need wristwatch advice. any watch people around?

[pixmedic]

so...i dont collect anything. haven't since I was a kid with comic books.
I help the wife collect, fix, and sell vintage sewing machines, but that's about it.
I inherited some watches a while ago, (nothing special or anything) and stuck them in a drawer where they have sat, never worn. (except one)
a recent thread about watches, where I posted pics of the ones I inherited, got me wondering if maybe I wouldn't enjoy collecting watches. thus, I stuck my Samsung smart watch in the drawer and started wearing the Seiko Chronograph watch.


Its heavy and feels very substantial. I have not had a "good" watch since my Citizen Eco-Drive was lost over a decade ago. (unless you count my fossil blue watch) I realize the Seiko is not exactly something one would really look for as a collector piece, but it actually felt good to have a somewhat decent watch on again.

my question is this...supposing I did decide to start collecting watches....
where would be a good place to start gathering information? a good/active watch forum?
how does one decide which watches to collect?

 

[astroNikon]

Watches and (wall, mantle, grandfather, etc) clocks (and sun dials) of all various types have been built for centuries.
So it all depends.
For instance if you happened to have worked on a train you may collect pocket watches for train conductors, or even time clocks used to punch a ticket. Some either plain casings of extravagent scene casings. Steel or silver ?

You may like a specific brand of a luxury Swiss watch such as Rolex.

You may be limited in funds and collect more Seiko watches.

It doesn't really matter.

I used to collect a few watches that are Moon Phase watches including I think a Seiko.

 

[astroNikon]

I'm not sure if these are good but I've perused them in the past
watchuseek.com
watchtalkforums.info

 

[Stradawhovious]

Oh boy.

Watches.

[deeeep breath]

The rabbit hole is deep.

When I was in my watch collecting phase, I had several different collections, all based on movement. Swiss Auto, Swiss Mechanical, Swiss Quartz, Japanese Automatic, Japanese Quartz, Russian Automatic, Chinese Automatic, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.

There really is no end to what you can collect and why. I have a buddy who ONLY collects The Vostok Amphibia models. They are a Russian Military grade diving watch, all with automatic movements. He has a couple dozen. I have another buddy who only collects Swiss mechanical movements, and yet another buddy who only collects Swiss autos. Hell, I even have a buddy who only collects CASIO G-Shock.

Really, the rabbit hole is deep.

My thought for you is this. Why do you want to collect? Will it be like coins to fill gaps in timelines and models.. or is it because you REALLY like watches and find their construction and movement beautiful.

If it's the latter, consider one or two higher end watches rather than a bunch of inexpensive pieces. If it's the former, be careful... unless you're independently wealthy, this can become a disease. A really expensive disease.

Either way, do some research on the different movements, and technological advancement timelines and I'm sure you will develop a direction for your new found sicknes.... er... I mean hobby.

This would be my holy grail piece, if I could ever justify the expense.

http://www.poshtime.co.uk/watches/495.169e.jpg

Not the most expensive watch in the world... not by a long shot. The auto movement model is only a couple grand, but boy howdy it makes me tingle every time I look at it.

 

[Designer]

Scatterbrained collects watches.

Also; goodguy, Willieboy, and Trever1t have threads on the subject.

 

[pixmedic]

my biggest concern is that i will never be able to budget enough money to really even play the watch game.
is it even worth getting into if you cant drop a few grand on one watch?

 

[robbins.photo]

my biggest concern is that i will never be able to budget enough money to really even play the watch game.
is it even worth getting into if you cant drop a few grand on one watch?

Collecting Swatch Watches

 

[astroNikon]

Don't know
how many times have your dropped a few grand on a D4, D4S or D5 ... and if not, then why not ?

 

[runnah]

Don't know
how many times have your dropped a few grand on a D4, D4S or D5 ... and if not, then why not ?

Because a $4k camera does a whole lot more than a $400 camera, where as a $4k watch does exactly the same thing as a $4 watch.

 

[astroNikon]

Don't know
how many times have your dropped a few grand on a D4, D4S or D5 ... and if not, then why not ?

Because a $4k camera does a whole lot more than a $400 camera, where as a $4k watch does exactly the same thing as a $4 watch.

The $4k watch should have jewels in it which will make it last a lot longer, be more accuracte, worth more, and just plain be neat to talk about. Jewel bearing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[runnah]

Don't know
how many times have your dropped a few grand on a D4, D4S or D5 ... and if not, then why not ?

Because a $4k camera does a whole lot more than a $400 camera, where as a $4k watch does exactly the same thing as a $4 watch.

The $4k watch should have jewels in it which will make it last a lot longer, be more accuracte, worth more, and just plain be neat to talk about. Jewel bearing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

But it still just tells time.

 

[table1349]

Don't know
how many times have your dropped a few grand on a D4, D4S or D5 ... and if not, then why not ?

Because a $4k camera does a whole lot more than a $400 camera, where as a $4k watch does exactly the same thing as a $4 watch.

Bet my Apple Watch does a whole lot more than your times

Don't know
how many times have your dropped a few grand on a D4, D4S or D5 ... and if not, then why not ?

Because a $4k camera does a whole lot more than a $400 camera, where as a $4k watch does exactly the same thing as a $4 watch.

I would bet that my Apple Watch does a whole lot more than your Timex.

 

[table1349]

Medic, you might start with one of these it does more than just the time plus it's mechanical.

 

[Trever1t]

watchuseek

You should've asked me! Yes, collecting is addicting! I'm up to 11 and now consolidating and contemplating a next big purchase. There's always more expensive watches. I mean, I collect watches in the $200-$6000 range while to some others anything less than $15000 is 'affordable"

There are great deals to be had on Seiko, Citizen, Seagull, Orient etc watches under $500 (mechanical)

 

[Trever1t]

Don't know
how many times have your dropped a few grand on a D4, D4S or D5 ... and if not, then why not ?

Because a $4k camera does a whole lot more than a $400 camera, where as a $4k watch does exactly the same thing as a $4 watch.

And a Yaris is a car and therefore I don't need to enjoy my Mercedes? That logic is one from a person who doesn't see the attraction to owning a fine piece of mechanical engineering.