How Has COVID Impacted Your Collection?

[_speedmaster_]

Obviously trivial in the grand scheme of things, but I was reflecting the other day on how the events of the past year and a half have impacted my watch collection and how I've evolved as a collector. I would be interested to hear all of your thoughts and any changes you have made to your collections in the past year and a half.

For me, working from home had really seemed to highlight watches that I did not click with anymore. Without the excuse to wear a watch (i.e. no longer commuting to NYC or less frequent dinners at restaurants) I was finding the same watches were getting ignored. Additionally, whereas I would have been more gun-shy about making drastic changes in the past, my current post-COVID mindset is to live a little more in the moment.

Anyway, changes to my collection since the start of 2021

Out:
H. Moser Endeavour Funky Blue
Rolex BLNR
First Omega in Space
Omega CK2998 Blue panda
JLC Tribute to Deep Sea Alarm

In:
Urban Jurgensen 1140
Gronefeld Principia (ETA 2022)
Moritz Grossmann x Revolution Magazine Benu 37
Grand Seiko SBGW275

[2001jesper]

Are you allowed to have that profile name without a Speedmaster in the collection? or do you have one incoming?

[scarlet knight]

Originally Posted by 2001jesper

Are you allowed to have that profile name without a Speedmaster in the collection? or do you have one incoming?

Or his name will be Jurgensen soon.

[raclaims]

I went on a big buying spree figuring early on no one was buying...pretty happy with the results!

I didn't find that covid affected my feelings towards my watches at all.

[maciej]

Originally Posted by raclaims

I went on a big buying spree figuring early on no one was buying...pretty happy with the results!

I didn't find that covid affected my feelings towards my watches at all.

Let's just say I don't think you fall into the core demographic in the context of spend lol

[texasmade]

Originally Posted by raclaims

I went on a big buying spree figuring early on no one was buying...pretty happy with the results!

I've noticed!

You've had some incredible incomings with Omega and Vacheron.

[_speedmaster_]

Originally Posted by 2001jesper

Are you allowed to have that profile name without a Speedmaster in the collection? or do you have one incoming?

I think TRF has the legal right to boot me off this forum if I don't acquire a new speedmaster within a year.

[_speedmaster_]

Originally Posted by raclaims

I went on a big buying spree figuring early on no one was buying...pretty happy with the results!

I didn't find that covid affected my feelings towards my watches at all.

You definitely picked up some incredible pieces to say the least.

[rootbeer7]

Absolutely it did change the way I looked at my watches. I now have 3 watches I really love.

[uniqueMR]

I bought more watches in 2021 then previous years.
Covid times had no effect on my watch purchases..

[MrGoat]

I finally decided to buy my first Rolex in June of 2020. Not necessarily because of Covid, however I’m very blessed to have actually gotten even busier from the onset of Covid. Maybe something subconscious happened, I don’t know though.


Sent from my Apple privacy invasion product

[893bet]

Originally Posted by _speedmaster_

Obviously trivial in the grand scheme of things, but I was reflecting the other day on how the events of the past year and a half have impacted my watch collection and how I've evolved as a collector. I would be interested to hear all of your thoughts and any changes you have made to your collections in the past year and a half.

For me, working from home had really seemed to highlight watches that I did not click with anymore. Without the excuse to wear a watch (i.e. no longer commuting to NYC or less frequent dinners at restaurants) I was finding the same watches were getting ignored. Additionally, whereas I would have been more gun-shy about making drastic changes in the past, my current post-COVID mindset is to live a little more in the moment.

Anyway, changes to my collection since the start of 2021

Out:
H. Moser Endeavour Funky Blue
Rolex BLNR
First Omega in Space
Omega CK2998 Blue panda
JLC Tribute to Deep Sea Alarm

In:
Urban Jurgensen 1140
Gronefeld Principia (ETA 2022)
Moritz Grossmann x Revolution Magazine Benu 37
Grand Seiko SBGW275

Would love to see some pics of the Urban J and the Grossmann. Stunning pieces.

[AzHadEnuf]

These three showed up since COVID hit.







Somehow nothing has gone away.

[shafran]

It definitely affected my collection. I have always kept 4-7 watches, but have moved my dressy pieces out and heav gravitated towards high end sporty pieces. I only have 1 watch left with an alligator strap, everything else now is rubber or bracelet.

[GreenLantern]

How has COVID affected my collection?

Well, because it's caused everyone to start speculating in all kinds of markets (they're bored, I suppose?), watches are now approaching absurd valuations.

So, what does this mean for my collection?

I'm paying 2x what I used to for my insurance. (It's a large collection)

[_speedmaster_]

Originally Posted by 893bet

Would love to see some pics of the Urban J and the Grossmann. Stunning pieces.

Many thanks.

I can't recommend UJ enough, criminally underrated.

