Thoughts on Thinning Out My Collection?

[Skip Greenwade]

I'll stop short of the "New Year, New Me" cliche' but I am making an effort to simplify/streamline a few things in my life. I will be 59 this month and can see retirement on the horizon - still three or four years out at a minimum, as I really enjoy my work, but I can - for probably the first time in my life - see the logic behind the "sometimes-less-is-more" mindset.

Between my wife and I, we have some 13 watches in the 'collection':

Gent's 18k YG DD 'President'

Ladies' 18k YG Datejust 'President'

Ladies' 14k/SS Datejust w/aftermarket diamond bezel

Gent's Full-Size 14K/SS Datejust

Mid-Size 18k Rose Gold/SS Datejust

Pepsi GMT with beautifully faded bezel

1958 (my birth year) SS Air King

18k Submariner with nipple dial

Full-Size TT Yachtmaster with black MoP Dial

Vintage Seadweller

Rose Gold Prince on black leather strap

WG Daytona w/meteorite dial on black leather strap

SS Explorer II

I would really like to add one of the new, 116655 Yachtmasters to the collection, but I am struggling with the concept of throwing yet another watch into the mix, considering the fact that we generally only wear about six of them with any regularity, the cost of insurance, etc.

So, this is where you come in...I would appreciate any and all thoughts on a path forward from my friends and fellow enthusiasts here on TRF. Which timepieces would you keep to maintain a well-rounded, but smaller, collection and allow for acquisition of the 116655?

A few notes/points of clarification before we get started:

- My wife wears the full-size TT Datejust on an almost daily basis; she likes the size, the fact that it is easy to read, and because it was my late father's daily timepiece for over 20 years and she was very close to him.

- The Prince was a gift from my late Mother, so I don't plan to part with it

- The mid-size rose gold/SS Datejust was a gift to my wife from my Mom as well, so it stays in the collection

I like the idea of owning a birth-year watch, so I plan to keep the Air King.

I think that pretty well sums up the ground rules for the discussion; please feel free to sound off.

I will keep this thread updated as things progress - thanks in advance for your input!

Best,
Skip