Does owning multiple watches feel like a burden sometimes?

[BiG JeEzY]

Hi all,

So unlike many of you here who wear your watches everyday, I unfortunately don't get to wear my watches the same way.

I have a job that's pretty labor intensive where I constantly work both outdoors and indoors and I just don't see much sense in wearing my Rolexes for work. So as a result, I only wear them on my days off, which is 1 to 2 days a week.

I've been in this hobby roughly 20 years and when I was new to it, I obsessed about getting multiple watches and happily wore all my watches in rotation for many years. But when I got the job I'm working now, I eventually wore my watches much less than I did before.

Unfortunately, I'm starting to believe that my lifestyle doesn't really suit owning multiple automatic watches anymore, especially if they're going to require constant setting from stopping all the time. I currently have 5 automatic watches and at times its a hassle to look after all of them especially since I only wear one watch once or twice a week.

So I thought about picking my favorite in my collection and just treating it as a one watch collection and letting the other four sit inside their boxes collecting dust, and who knows when I would wear them again.

My question is, would this be the best way to handle this? I could continue to rotate all watches but only wearing a watch once or twice a week and ultimately having to service all 5, is that even logical or practical anymore? Servicing all my watches when I hardly wear them all as it is?

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Hemdog]

Sell them and buy a Porsche

[bugimas]

Time to consolidate, nothing wrong

[Ichiran]

To me it feels like a blessing to rotate amongst my favourite watches.

[Mystro]

It’s o.k to let them sit and wear one for awhile. Nothing wrong with letting watches sit. Then months later rediscover another model in the collection. I do this a lot. You dont have to service watches that are on lite rotation for over maybe 10 years or longer so it’s not like they have a expiration date and will cost you money.

[kaiserphoenix]

I would make an effort to wear the other watches and see if I feel. These objects are mainly for your own satisfaction and enjoyment. If you dont gain these anymore, then no point owning them. I try to wear a watch for a few days before I think about selling and it usually helps.

[BiG JeEzY]

Sometimes I think about adding a Quartz back into my collection since I wear watches only 1-2 days a week, I feel like it would be appropriate to just pick up the quartz and go about my day.

So maybe I can rotate 1 quartz watch and 1 automatic watch while still letting the other 4 sit and see if my lifestyle will change sometime in the future where I can go back to wearing my watches daily.

[Harry-57]

No. I like all sorts of watches and I like owning a small collection of all sorts of watches.

[Swearengen]

I like to rotate and am lucky enough to have a coupe of OysterQuartz which you can just grab and go. The non-quickset watches are a bit more of a pain. Every so often I will consolidate, which isn't a bad thing either.

[beshannon]

Yes

I have written about this before and I continue to pare down and consolidate.

[slillestrand]

Originally Posted by Hemdog

Sell them and buy a Porsche

I like this plan...might consider that for myself at some point

[sigma089]

I know that feeling, atm my most worn watch is a GS quartz GMT. I came to the conclusion that watch collecting for me is more about curating my collection. I deliberatly restrict myself to owning seven pieces max. For me it's not so much about wearing my watches equally, it's more about knowing that they are there and I do have a nice collection...

[Old Expat Beast]

My GS quartz is getting to be my most worn watch. Partly because it's always ready, partly because it's a day/date and partly because I like wearing it. Last year it gained one second in 12 months, and the only attention it requires between battery changes is to quickset the date forward a few times a year.

Battery needs changing every three years, it tells me a couple of weeks in advance about that, and if I take it to Seiko they give it a battery and a change of seals and timely pressure test, too, so I know its 100m WR. Otherwise I can do it myself in two minutes.

Bought it in Hiroshima on impulse in 2018 and never looked back, but I'm seriously considering letting go of most of my Rolex collection, as it's just not getting wrist time these days.

[VonSomething]

I often wish I only had a single watch to wear :/

[mountainjogger]

OP, I think it is all about what is right for you. Personally, I am in your camp.

[cts]

Nope.

[1William]

Wrist time is only part of the information that helps me decide what to buy/wear/sell/trade. Some of the other factors are how much I like a watch, what would it cost me to replace it, am I truly done with a watch or just bored and want something different? Do I need the funds that a sale would generate is another factor. I like all types of watches and have several less expensive Seiko's and G-Shocks that get a lot of wear and abuse and just keep on moving. Some automatic movements and some quartz. Why not find a few cool Seiko Turtles and G-Shocks and wear them while you are working. It is a rabbit hole also when you get to explore what is out there on the less expensive side. Keep what you have, enjoy them when you want and can and don't overthink it. This is a hobby that we get to decide what is fun for each of us. Let us know what you decide.

[Widows Son]

When you get home from work, take a shower, relax, and put on a watch for the remainder of the day.

[espanol]

I think it's a great idea, OP.

From time-to-time, I look through old threads on TRF. It's amazing how many were one-watch owners ~10 years ago. "Collecting" watches was such a foreign concept for most for decades. Only until recently did owning multiple similar watches exist for the masses. Consumerism, strong resale, and hype likely all attributed to the phenomena.

[Napoleon]

I think a one watch collection is a great idea if you can pull it off. In your case I’d make it a two watch collection and get a Gshock as a beater for your job.

[CPZorro]

Get a nice G-shock to wear at work. When you get home (and on the weekends) put on your nice watch. Sell the rest. That’s what I’d do. The hard part will be picking your favorite, maybe.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Widows Son

When you get home from work, take a shower, relax, and put on a watch for the remainder of the day.

Simple right?

Jerome, I get where you’re coming from in a way. I have often thought about the nostalgia of being a one watch guy … known for always wearing the same Submariner, a GMT or a what have you …. Problem is that I really do enjoy variety. Setting and winding a watch is an enjoyable experience for me

What gives me pause is that before TRF, I was a one watch guy

[travisb]

Nothing wrong with letting them sit but if you don't see yourself wanting to wear some of them again I'd consider selling a couple. Keep your favorite 2 or 3 and see how you feel.

[beshannon]

I wrote this back in 2018 and not much has changed for me.

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthre...hlight=Watches

[robertengel]

What makes you think you will forever follow your current lifestyle, you may find yourself back to wearing a watch daily at any moment, you never know what life brings maybe consolidating is the right move for you right now, but you may miss them later.

[japenney]

Half the fun for me is sitting down with a watch box full of a dozen different watches and just admiring their differences and beauty. Just because one of my watches doesn’t make it on my wrist on a regular basis doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy and appreciate it. It’s kind of like any art.. The ability to tell time is really just a bonus.

[nicon]

Sell everything and keep just one watch.

[EagleBear]

Hey Jerome sounds like over there last 20 yrs you’ve have a blessed life am I right? And that has given you the the chance to add timepieces throughout the yrs and I’m sure you can remember where, when and how you felt at that place and time when acquiring them. Those memories and feelings are tied to those pieces. Sometimes we add one when there’s a new addition to our family, a new job, relationship, retirement or getting over something tragic. Rolex used to say not sure they can say it now though. “ A crown for every achievement. “ It was supposed to mean something special to buy or receive one. I feel you need to reflect and look at those pieces and their connection to you. Personally I have a few pieces that mean a lot to me because they were gifted and only come out a certain time of year to honor the memory. Life is always changing and moving forward those items just capture moments in time that when you wear them they can take you back in time. See what I did there lol I made a funny. Hope that helps

[temporarychicken]

One watch is all you need.

A display case with lots brings joy every day, but check your insurance policy lol!

[nocaps]

yes, every year when i write a check for the insurance premium