Downers Rules of Collecting

Discuss Christopher Ward watches
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bruno
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Re: Downers Rules of Collecting

Post by bruno »

Kip wrote:1. More is not more.
I agree. As I said before, I've been collecting non-watch stuff for years and at the beginning we typically gather a large quantity of items and later we tend to let go most of them. I suppose that's a natural tendency in whatever collection it is.
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Re: Downers Rules of Collecting

Post by smegwina »

One thing that I learned pretty quickly was to worry about the watch, not a budget.

When I set a budget I always got the watch closest to the one that I really wanted but still within the budget.

I would then realise I still wanted the original one anyway and eventually purchased the one that I had really wanted anyway.

Wasted a fortune doing this.

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Re: Downers Rules of Collecting

Post by bruno »

smegwina wrote:One thing that I learned pretty quickly was to worry about the watch, not a budget.

When I set a budget I always got the watch closest to the one that I really wanted but still within the budget.
That might not because of the budget, but because, on our initial stage (that I call hoarding instead of hunting) we don't wait long enough, we don't search thoroughly and end up getting not the best we could, but what was more immediate.

Get down to Earth, think with your head and don't let the A.D. (acquisition disorder) control your cravings.

Good hunting.
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Re: Downers Rules of Collecting

Post by blowfish89 »

smegwina wrote:One thing that I learned pretty quickly was to worry about the watch, not a budget.

When I set a budget I always got the watch closest to the one that I really wanted but still within the budget.

I would then realise I still wanted the original one anyway and eventually purchased the one that I had really wanted anyway.

Wasted a fortune doing this.

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I like the flipping up and moving up experience - has its costs but its a lot of fun. I wouldn't want to be without a nice watch because I am saving two years for a Rolex.
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Re: Downers Rules of Collecting

Post by cnoneill »

Thanks for posting this, something to keep in mind when I seem to want all the watches.
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Re: Downers Rules of Collecting

Post by Allysmith »

What a fantastic post .I should have seen it 3 years ago.
The ;herd instinct' is spot on .. I have made the (in my opinion only) the classic mistake of buying a Rolex and selling much better watches to fund it

The Submariner I bought was 4 years old and while in pristine condition still was North of 4K. What a disapointment when it arrived. Flimsy strap ... rough ratchet and all round no feeling of a solid well built time piece....... So 6 months later in a state of complete chagrin I went to 'trade it in' / sell it .. to be fair I bought it for the name and kudos...... In other words the wrong reason :clap: :thumbdown: :thumbdown:

Again ...... I learned an expensive lesson . Rolex dont hold their price . Id have been better off buying a brand new M6 and trading it in a day later :oops: :oops:

So at the start of 2015 I took a step back and decided to buy what I liked and what felt right ............ Totally cleared out my 'trendy' collection and have replaced with

Breitling Super Ocean
CW C60 Trident ............... my favourite so far
CW Makaira .....................Awesome
Rado Ceramica..................Elegant
Seiko Monster....................Sentimental attachment
Longines Everest Ltd Edition ..... Present
Yet still the blood is strong, the heart is Highland
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Re: Downers Rules of Collecting

Post by Kip »

Allysmith wrote:
Again ...... I learned an expensive lesson . Rolex dont hold their price .
Rolex watches have traditionally been a brand that hold their price quite well and in many cases actually increase. Your mistakes were 1. trading it in as opposed to selling. 2. Selling/trading within 6 months. You would need to hold onto it for awhile to, at least, get close to what you paid.
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Re: Downers Rules of Collecting

Post by kokolino23 »

Great post, thanks for it. At the end of the day it's about possession, what we like and what can we afford.
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Re: Downers Rules of Collecting

Post by Dancematt »

Allysmith wrote:What a fantastic post .I should have seen it 3 years ago.
The ;herd instinct' is spot on .. I have made the (in my opinion only) the classic mistake of buying a Rolex and selling much better watches to fund it

The Submariner I bought was 4 years old and while in pristine condition still was North of 4K. What a disapointment when it arrived. Flimsy strap ... rough ratchet and all round no feeling of a solid well built time piece....... So 6 months later in a state of complete chagrin I went to 'trade it in' / sell it .. to be fair I bought it for the name and kudos...... In other words the wrong reason :clap: :thumbdown: :thumbdown:

Again ...... I learned an expensive lesson . Rolex dont hold their price . Id have been better off buying a brand new M6 and trading it in a day later :oops: :oops:

So at the start of 2015 I took a step back and decided to buy what I liked and what felt right ............ Totally cleared out my 'trendy' collection and have replaced with

Breitling Super Ocean
CW C60 Trident ............... my favourite so far
CW Makaira .....................Awesome
Rado Ceramica..................Elegant
Seiko Monster....................Sentimental attachment
Longines Everest Ltd Edition ..... Present
You can't expect your run of the mill submariner (of which there are an abundance of) to increase in value in six months, it wouldn't really hold its value given the overhead a dealer has to put on it. Theres is at least a five year wait for clear profit on most almost all Rolex I would think. 10 years to really make you happy - especially if you never service it (also not an amazing price paid initially for it)

Can I just ask what is a Longines Everest LE? I've been googling like mad but nothings come up.
I miss all the great things that may never be.
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Re: Downers Rules of Collecting

Post by Allysmith »

I believe simplicity and elegance are timeless......... In many cases the 'trendy' designs should be avoided.
Platform shoes, Wrangler Skinners, are a typical example!!!! I was trawling through e-bay last night at some of the Omega and Longines 70s offerings and there are horrendous examples of tat

Avoid BLING .......... SHINE ............. OVERSIZE.......... LACK OF BALANCE IN FORM 8) 8) 8)
Yet still the blood is strong, the heart is Highland
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Re: Downers Rules of Collecting

Post by Allysmith »

Hodor ............. Your absolutely right .... but you can expect it to hold its value over that time (less vendor profit)

To be fair its the build quality that shocked me with the rolex

The Longines Everest Ltd Edition is a VHP made in 1997 . Ill look out the paperwork and post a picture
Yet still the blood is strong, the heart is Highland
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Re: Downers Rules of Collecting

Post by jimbo »

there is rule no. 11

The "Wife"

It is my birthday on Saturday....she has been pestering me for weeks on what i would like.

A mark 111 jump hour (she is from yorkshire) "How much?" (Yorkshire persons war cry) "you have got to be joking?" she added, "no" I said, "but if I meant anything to you, you will sell your engagement ring and get me that watch"......I made a swift exit

what is wrong with the "Other half?" that they can't see how important these things are to us?.......so adding to Downers excellent 1-10 maybe some times is a question of not what you need, but what you desire

I moan when she leaves the lights on, doors open, tap running etc....if she was a little more "eco" friendly she would be saving the planet, saving money so i would have more to spend on watches....simples :D
Remember...your left hand has the thumb on the right hand side
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Re: Downers Rules of Collecting

Post by gwells »

did you point out to her the 50% off jump hour? i mean, it's only $687! that's only half a "you have to be joking!"
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Re: Downers Rules of Collecting

Post by jimbo »

she still said "no"......
Remember...your left hand has the thumb on the right hand side
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Re: Downers Rules of Collecting

Post by downer »

jimbo wrote:she still said "no"......
Have you tried the "easier to apologise than ask permission" approach?
Richard