How many watches in a collection and still wear them all?

[the dark knight]

I always marvel at the folks that can have large collections and still give each one adequate wrist time.

Honestly right now is the first time I remember in my collecting journey I have more than one watch that I truly love and actually want to wear all the time even after the honeymoon period. I have 3 such watches right now, and I'm having a hard time giving each enough wrist time to where I think I am wearing them adequately.

So I dare say for me the number may be as low as 2.

[WatchGuy1966]

Originally Posted by Rollieo

words words words.....makes me think I should finally let these pieces go.

This looks like a thinly veiled sales post



How many DM's have you received "Hey, what are you selling"

That's one way to avoid the fees of a pledge member.


or am I?

[Rollieo]

Originally Posted by WatchGuy1966

This looks like a thinly veiled sales post



How many DM's have you received "Hey, what are you selling"

That's one way to avoid the fees of a pledge member.


or am I?

Hah, interesting twist. Didn’t even cross my mind - you must either be in sales or quite a negative person (are people who have ulterior motives and think the same of others characterized as negative?)

Have enjoyed the discussion (minus yours) and to see the number for most people falls in the same range as me. Harry57’s most interesting. I feel like a watch collection is meant to be worn, though I appreciate people can collect to just collect.

[JSCP]

I have over 30! wear most but some only like 1/2 a year!? but usually rotate about 5 a week,

[AlabamaLawyer1988]

These days I have a total of four watches that I actually wear, those are an 11 series sub date, 12 series blusey, modern BLRO and a Tudor Chronograph. I tend to wear them in consistent rotation with rotation every two weeks. I’m content with the two subs and GMT but the Tudor will likely be gone when I manage to get a Daytona. Also would love to add a green OP 41mm at some point to match my wife’s 31MM OP in green. I feel like 6 is just such a good sweet spot and I’m really trying to aspire to same.

DM


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[wesdaniel]

Okay... I feel like this is a "confession" moment.

If I include all of my watches, the number is well over 100. But, many of them are cheap, fashion watches that have been with me for 30+ years, some are older watches (Movado, Gucci, etc.) from when I was younger and thought they were the peak of watches.

My collection that is in rotation consists of 30 watches.

8 of them are my "favorites" (Patek 5036, 326933, 118238, JLC perpetual calendar, VC Fiftysix, AP Millenary, Bvlgari OF, 126610LN) and each of them is worn roughly every 2 weeks.

10 of them are my watches that I love, but don't quite make it into the first tier (16570, 126300, 1601, AT Worldtimer, Santos, Chronomaster Sport, Green Bamboo, Skyflake, M.A.D. 1 Red, Superocean Heritage rainbow dial). They get worn once about every 4-5 weeks.

Then, 12 of them are the 3rd tier... watches that I like or that are fun. I make it a point to wear at least one per week, so, basically, they each get worn once every 3 months.

I really, really should thin the herd, but, the only ones I'd really be interested in letting go are... none of them.

[sirish19]

I have a collection of 6 and try to give them equal wrist time. My collection consists of a balance of stainless steel sports watches (16710, ceramic sub, and vintage Speedmaster Professional) and more expensive holy trinity watches including AP 15202st, Patek 5146G, and Vacheron Constantin Patrimony. Since the pandemic, I have been working almost 100% from home which can work in the favor of the rotation in both ways. On the one hand, I could be satisfied with just one watch (the 16710 and ceramic sub tend to get the majority of wrist time) but at the same time, the leather-strapped watches may be more durable and less prone to scratches from everyday desk work. Additionally, giving them all weekly wrist time forces me to make sure they are all wound up and operational at least once/week. Further, working from home every day gives me an opportunity to wear those leather-strapped watches even during the summertime.

[zoro4now]

7 watches and I only rotate 3.

[1259]

I used to think 2-3 was the right amount, but I’m at 4 now and have two more watches I’m trying to get.

[123Blueface]

Recently hit my goal of 12, because that’s how many my two cases hold.
I wear them all.

[brandrea]

I slipped rather recently and added another. I’m a weak man

[Neil McCauley]

Currently at around 12 watches, although I only actively wear around 5-6 of them every week. I do occasionally swap watches through the day too.

The ones I don't wear much are mostly independent brands which, if I'm honest, are relatively cheap regretted purchases, perhaps with the exception of my Speedmaster.

I guess my advice to collectors is, nothing kills the excitement of getting a watch than by actually getting it. These independents are nice, but they're just not really enjoyable enough for me to wear. Stupid really, but hey I'm not the only one, I'm sure.

[samson66]

Originally Posted by brandrea

I slipped rather recently and added another. I’m a weak man

Same here. The second I get down to the "right number" of watches I wind up picking up another. It's part of the watchaholic disease.

I'm "down" to five Swiss luxury timepieces, and it's too many. As Brian mentioned early in this thread, it almost causes stress as you start to think have I been neglecting a particular watch or overwearing another. Honestly, I'd love to get down to three eventually with one being a travel-only model. But we'll see if that ever actually happens.