I haven't taken delivery of the Grossmann just yet. I recently scored the last of the 8 allocation spots and Grossmann assemble upon order. Should be a couple of weeks. I considered a ton of great options, but this watch just spoke to me the second I saw it. The Grossmann pics below are lifted from Instagram, just giving everyone a sense of the watch.

[GreenLantern]

Loving that purple strap!

[Slackergirl]

Originally Posted by AzHadEnuf

These three showed up since COVID hit.







Somehow nothing has gone away.

Great GO. Funny just before logging onto the forum I was looking at the 2021 green sixties chrono.

[WatchEater666]

I would have had way more watches. One of my main companies was a fast fashion retailer focused on event wear lol ��

[benlee]

I tend to spend a lot on 2 things : (1) Watches and (2) Vacation. Since (2) is no longer possible / convenient, so more budget for (1). But this has unfortunately also been a year that anything semi-hot or hype is hard to get. That said, I still manage to add 5 watches so far to my collection. : JLC Reverso blue tribute, VC Overseas Dualtime, Moser Streamliner, an IWC Pilot chronograph and a Tudor Panda Blackbay chrono to my collection.

[KCT]

Interesting thread OP.

This is my collection pre covid. There is 1 more Tag and Seiko Astron which I sold recently.

I was interested in watches but never really that into this hobby to spend more. Passed up on Rolex Sub (twice!), Rolex GMT, AP etc in the past and told myself that what I have is sufficient for my use.

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[KCT]

Then covid came and everything changed.

Other than not needing to allocate resources to travel, with the additional time on hand, I started to read up more on watches and I sort of went overboard.

This is my collection now. Started with the ROO. Then added the 5167 and VC. Coupled with a few ladies Rolex for my wife, the AD "rewarded" me with the Daytona. And I just added the RO 2 months back.

I think I got caught up with the whole buying and found that I didn't really get to enjoy what I have. So I am looking forward to paring down the collection to a more manageable number.

Wish me luck!

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[GB-man]

I’m still rifling through watches left and right.

Pre covid I had

15500ST
26405ce
Octo chrono GMT
116610
5164
806 re-edition

Current
5513 MK3
16520 E serial
FPJ ARS2
116610
806 re-edition
5513 MK5 (selling)

I guess I’ve moved away from AP and modern Rolex. I’ve become much more comfortable with the idea of a strap watch since the 806 is my favorite piece. I’d like a Vacheron CDV steel. Also would return to Patek for the right piece (PC or Chrono). No interest in competing for Rolex or AP at this time. If they were available I would have another FPJ.

[GB-man]

Just realized covid really hasn’t had a lot to do with my changes. I’ve been shuffling from day 1 and more or less just became tired of modern Rolex and AP. At this point I’ve owned virtually all of the modern Rolex catalogue and AP really only cooks for VVVIP as all the offerings under six figures are meh.

[_speedmaster_]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

Loving that purple strap!

Thanks! I'm all about crazy strap colors in the summer.

[_speedmaster_]

Originally Posted by GB-man

I guess I’ve moved away from AP and modern Rolex. I’ve become much more comfortable with the idea of a strap watch since the 806 is my favorite piece. I’d like a Vacheron CDV steel. Also would return to Patek for the right piece (PC or Chrono). No interest in competing for Rolex or AP at this time. If they were available I would have another FPJ.

This has kind of been my progression as well.

I was seriously considering a steel CDV too. Ended up going in another direction, but it's an amazing piece.

[_speedmaster_]

Originally Posted by KCT

Then covid came and everything changed.

Other than not needing to allocate resources to travel, with the additional time on hand, I started to read up more on watches and I sort of went overboard.

This is my collection now. Started with the ROO. Then added the 5167 and VC. Coupled with a few ladies Rolex for my wife, the AD "rewarded" me with the Daytona. And I just added the RO 2 months back.

I think I got caught up with the whole buying and found that I didn't really get to enjoy what I have. So I am looking forward to paring down the collection to a more manageable number.

Wish me luck!

Sent from my SM-G781B using Tapatalk

Haha. We have all been there. Best of luck.

[stevedssd]

I've gone from 12 to 32 watches, mainly micro brands or more affordable divers. I've still got all the Rolex I had before Covid but rarely wear them. I bought a couple of Omega Seamaster's, Zenith El Primero and five Squale 1521's...

[Justindo]

I've added far more watches than I would normally in the last 18 months (8: 1 expensive, 2 inexpensive, and 5 midpriced) but that hasn't really had anything to due with the virus. I still have 4 on my radar (1 expensive and 3 midpriced), not including a couple Rolexes, for which I refuse to pay above retail. As with my collection as a whole, all of these watches are pretty evenly split between dressy and sporty.

[Nathan_]

Covid allowed me to purchase my grail within a year - living in Victoria, Australia we have been locked down majority of the time since Covid started, so my savings basically tripled!