Downsizing watch collection - How many watches is too many?

roadwarrior

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Sep 17, 2020

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24Hours At A Time

A quick video about why I've decided to downsize my collection. What is a perfect watch collection size? Enjoy the video:)

 
I know my 300 plus collection is more then I'm happy about. Crappy thing is I'm too lazy or hesitant to sell or get rid of some because for some reason having all the watches sitting there staring at me now keeps me from buying more then 3 to 5 watches a year now. If I clear space i will spend and replace, so I'm saving money keeping what is there and finally getting around to using more of them instead of adding to them. Can't lie I miss the fun of new boxes showing up at my door but I'm good living watching all you guys getting all the cool new stuff.
 
I agree about waffling around when it comes to trimming the herd. I wanted to gift something to someone here, but it would have been ordered through Zelos and shipped directly to the person. I've never been big on shipping things. I have enough problems keeping track of the incoming, let alone adding outgoing to the mix.
 
I agree about waffling around when it comes to trimming the herd. I wanted to gift something to someone here, but it would have been ordered through Zelos and shipped directly to the person. I've never been big on shipping things. I have enough problems keeping track of the incoming, let alone adding outgoing to the mix.
I concur.
 
I agree about waffling around when it comes to trimming the herd. I wanted to gift something to someone here, but it would have been ordered through Zelos and shipped directly to the person. I've never been big on shipping things. I have enough problems keeping track of the incoming, let alone adding outgoing to the mix.
I've sold a few and gifted more but I stress out on the shipping, and worrying that the person will get one of my watches and it will somehow crap the bed on them and i would feel terrible. I don't mind giving them away especially to my brothers, but I worry too much about things I can't control or fix. If I garage sale priced stuff maybe I'd be better off but then I'd undercut everyone else selling here which wouldn't t sit too well with me either. my wife is just going to have to do it for me when the grim reaper comes calling.
 
That is somewhat the same way I feel. I know a few people who have spots at farmers markets. Other than giving some to friends I see at work or selling a handful. That was an avenue I was once considering, but Covid19 has sidelined those folks from doing their thing. I would have let them take dozens at a time from a few hundred or so that I have and split the money. I keep a book for when I croak to be a sort of blueprint for whomever may care to get rid of them. I couldn't care less if they toss them all once I'm out of here, I did my thing with them. I'm bad with that kind of stuff. Rather than put an ad out or haggle with a dealer on the trade-in, I gave away my Tunda and it only had 62,000 miles and was appraised for $23,500. I know that whomever I give the stuff to, they will appreciate it. I just can't see some dirt bag dealership raking me over the coals for something they charged me 50 grand for.
 
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I've off loaded 3 collections in 10 years. like BEVERLY HILLS TRAINER sez it's liberating getting rid of all those boxes.. now building up a little @ around a baker's dozen

-" there's nothing like the feeling of having a box on the way; " like USCLASSIC opined..

- i give 'em away to my kids or cousins...most peeps mouths' drop open when they get something for nothing...but ashes to ashes dust to dust ( kings & paupers live but a wink in tyme )

-it's an innate inherent evolutionary trait the relentless desire to accumulate ... so it's sneaky & subconscious, powerful & undeniable, insatiable ..." know thyself " DELPHIC ORACLE

kinda like a boner in high school...just looking for that happy ending ...relentlessly
 
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I bought what I liked, and like what I bought. Gifted some, but never sold any. Holding at 190, but still looking at what floats down the river. :wink: Just a "Happy Camper" sitting by the river side, enjoying the "Good Life".:cheers:
 
New to the forum (although a long-time member on several others), and this is the first thread I see lol... I do feel confident in answering this one authoritatively... There is so such thing as too many watches among the wizened WIS.
 
I've off loaded 3 collections in 10 years. like BEVERLY HILLS TRAINER sez it's liberating getting rid of all those boxes.. now building up a little @ around a baker's dozen

-" there's nothing like the feeling of having a box on the way; " like USCLASSIC opined..

- i give 'em away to my kids or cousins...most peeps mouths' drop open when they get something for nothing...but ashes to ashes dust to dust ( kings & paupers live but a wink in tyme )

-it's an innate inherent evolutionary trait the relentless desire to accumulate ... so it's sneaky & subconscious, powerful & undeniable, insatiable ..." know thyself " DELPHIC ORACLE

kinda like a boner in high school...just looking for that happy ending ...relentlessly

it’s interesting, I thought I’d flip out not having my nice full CaseClub with my “collection.” Now I’m down to 5 watches, but I got two grails (Planet Ocean, 50 fathoms) in the process. the good/bad of it is that it upped my game. I don’t see the point of going after the micros etc that I’ve been obsessed with the last 5 years. I’m not obsessing about what my next watch will be, just enjoying what I’ve got. We’ll see how long that lasts.....😆
 
I have sold off several watch collections over the past few years. They tend to build up because I really don't like selling that is to say getting the most money out of them. So my attitude has changed recently and the watches I don't wear or give away end up on a $.99 cent auction. My last auctions ends tomorrow and that will leave me a three watch trifecta. I like being able to pass along some great watch deals to folks and I don't like keeping watches I don't wear anymore. It took a lot of buying and trying to arrive at something I like and works as a 24/7 part of my wrist. Used to be a month or two and I would be buying something else to try - thinking myself into one watch or another. A watch hobby really as such I enjoy reading and looking and studying watches, but I gave my wife my 24 slot watch box - she now has more watches than I do and is not into watches at all. Anyway having bought and sold so many different types I have settled down now and really am a one watch guy at heart. Finding the one satisfing watch was the challenge and resisting all the hype for this or that one must find the watch, or watch collection, that works for them. I have fooled myself many times in the past so I hesitate to predict how long the current watch will last.

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My collection is pretty small and doubt if I break 100 pieces before I move on.
I have never sold a piece and what keeps me honest is I wear all my watches.
Some Quartz are not worn anymore and will remove the batteries. Our son will
get my watches, pretty simple. I can't imagine selling off three collections as Mr.
stated.
 
As I begin this odyssey, it's interesting and sobering to read these accounts. I've thought about how many watches I want in a collection and the practical side of me (my "weak" side) says 4 to 5. I want to wear them all in a rotation and I'm thinking maybe 2 automatics and 2 quartz pieces (with perhaps an additional watch for "fun"). I think it makes sense, as I really don't want to manage too many automatics.

Pardon the pun but time will tell. In the end, I'm thinking this is going to be one of those situations where restraint gets little exercise and practicality goes out the damned window.
 
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