Watch collection control: How many watches to own to maintain quality wrist times for all?

[Less]

Hello!

This must be a evergreen question of watch collecting:

How many watches is a "healthy" to guarantee all your watches some quality wrist time?

Right now I own 17 watches. Rather than wearing those watches I tend to buy new ones again... Sometimes I try to sell some but it's hard to let them go. Just once I managed to sell two but that's it... Do you have any limits? How do you decide which to let go? How many new watches you buy per month?

Curious to ready your answers! Thanks.

 

[Pdatoon]

I try to keep mine to 6 only... Very hard I know

 

[grandhotel]

I have 1 in 1 out policy, keeps it interesting lol

 

[Less]

I have 1 in 1 out policy, keeps it interesting lol

That's what I'm trying hard(ly)... How many do you have?

Pdatoon How do you do that? For example there is a new release you've been waiting for you force yourself to sell another one?

 

[Pdatoon]

That's what I'm trying hard(ly)... How many do you have?

Pdatoon How do you do that? For example there is a new release you've been waiting for you force yourself to sell another one?

Yes. Selling the one which gets least wrist time

 

[freediver]

my goal number is 7

I also own 2 cheap gens a seiko and a phoebus which are mainly beach stuff and they don't get much wrist time elsewhere

For the rest 5 like mentioned above i try to follow the 1 in 1 out policy

 

[MrLux]

Apparently 3 is a good number for watches, but I have gone way past that number. I think a 1 in, 1 out idea is sensible for me to start implementing now!

 

[csthe]

I have 17 (gens and reps), with 1 in 1 out policy (forced by the wife )

 

[dadog13]

I have 70+ watches and no policy about buying (I buy what I like), wife has no power to limit my buying and I am currently having 4 more on the way and discussing via PMs to buy some more from forum members..

do all of them get wrist time? Yes they do..
I tend to rotate each day, sometimes 2x time per day..

 

[nipe]

Really you only need 2 or 3 watches:

One dress watch (personally I'd prefer a Cartier Tank Solo. Classy and under the radar)
One all-rounder (Could be GMT, Daytona, Sub, Royal Oak, etc.)
One for summer/activity/swimming (I'd go with a cheap gen that is known to stand a beating + waterproof like the SKX)

A gen sub could take care of the last 2 points - don't wear a divers watch with a suit guys. please."But James Bond does" - Yes, but you're not a secret agent in real life that suddenly needs to escape by helicopter, out of a flaming building only to do an emergency jump into a 0 degree cold lake, diving down to escape a storm of bullets raining into the water. You're at your cousins boring wedding, relax.

 

[muiramas]

Buy as many as you like. Sell the ones you end up not wearing.

 

[Hinclimincli]

Buy as many as you like. Sell the ones you end up not wearing.

This

I have a 10 watch box and that's my limit. Actually, one of the pockets on that box is for a couple of straps and cufflinks, so in my case my collection sticks to 9. If I want a new watch, one has to go. But at that moment I'd say I have all the watches I like, I would probably just upgrade them to newer and more accurate models if needed.

 

[muiramas]

This

I have a 10 watch box and that's my limit. Actually, one of the pockets on that box is for a couple of straps and cufflinks, so in my case my collection sticks to 9. If I want a new watch, one has to go. But at that moment I'd say I have all the watches I like, I would probably just upgrade them to newer and more accurate models if needed.

Indeed. Limiting a collection to 3 watches makes no sense. No one woul limit themselves to 3 shirts, 3 pairs of shoes, 3 outfits.... even getting 2 versions of the same watch can make sense - a blue dial for jeans, a black dial for suits.

 

[jm_brc_7057]

Very interesting topic. It's very much a question of personal preference off course, but interesting reading how you all handle this.

My collection is currently on 8 watches. Two of these i do not wear much, but i keep them because of the emotional value. One is a chronograph, which was the first mechanical watch i bought. Second is a watch my wife gave me as a present. These i won't sell.

The others I try to approach based on watch type (complications/type/colour/dial type etc):

I have one skeleton watch (Breguet), two tourbillons (i love tourbillons), one rosegold Patek dress watch, one steel VC dress watch, one JLC with moon phase.

Other than that i would love to have a pilots watch like for example a Patek 5522 or 5524, but these aren't repped - still waiting. Also i would like a nice blue dial watch with a burgundy croc strap, but haven't found the perfect one yet.

After that i'll hopefully stop buying for some time!

 

[Art Tic]

I collect watches, some reps but mostly gen. So, I have a few watches, and I wear them in rotation, all of them. Those I don't like, I either pass to relatives, friends, or I sell them.
As for the wife... I tend to sneak in the newly acquired ones - old habits are hard to break. She knows what I am doing and now doesn't say a thing anymore... Just like I don't say anything about her shoes and purses, except to compliment her.

 

[danno7778]

It's really down to how your define enough wrist time. Some would say wearing a watch once a week constitutes this, others might say once a month. Personally, I currently have 9 reps and do find some of them just don't get the wrist time they deserve. 6 would probably be enough for me, but you know how it is! You see something new on the dealer sites, and before you know it, you've ordered!

 

[Dr Fun Socks]

Ive got about 20, a lot of them don't get worn regularly but i think its a case of just buy what you like. When a new watch comes out or a sweet piece comes up on m2m you’ll soon realise which ones you don’t necessarily want or need as much as the new one. Some you will never sell due to the rarity or the difficulty in getting a replacement. I don't see myself selling my roger dubuis knights of the round table v2 as the factory has said they wont make more its too difficult, despite never wearing it. I tried on the gen, i just like the watch haha.

 

[drmckenn]

I have to laugh about the wife limitation factor.

“You have to stop buying watches!”

All I need to do is change a strap and she says “is that a new watch?”




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[DaleM]

More than I need but not as many as I want.

 

[Less]

I think I'll try one in, one out principle... It's hard but I'll try. That's why I decided to sell some watches which don't get any wrist time. Thanks for all ideas!