown croc.
My watch: A Disney Oyster by M Mouse.
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vikingdrvr
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Re: Why do you collect watches?

Post by vikingdrvr »

gbbird wrote:I collect things I like, it's as simple as that. Guitars, mountain bikes, cd's, watches. One of something is never quite enough for me, and when I 'get into' something I need several of said objects. The desire to buy and buy eventually passes and then I usually find something else to collect.
Different 'things', but I share this exact illness :silent:

So many good answers here, for me I marvel at the mechanics of these tiny engines that purr along day after day so smoothly and accurately, the visual pleasure it brings just looking/staring at the dial or through a glass caseback...to me similar to the aural sensation of a finely tuned auto/aircraft engine running at full chat...both just make me grin :D
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InTheBox: C60 GMT, C7, C7IRR, C70 D-Type, C8, C11. Steinies: Nav B/OVM/OceanTi500/Racetimer X2/Chrono II. Others: SMP300M Chrono, SMdV, Alpina X2, Tissot Chrono, LLD, Heuer 2000 Auto, Breil...
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MiniMpi
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Re: Why do you collect watches?

Post by MiniMpi »

bspj wrote:Subtle, special, secret male jewellery, quietly whirring on the wrist, only recognised by cognoscenti.
Eloquently said sir.
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Re: Why do you collect watches?

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

^^^^^Just so...I am going to learn that one! :thumbup:
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Re: Why do you collect watches?

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »

Don't have a particular reason; I just do. :? :problem:

Save for the matter that I like to wear different watches from day to day. :thumbup:

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Re: Why do you collect watches?

Post by scooter »

I see myself more of a watch aficionado than collector these days.

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#1 scooter blue 2012 FLE (50 made)
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Re: Why do you collect watches?

Post by teestech »

Very good question. I find myself pretty well aligned with the answers from aswerth and Steve
asqwerth wrote:They're pretty,wearable like jewellery, and fascinating bits of tech/mech and even history.
bspj wrote:Subtle, special, secret male jewellery, quietly whirring on the wrist, only recognised by cognoscenti.
I'd like to eventually find myself aligned with scooter's answer!
scooter wrote:I see myself more of a watch aficionado than collector these days.
Chr Ward • Rolex • Oris • Magrette • Orient • Helgray • Citizen • CWC • Momentum • Suunto • Rotary • Majex • Yema
Handwound: 2 • Automatic: 15 • Quartz: 6
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Re: Why do you collect watches?

Post by jayabharath »

They are the only man made machines that connect with the invisible dimension of time.
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