I like researching watches more than actually receiving them....Anyone else?

[Fettekatze]

Like they say, it's the journey, not the destination. I've gone from buying an average of 0 watches/month to 3 in just the last month. You'd figure that after ordering a DSSD Blue after receiving two $700 AP's in the mail, I'd tone the wallet abuse down for a while. After spending the last hour researching Omega pumpkins, and putting together my "dream collection" in photoshop excluding what I need to sell, I've realized that really what I love most about this hobby is searching the forums for pictures and reviews, browsing through TD sites, and just general daydreaming about "the next one". When the watch finally arrives, it's novel for a week and then it just pops back into the rotation with the rest. That new-watch itch is scratched...and now I feel weird, and I need to find myself another itch. Anybody else feel this way?

 

[shelby1501]

It happens to me only with watches that are so-so and I instantly know they won't be a part of my permanent collection. With pieces like Chronopassion, PAMs 243, 187 & 036, Breitling Seawolf and few others it's completely different story. I could spend hours just looking at them and I love when a watch that I know is just perfect for me arrives in a mail.

Btw I know you own Trulli but do you actually have red rubber mounted on it and do you have some pics of that combo? It looks stunning! :drool:

 

[thefinger]

Owning and wearing the watch is only a part of the hobby. Kind of like driving a car is only part of the hobby for the car guys out there. The research, the hunt, making the deal, placing the order, mods, new straps, trades, collecting, consolidation, trading, nostalgia, novelty-- the list goes on...

 

[DavidTaiwan]

I like to put stickers/decals on cars so they go faster. Yes the researching is part of the fun. But it can drive you mad. Like finding flaws when you had the watch for a while. Making it like you don't wanna wear it anymore. But it's all fun and part of the hobby. On to the next one.

 

[spankster23]

That's why it's called "catch and release" in the M2M section. We love to hunt and fish more than the prize itself... You are not alone...

 

[Beone21]

Yep I second this. And I always like the watch I sold more afterwards .... I had three tc subs, three ap divers, two Sub-c and ND's. Three 1680's, two 201a and so on. Bought, sold, re-bought and sold again.
I think I want the tc again.... Help me

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[mech500]

Lol. I'm exactly the same.

Best part is researching, ordering and opening the packet. Even the wait/anticipation is Devine. Lol


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[joes]

This is exactly why I sold off most of my collection so I could start over. Offloaded 21 watches in 2 months so I could do it all over again. Only kept 5 that I really bonded with but now researching, trolling m2m, etc and thats what has brought the buzz back for me!!

 

[ryantunna]

I am exactly the same. As soon as i receive one I'm straight back on the boards researching/hunting down the next one.

 

[Snapscan]

I think most of us who spend time on the forums have this bug hehe. I also do the collages and comparisons in Photoshop and have a library of all my ventures and obsessions in this game, it's a big part of the hobby.

 

[Fettekatze]

Btw I know you own Trulli but do you actually have red rubber mounted on it and do you have some pics of that combo? It looks stunning! :drool:

I have one coming in the mail I find the rubber strap too thin and the clasp uncomfortable. Here are some pics I've found though:

 

[shelby1501]

^
On to the wish list! Thanks for sharing, I love it!

 

[iggypop]

Owning and wearing the watch is only a part of the hobby. Kind of like driving a car is only part of the hobby for the car guys out there. The research, the hunt, making the deal, placing the order, mods, new straps, trades, collecting, consolidation, trading, nostalgia, novelty-- the list goes on...

Oh this definitely it's a nice little high messaging td with the money ready to go waiting for qc pics.
and the research is huge! Which version which factory etc etc

 

[iggypop]

That's why it's called "catch and release" in the M2M section. We love to hunt and fish more than the prize itself... You are not alone...

Thats a good analogy

 

[MoCo]

I love doing research as well. I use Evernote to collect forum posts, TD links and images of my dream watches. I then get a ton of joy reviewing the Evernote notebooks

Sent from my phone

 

[jttou]

Oh boy. This is just so so me. Couldn't have described it any better. So, yeah you're not the only one doing that.

 

[DocHolliday]

Great point. It's just as fun to go with the process from start to finish as it is getting the sale. Countless hours of research, youtube, M2M stalking, TD quotes, saying screw it and picking it right back up 2 hours later. So pieces I'm not parting with(for now at least) I feel so many are meant to be a catch and release to find out what you really like.

 

[Spark2]

I am right with you guys. For a while it seems like I have this hobby under control thinking that my last purchase will actually be my last for a while. Then, out of the blue, I will see a watch that looks perfect – the best watch ever made. The shape, the dial layout, the classy look, the color…. And off I go.

That’s where the fun begins for me. I find all of the reviews and sort out all versions of the model. I try to learn other’s experiences with the watch after purchasing it from various dealers and coming from the different factories. I then look for the watch at every trusted dealer I can find (someday I will start a thread about finding TD’s websites) and compare what they have. Usually I end up trying to compare TD #1’s watch who has it listed for $350 to TD #2’s watch who has it at $375 to TD #3’s watch at $275 to #4 at $300. I do as is mentioned above and collect copious notes and photos. Just to get to this point for me is about 3 weeks work at about 15-25 hours a week.

I then go into deep research mode examining each watch’s pictures at highest magnification to see if they are indeed all the same. I can usually rule out one or two of them so I will be down to about 2 or 3 sources with about a $75.00 spread after another week or so. I end up comparing each offering to high resolution pictures of gens that I find on line. Sometimes another candidate falls out at this stage, sometimes not. After another week I usually end up with a spread of about $50 to $75 dollars amongst the remainders. This is where I can sort of “hover” for a few more weeks. I try to decide if the lowest priced watch is the same as the highest. They can look exactly the same. I worry that maybe the lower-priced watches in some way have a lower quality or are coming from dealers that need to lower their prices due to their poor service. After about 2 more weeks worrying, I will finally pull the trigger.

This all sounds like a lot of work and hassle, but it is the part of the hunt that I enjoy the most. Thank god this all takes a couple of months or I would be flat broke by now.