Keep in mind all of the above does not even count the several microbrands or Seikos I have as sort of fun watches that caught my eye for one reason ot another. I need to seek help...

[gingerbee]

I started my collection on feb/2023 B-day, I have 4 so far in my collection and I wear all of them randomly throughout the year. depends on the occasion

[njlam]

This is a great question and a tough one to answer.

Since becoming an emptynester a few years ago, my collection has grown from 3 nice/dress watches to an assortment of 15 dress/sports watches. Each one is unique and represents a different aspect of my life. Honestly, it is hard to wear them all, yet there are some models I still want to add to my ownership.

I do not wear any of my nice watches consistently (prefer to take them off when playing golf/working out), so I have the opportunity/option to put a different one on daily. This helps with the rotation.

I like to think I have chosen each watch so that if it was my only watch, I would be happy.

While I know I have too many watches from a practical perspective, I enjoy the idea that each of my kids will inherit a nice assortment of watches and will have that legacy to pass on to their own kids.

[KatGirl]

A lot less than I have…

Kat


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[Sergio_UKR]

Currently 3. Will probably go to 4-5. Just don't see a point of getting over 5 as you won't wear them all that often. Unless you want to set up a watch museum in your safe. I guess a lot of it depends on the financial situation. If you want a mini watch museum and have money to make it happen, go for it! :)

[PTCDAD]

Not counting my G Shocks, I have 7 Swiss pieces with a white speedy on the way. My Pepsi gets most of the wrist time, but I do wear all but 1 on a weekly basis. I still want to add 3-4 more, but could see a time when I winnow it down to 3-4 pieces.

I also like to wear 2-3 different watches during the day when I'm working from home.


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[Belinus]

I have three “good” watches, two Rolex and an Omega. My goal is to keep to that number which has been easy enough so far as my two newest watches have been obvious upgrades (subjectively) to the two that were replaced. It will be more of a challenge next time as I will have to make a difficult decision to move on a watch I like a lot.

[SudiYunus]

8 watches, none at the moment, wearing Tudor GMT, last time was Feb - Mar 2024, for 3 weeks, On n Off, during trip to see my parents

[NAUI1982]

Old thread, lots of posts. I’ll contribute, what the heck.

I had to buy a safe to put my watches in! I just collected so many over the years, and I can safely say it’s an addiction. Now I get why my wife can’t so no to a purse!

I have sold several because I never really wore them, but that was because I had my eye an a beautiful Hublot I just had to have. again.

I think I have 20 watches, and I’d say four of them are fully dress watches so they don’t see much wrist time. And then I have my 4 favorites that I do rotate every day of the week. I’ll swap in another periodically, but there are always four on my dresser winder waiting to get some attention…

[KatGirl]

I own about 80 now, after selling off 30 in my eBay watch store, over the past few months. 1/4 are other Swiss brands, about 10 are interesting micro brands, I still own about 30 mid level Seikos, and a handful of Rolexes. I’ve been buying and selling for at least 20 years, from brand new luxury Swiss brands to mid level Seikos. I try to wear them all, but I do have favorites, so many sit for long periods without being worn. Basically, my entire collection is in mint condition, excepting a few favorites that have some micro scratches.

Kat


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[hutch300]

What would be the point of having so many watches that aren't going to get worn? Wouldn't it make more sense to have something of substance? Quick math is you have 2-3k in seikos when you could have $100.

Originally Posted by KatGirl

I own about 80 now, after selling off 30 in my eBay watch store, over the past few months. 1/4 are other Swiss brands, about 10 are interesting micro brands, I still own about 30 mid level Seikos, and a handful of Rolexes. I’ve been buying and selling for at least 20 years, from brand new luxury Swiss brands to mid level Seikos. I try to wear them all, but I do have favorites, so many sit for long periods without being worn. Basically, my entire collection is in mint condition, excepting a few favorites that have some micro scratches.

Kat


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[ijoinedforthisthread]

8 for me... and now strictly a one-in-one-out policy.
4 of them are dressier for weekend/outings, 2 for work and 2 for around the house/with kids. There is obviously space for overlap.

[Duke10]

I have 3 that all rotate pretty regular and I’m not certain it’s not the perfect number. I would find it hard to enjoy/get enough time with more than 5-6 max.


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[gmtobsessed]

Only been wearing Garmin and PAM recently, keeping the rest for sentimental value.

[fishingbear]

Work up , whittle down, repeat.
Then insert playing the pm game.

[Bozzie1982]

As I've got older and realised just how much life costs I've cut it down to 4 from god knows how many. All my tudors and omega have now since gone as I never wore them and knew one day I'd sell them. Week on week they were just loosing value. The 4 i have now are all rolex and I wear them all equally. If I get offered another then 1 of the 4 will go.

[yankeeromeo]

I've just got rid of 3. More as insurance was getting pricey and lack of wrist time.

[AF_Rob]

I currently have 7 and it’s a couple too many, I think.

I go months not wearing some.


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