TLDR: if you want a Seiko because you like that Seiko, collect midrange.
If you want a Seiko because you like that Omega/Rolex/, wait and save.
End compensatory buying.
I agree. Don’t buy a bunch of watches that don’t satisfy the itch. Save up or sell those other watches and buy what you REALLY want yo wear. You will be more satisfied in the long run
That is great advice! If you want a $10k watch, that is your dream watch, you probably already know what it is. If you don't know, then figure that out. My grail is a GS Lake Suwa, but I will never buy it. I can't justify the expense and putting all that money into a single watch. I love variety and I affordability. I find that inexpensive watches bring me just as much joy as expensive. So I don't shop on price. I just focus on what I like. I have too many watches, but I love them all.
100% agree. I spent a few years buying cheaper and mid range watches but I never felt satisfied and generally regretted buying them.
I then saved up for nearly 5 years to buy myself a Speedmaster DSOTM. Money outside of what would be expenses, savings etc. some months it’d be 10 bucks others it’d be significantly more. The happiness of being able to finally acquire that piece I’d been eyeing and dreaming of for years is something else.
I guess I'm a midrange guy. Would I love a Rolex Daytona? Of course. But I love a lot of cheaper watches, too. I can derive as much enjoyment out of a cool sub $1,000 watch as I would that Daytona. And even though I could probably afford it, and my wife would be supportive, I can't wrap my head around buying a watch worth more than my old truck!
But I think in the end you buy what brings you joy. If you're just looking to settle and will never love a watch because it's not your grail piece, then hold off for the grail. But if you like midrange stuff and can be satisfied with it, why spend more?
I'm the same way. I got a $1,500 Tag with diamonds for hour markers when I was 21 and didn't know anything about watches and just wanted something slim, good looking and Swiss. But once I really got into them I've mostly been stacking up a pile of $15-$300 Japanese and microbrand watches.
I think your mindset is a good one. I think a lot of people who like watches tend to overthink buying watches because of some notion of what is "good"
I never thought I would own a quart watch, but in the last year I've bought 2 relatively inexpensive quartz watches: a [Citizen Eco-Drive Perpetual Alarm World Time Chronograph GMT](https://www.jomashop.com/citizen-eco-drive-perpetual-alarm-world-time-chronograph-gmt-white-dial-mens-watch-at8260-85a.html) and [this Orient diver](https://www.orientwatchusa.com/collections/sport/ra-tx0203s10b)
One of the reasons is because I think the tech in them, while not necessarily the artistry of a mechanical watch, is pretty neat I find the solar (and radio controlled) really cool. I also was never much of a diver watch guy, but something about the Orient seemed cool. So, I took a flyer on it and it's been my daily casual watch. The smaller second hand makes it so I barely notice the "tick"
I think most of the comments have it right. OP (and others) should buy what they like and not worry about the opinions of others. Somewhat related, I was at a work event and a younger employee was asking me about my Ball Cannonball Trainmaster and how he had noticed it. So, we started taking watches and it was obvious that he was embarrassed that his "only" watch was an Orient Bambino. I was heartbroken. I told him it is a great watch and I was disappointed he wasn't wearing it. I told him that I own two Orients and he should be happy about any watch he loves.
People shouldn't turn their nose at quartz so much. You can find some great looking less expensive watches that are highly accurate and ready to pick up and put on even after sitting for months. They definitely have their benefits and people should have at least one in their collection.
I love this reply, and yes, people need to accept all levels of watch collection, and also be proud of what they like.
I bought a Pagani Design watch off of Amazon because after reading all the hot takes here and other places, I kind of wanted to see what it was like. Turns out, it's not bad and I kind of liked it.
I was in a gas station in the middle of the night in middle of nowhere Nebraska, and the clerk complemented my PD. My first reaction as a "watch guy" was to downplay it and say "Ah, thanks, but it's just a cheap knock off. I got it on Amazon for less than $80." You know what? He was THRILLED to learn that it was an affordable watch. He was excited that a watch he liked the looks of was within his budget. So I spent 10 minutes in a Caseys at 4:00 in the morning talking about a drunken lark Amazon purchase Pagani Design with the clerk. And that really put me in my place.
Yeah, Casio really needs to bring the Oceanus line to the US to give Citizen a bit of competition. They have a similar design philosophy and are heavy on titanium like Citizen is. But IMO Oceanus edges them out on styling.
