Does your collection have a story to tell?

[tictoc1]

I love watching "Talking Watches" especially when the collectors have their watches out and describe the story of their collection.

I will admit that sometimes I watch these episodes and I feel bad because all I have are a bunch of watches that I bought because they look cool. My collection does not speak for itself and would best be described as a hoard of watches.

So I got to thinking If I had to show and tell my collection what would the story be?

I would describe my watch collecting in 4 phases

Phase 1: The Lust Phase
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1995 Golden Eye - Seamaster Bond
This is the one that started the sickness for me, and one of the few watches in my collection that is untouchable with regards to be being sold, traded etc.

The seamaster led to a subscription to "watchtime", countless forum memberships, and an experimentations with diver style watches from nearly every brand out there.

Phase 2 Hoarding Phase
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After experimenting with diver style watches, I moved on hoarding anything that ticked or swept. I would describe this as my hoarding phase. During this phase I would probably buy/trade 1-2 watches per month. The goal was to keep that Rush of excitement with something new.
I went through countless brands (many of which are now gone) , and countless styles, GMT, Pilot style, Chronos, Power reserves, Big cases, Small cases, clear casebacks, Spring drives... you get the point.

Phase 3 Give it some Meaning phase
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Since the temptation to trade or sell for the latest models is always their.
Ive decided to only buy non hype/trend watches to mark special events.
This has been a refreshing decision over the last few years because it has kept my love of watchmaking intact and allowed me to ignore the monetary aspect to collecting.

I actually love this theme to my collection because now If you were to ask which ones are the keepers, it would be a seiko quartz, an omega seamaster, a bell a ross, rolex cellini, rolex submariner and a hublot.

Phase 4 What Ive learned Phase
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1. Omega will always have a special place in my watch world
2. Im a watch hoarder. Ive tried collecting based on value retention... I have not been successful doing this because in the end I buy what I like more than what is 'The better financial decision"
3. Buying non hype or lesser known watches as markers of events actually has kept the passion and 'hunt' of watch collecting in tact
4. Throughout now 1000+ watches over the years my most often used default watch was the Submariner 16610


Hope you enjoyed reading.
Lets hear your collection stories