How Many Watches Is Too Many?

Kintarō Hattori

Having been away from the hobby for a few years I've caught the bug again and since Christmas I've bought 5 new watches, maybe 6 but 5 that I can recall for sure. The collection now of watches that I rotate and actually wear is approaching twenty pieces and there's more on a wishlist that I want to get. I do find myself thinking though that 20 or so is even too many. Is it greedy to buy more, a waste of money or perfectly acceptable.

How many do you have in your collection. Do you want more, less, is there a number that you feel is the right amount to have?

893bet

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Having been away from the hobby for a few years I've caught the bug again and since Christmas I've bought 5 new watches, maybe 6 but 5 that I can recall for sure. The collection now of watches that I rotate and actually wear is approaching twenty pieces and there's more on a wishlist that I want to get. I do find myself thinking though that 20 or so is even too many. Is it greedy to buy more, a waste of money or perfectly acceptable.

How many do you have in your collection. Do you want more, less, is there a number that you feel is the right amount to have?

I enjoy a rotation of 6-8.

Any more and there are some that don’t get worn.

oxocube

I've a watch box that holds 10 and I currently have 8. My inner OCD states that I need another two or three :eek:

I notice that I've 5 watches in regular rotation and three that I barely wear. Two are dress watches and I've one of these up for sale. The other was a gift so I'll never sell it.

I've Sekonda Moonphase that I never wear. It was an impulse buy that I won't be repeating even though it was very cheap.

In answer to you're original question, how many is too much? If you wear all 20 in regular rotation or have watches for a specific purpose then this is fine.

If you have watches that never get any wrist time or are just there to make up the numbers then you should consider moving them on :cool:

TLDR: If you wear them, keep them. If they're not getting any wrist time, sell them on.

Wibbs

No comment....

Kintarō Hattori

Wibbs wrote: »

No comment....

Come on Wibbs...... how many is in the collection? It'll make me feel less guilty.

highdef

I have one watch which I received as a gift almost 10 years. I intend to hang on that watch as my one and only for as long as I am around

IrishPlayer

For now I am very happy with my Bell-Matic, but one day.................

hoganj

Each to their own obviously. I've come across lots that I would like (like some Protrek's and Tag's) but never found a reason to pull the trigger. I prefer to stick to more famous or "iconic" watches, not necessarily expensive. A Protrek would be nice, but my Casio F-91W is an equally good sports watch (in my eyes). I would like to add a luxury steel sports watch at some point though.
I have 4 in regular rotation.

Johnnio13

Currently have 4 in rotation. A seiko driver, seiko Chrono, Seiko Kinetic, Gshock GW3000.
I also have a cheaper Gshock that only gets out on gardening days.
A garmin for training and a poolmate for the pool.
Thats enough......for now.

Wibbs

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Come on Wibbs...... how many is in the collection? It'll make me feel less guilty.

I think about twenty. Yeah Twenty. I'd go through phases of rotating a different four from that lot. So Trench watches might be a set, divers another, tuning forks etc

TheRepentent

Only have 4 watches..2 steinharts , a seiko and a casio.


The steinharts get the most wrist time.

how long do you leave a watch on ? I'd normally be a week or 2 before changing....

next up for me is a longzines conquest..just need a promotion in work or something

Wibbs

I'd swap around every other day usually.

micks_address

Ok so this time last year I had one Armani watch from my 30th birthday and I didn't wear very often. Also had a Swatch watch I got on honeymoon in Italy in 2004. I gifted this to my son and he wears. It's quite small about 30mm maybe smaller. So I was 40 last year and my wife wanted to but me something.. a friend had a seamaster quartz like Pierce brosnan wore in Golden eye. He paid 1700 for it and I figured that was crazy money to spend on a watch. After some research and recommend here I asked for a Steinhart ocean vintage gmt. Loved it and thought I'd live happily ever after.. to much loitering around here and spotted John's aqua Terra Skyfall and wanted it .. still mad money at over 2k so I'd never buy one.. coming up to Xmas and friend buys a breitling navitimer for 4k.. lovely watch. I said feic it I'd buy something for myself for Xmas.. hadn't a huge budget and wanted something a little different and found a Seiko green Alpinist on adverts and bought it.. thought I'd live happily ever after.. roll on a month and I spotted a Casio edifice on adverts and bought for the radio time setting feature.. nice to have a grab and go watch.. thought that was it and I was done.. spotted a gshock all metal and bought one . Sold the edifice... Right before threw caution to the wind and bought the skyfall aqua terra on eBay and it's sitting in Boston waiting for me to collect mid may... Then last week I ordered a stowa marine original 40mm and now I'm going to live happily ever after or die tryin...