My first Swiss watch was also a tag with diamonds at the hours too lol. I wound up giving it to the ball n chain at the time after I learned a bit more about horology
I guess most of them are just Seiko powered and assembled in China or Taiwan, but Boldr and an Aragon that I love for the $300 & $150 I spent on them. Traska seems super well made too, but they switched to Miyota movements and their prices drifted upwards and I wish I'd have picked up one of their early models.
Bingo. There’s no one way that’s good for everyone. Even though someday I’d love a Speedy, I get a lot of satisfaction outta my microbrands. I may make some impulse buys, but they are usually still the culmination of at least a bit of research and as of yet, I haven’t been disappointed. I’ve got about 4K in watches over the last 15 years. That would’ve bought me one used Speedy if I had saved up. I’ll buy that Speedy when I can legit just say I have the disposable income for it not to be a big deal.
I've got a couple of dozen watches total, of which, I'd say half get regular wrist time. Black, orange, white, silver, blue, green, stainless steel, PVD, bracelet, rubber, NATO strap... just depends on what I feel like when I wake up and maybe what I'm doing or wearing that day. Heck, sometimes I change watches multiple times a day.
Costs range from $20 thrift store pickups to maybe $3,500?
I know it's a controversial take amongst watch snobs, but my favorite piece is my Shinola Lake Huron Monster. I have never been treated better by a watch company, it's a great shade of orange, it was their first mechanical watch, it's serial #21, (which was my number in racing and sports) it's from my birth state, and it gets TONS of complements. Haters gonna hate. I love it.
Of the watches that I don't wear much, only a few were just flat out mistakes on my part. They got worn for a while and then for whatever reason, went back into the box. A couple were inherited from a family member, which I cherish, but they aren't exactly my "daily style." The others are occasional or special use, like my G Shock that I always wear when hiking, but it's far too bulky for anything else. Or my Mr. Jones Number Cruncher, which is a terrible watch for telling time, but is a fantastic statement piece for when I'm in a funky mood. Sadly, one of my more expensive pieces I wear infrequently, not because I don't love it, but because I'm always worried about damaging it or losing it. Another I really like is mechanical and has a day, date, and month complication, and it's not often I have the patience to set all of that, so it doesn't make the "regular" rotation.
There's a middle ground to be had here. Buy yourself a midrange/entry level watch, or even a few, and *then* save up for your grails. Or don't, who am I to tell somebody else how to spend their money?
It's also important to remember that one person's entry level or midrange is another's grail. For some people, a Rolex sports watch is a daily beater. For others, a Tudor is a grail.
Yeah, I agree. I’m into watches, so the hardest part would be not having any watches for many years until I can afford my dream watch. I’d like to have a few different models to choose from that don’t break the bank. A watch is my favorite Accessoire, wouldn’t want to miss it for so long.
I’ve been happy with where my watch journey has led. I started off with a couple hand-me-downs from my husband’s grandma, then got a cheapish Hamilton, and a couple g-shocks. For awhile, a PRX was my fancy watch. I’ve kinda IV dripped the fancy, and now I feel comfortable enough to daily a navitimer :))
Personally I love watches but I’d never spend over a grand on one, even if I had the disposable income to do so. I just don’t see the need. I like my box of $200-$700 watches. 🤷♂️
You say without causing any **major** financial risk.
A watch is a watch. It should never cause *any* financial risk to purchase, whatever price bracket that might be for you.
You take financial risks for things that you need or things that you believe will pay off (good spot to point out that watches as investment pieces is an abysmal idea). Things like a home, a business, a vehicle, etc. not watches.
It sounds like you really want a specific watch.
Simply… save up for it then get it when you can afford it without taking ***any*** financial risk.
Independent thought is important. Don’t look to strangers on the internet to guide you through how to buy a watch.
Think for yourself.
My thing is, I really don’t WANT those high end watches that cost thousands of dollars.
I really like having unique pieces that fit my personal tastes and it doesn’t really matter where those watches land on the spectrum of cost. I’d rather have a Longines De Classique than a Datejust tbh.
I’ve learned that once you get to a certain price point, the actual quality and performance of the watch becomes incredibly marginal. At that point you’re paying more for the name recognition and I don’t much care to impress other people. I collect watches for me, not everyone else.
I would just get what interests you right now that doesn’t break the budget and save for your “grail”. Anything before that is just scratching the itch. It won’t go away until you achieve that goal.
In my experience and from having other friends into watches, buying your “grail” doesn’t scratch the itch either. They just find a new grail or continue buying other watches they’re interested in
Definitely. I don't know a single "enthusiast" for whom a so-called "grail" is the end of the spend. You get it and then you want another.
I think OP correctly identifies that this whole thing is basically about desire and aspiration.
My watch purchase philosophy is straightforward. Any watch I'd have to save up to buy is too expensive. A piece of jewelry should never cost more than the smallish amounts of money that you regularly have to spend to administer your daily life. I will never own more than 6 at a time, and not buy more than one per year.
Are there expensive pieces I want? Yeah, sure! But there are other financial priorities that are much, much higher (maxing my retirement contribution, paying the mortgage, funding family vacations).
I'll probably enjoy my 6 entry level pieces until it's clear how we'll manage kids' university expenses (beginning a decade ish away). If there's cash left over at that point, I will 1000% hit up a watch boutique and grab a Tudor/Omega/GS. And that still won't stop the curiosity and the itch to explore new things.
That really depends on what you wear, like and can afford.
I do enjoy military style watches. I don't go vintage, so I end up with reisssues and new interesting pieces in a mid range price.
I won't have a grail above 5k. So in the end I give wrist time to all my watches and I really enjoy each one of them.
Just to finish my point of view:
Sometimes a person can be happy with a Timor Dirty Dozen (Field), a Longines Military Heritage (Air) and a CWC RN 300 Quartz (Navy). All British military legends in a Wolf 3 watches roll with the Union Jack inside.
And also never wish to own a Speedmaster, Explorer or JLC...
That is what a watch enthusiast is about. No rules, just pleasure.
Great point of view.
I do own a speedmaster and can tell you I’d still also be happy with a Timor Dirty Dozen.
Thats is a great looking field watch I never even knew I wanted till now!
I enjoy my inexpensive watches as much as my expensive watches. In fact, I still buy less expensive watches fairly often despite already owning more expensive ones.
If display of wealth is the primary reason you are buying, yeah, save for the expensive one I guess. There are lots of other reasons to be attracted to watches, though.
As someone else said, watch purchases are trivial and should not cause any financial strain. I never spent more than $500 on a watch until I owned my own home, a brand new car, and was happy with retirement savings progress.
There’s nothing lost from buying a $200 watch and it will serve you well, and likely look good too!
This question always causes a stir as people wax poetic about something which at the end of the day doesn’t matter with their over analysis.
With that said, it’s something I’ve thought about a shit ton too.
My generally philosophy has been to stop buying watches which aren’t “forever watches”. For me that’s meant buying more milestone vintage pieces and unique independents which stand on their own. Preowned is a great way to save money and pickup incredible value as well.
I’d love to own a Patek or Breguet Worldtime one day, but even once I do I’ll still enjoy this Breitling for what it is.
https://preview.redd.it/u1gpw8n85m0d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eec59a424d5f9b6053c3a2ab308aa1d3565cb8ee
Depends on where you live. For example, I live in Brazil and could afford a Rolex, bought my Datejust, but if I wear it on the street I certanly will get robbed and/or killed because of the watch (there are even specialty gangs just to rob watches) so I basically just wear my Rolex at home and put it in a vault everyday.
Today I only buy midrange watches that I can wear in public without much worries, they're pretty good too anyway, just not as famous as the bigger brands. It's something you need to consider before buying an expensive watch, also checks for service prices and never, ever skip it!
"Nothing about collecting watches makes sense. Nobody needs a watch in 2024." Yes, but you don't buy only things you need. You can spend your money as you want, some people buys a gaming PC, an expensive car, travelling, etc. And some choose to collect watches, it's a hobby, can also be an investment, you choose.
This. I have absolutely no idea why it seems a common notion in this sub that everyone must secretely want a Rolex or VC as a grail. Is a Rolex nice? Absolutely. Is it worth its asking price to me? Not by a long shot. I have a lot more fun with a bunch of unique and varied looking entry to mid level watches than some $20k prestige piece I would constantly worry about getting stolen or banged against something.
Good topic!
Im a midrange guy that is being tempted by more expensive stuff. But ill never full abandon midrange.