So I have 5 watches and can't justify any more .. the Armani never gets a look in but it was a birthday present so will keep.. I wear the gshock a fair bit especially to work.. the stowa will be an interesting one. I bought it primarily to have a nice dress watch for daughters confirmation in a few weeks.. I was tempted to get a manual wind version but plumped for the automatic.. I like the classic marine look, white dial, black Roman numerals, onion crown..

is there anything else I want?

I do like look of the class moon speedmaster so maybe at some point in the future but I'm hoping to hold with what I have for now.. the Aqua Terra was the most expensive.. I guess I should be able to sell it for a reasonable amount if I don't like it..

I feel like I should sign myself up for some sort of rehab..

Aqua Terra 2600
Ghsock all metal 429
Stowa marine original Auto top eta 814
Steinhart ocean vintage gmt 500ish
Seiko Sarb017 430
Bracelet for Alpinist 110 (two tone strapcode)
Martu leather strap for Alpinist 45 euro (on way)

Cheers,
Mick

Ionised

What's this "too many" nonsense.

There is only ever "just this perfect one, I promise".

Cienciano

I go through phases of liking different watches. But about 8 is ideal for me. Any more and I find I never wear it.

highdef

Ionised wrote: »

What's this "too many" nonsense.

There is only ever "just this perfect one, I promise".

Can't agree anymore!

fat bloke

If I'm brutally honest with myself and my actual wear/usage pattern:

2.

2 is one too many.

Not too say you need to stick with the same one but personally, once I buy a watch I'm as well to sell the other for all the use I get out of it. I guess I'm just not a rotator.

micks_address

im implementing a sell before buy policy before adding anything else

DavyD_83

n+o+1
Where n is currently owned watches and o is the number of watches currently ordered or being considered

highdef

DavyD_83 wrote: »

n+o+1
Where n is currently owned watches and o is the number of watches currently ordered or being considered

Would n+1 be an even simpler equation, unless your "+1" means something else that you perhaps purposely failed to mention?

Wibbs

fat bloke wrote: »

I guess I'm just not a rotator.

At this stage FB I'm a bloody helicopter. :eek: I may thin the herd this year though. Last time I did that was in the early noughties.

Homer

micks_address wrote: »

im implementing a sell before buy policy before adding anything else

You sound very like Mrs Homer

Kintarō Hattori

Wibbs wrote: »

I think about twenty. Yeah Twenty. I'd go through phases of rotating a different four from that lot. So Trench watches might be a set, divers another, tuning forks etc

I'm feeling like a bit of a dick now, on course to own more watches than Wibbs

Blanchy90

I have a bit over 20, probably half of them haven't been worn in over a year due to baby/house move etc etc.

I normally wear either of my seiko monsters or my citizen eco drive as my go to watches, my grupo gamma vanguard is my favorite but it is a little on the big side to wear everyday under a shirt


I need to change the batteries in the watches that I haven't worn hence why they aren't getting worn

Eoin

I don't bother alternating all that much these days, so I'm thinning down the collection to keep my main watch, a couple that have sentimental value and a beater or 2 for holidays/DIY etc. I did really like my recently sold Monaco and the Sinn chrono which I will list soon, but it's a waste to have them gathering dust.

Trigger Happy

I have ten at the moment and one in the sickbay that I need to get the time to fix.

I wear six relatively frequently. One that I don’t wear too often but love owning and the rest are sentimental.

Always looking out for more but finding something I like that is not too similar to one I already have is hard and expensive.

blue5000

micks_address wrote: »

im implementing a sell before buy policy before adding anything else

I've tried this, but never sold one yet, apart from a seiko 5 that I part exchanged for a powerhose I bought off a traavelling salesman;);).

Now I limit myself to buying one a year. There's

4 5 Seikos
4 vintage Longines
1 Jiusko
1 Damasko

+ the Steinhart OVM that Mrs. blue robbed
+ 3 or 4 Seiko 5s which came as a joblot that are for modding practise none of which get wrist time.

So I'm still behind Wibbs, Blanchy and KT at 11/12 that actually get wrist time.

Ionised

I have a revolving set of six right now (with a few more stashed away).

Hamilton Pan Europ
3 Seiko Presage
Junghans Max Bill
Landeron Compressor
Vostok Gaz 14

Guess it's seven!

Also have a Seiko H022-5000 on the way.

So... Never too many!

mad m

I have 3,

Seiko Presage blue limited (wear it daily), love this watch
Askania Taifun
Omega Deville.

Happened across the Askania watch shop just by chance in Berlin. Got talking to people in there and they make watches on premises. Their master watch maker came down and introduced himself. The company were specialist in making dials for planes and the navy. They based this dial on some instruments that were on the ME 108



The watch is a limited edition and apparently only 10 made.