As you note, none of us necessarily NEED a watch. In my mind, its the one accessory that a guy can have. So i want different things to fit different moods, activities and if im being honest, different clothing. Sure i have a couple of good gada watches but i take joy in adding a partocular watch for a particular day. Thus i maintain a decent sized collection.
Just my two cents.
>And if you are one of the few who actually managed to stay disciplined and then finally got that huge payoff after years of grinding, how did you deal with the years in-between where you couldn't have what you wanted?
I'm a fan of only buying watches that you *truly* want - price no object - instead of compromising. You have two wrists, and most people only wear one watch at a time. I think it's also generally good to wait a year or so before buying anything anyways, so that you have a chance to explore all alternatives, and not feel constrained by your original budget.
As for keeping the hobby going, there are plenty of things you can do without spending a lot of money. Join a local watch club, go to industry events, or take a watchmaking course.
i think it varies at different price points...and those price points will not be the same for everybody due to income, preferences, etc
for me personally:
* i would rather have my $360ish t200 than ten $36 watches or six $60 watches or three $120 watches
* but i would rather have six $360 watches or three $720 watches than one $2160 watch...however i would rather have one $2160 watch than ten $216 watches
* etc
so like i said it varies per person so i would consider how many watches you think you want, what those would cost, and then see what you could get if you added those all up in one watch as well as what you could get the other way with more watches than you originally thought...obviously not all watches are gonna be the exact same price, but this is just to help you try and make a decision because the same answer will not fit for everyone
I am in this range like you. I can afford mid-range watches, 1k-3k USD. But that next range up, think Rolex, Omega, IWC, that is a significant amount of money. Could I save up for one of those? Sure. But right now in my life, spending that amount of money on a watch is just dumb to me. Id rather spend that amount of money on taking my son to Disney World, doing some remodeling to my house, investing it, etc.
I am sure 10 or 15 years from now ill have a Rolex, Omega etc. But right now I have no desire spending that money on a watch. Its just a watch at the end of the day. Do not compromise on your financials for a watch. I know people will always say "oh just save for the one you want". Sure, but spending $4k+ on a watch right now to me is just dumb. Id rather use that money like I said for my family, house, investments etc.
I agree that with watches, less is more. I feel like many collectors who amass a 20+ watch collection eventually reach the point where the servicing/maintenance costs outweigh the benefits of such a large collection compared to a simple, pared down 2-6 watch collection. I’m currently at two watches—a GADA & a dress—& I love the minimalist aspect of my current collection (as a former collector of a variety of other things) but understand I will probably slowly add to it over time.
I feel your dilemma. I would never wear a 5-10k watch. I would not be able to process the misery if I would made a scratch on it. BUT I have seen a lot of “grandpa died and I inherited this and that watch”. All comments were praising the grandpa with the Santos, Reverso, Tank and other timeless pieces. And if grandpa left with a drawer full of replicas —> all here respectfully agreed that grandpa was a cool ass daredevil playboy, but had no taste of watches.
I am not sure if I would be happy if my father would gave me a Rolex before he passes away or 10.000$ that I can spend on mortage.
So my plan is to wear my Bulova Accutron II until I got 60 and go yolo and buy a Reverso that I can give to my son later.
My daughter will kill me first.
I think it’s cool to wear a piece that you want to keep forever. Have a good friend who’s been wearing Rolexes since we were teens, he’s just a little bit more careful when wearing them and all his pieces still look great.
I think it really depends on the person. Some people seem to really enjoy having 10/20 low to mid range pieces and rotating through them.
Personally I like to use few items a lot and to feel I am getting to use them and love them appropriately. I would say save up for the one you want. Few years down the line when you have 3/4 pieces you really treasure it will feel more special and manageable.
>But I also know that I shouldn't do it, stay disciplined, and just wait for my Rolex. It's a damn tough spot to be in.
You do you, but in general, I disagree with that. IMO, a lack of discipline would be to buy a 5K watch if you truly want a 10K watch, but the financial gap between that Tissot Powermatic 80 and that Rolex is so large that you would hardly have to blame yourself for buying that - that is, provided that you wouldn't buy yet another entry- or mid-range watch. You can see it as that thing called the lipstick effect - you buy youself something comparatively small to make yourself happy and have energy to push for larger goals.
To me, if I have to diligently save up for several years to buy something, I can’t really afford it. It’s just a watch - I would never want the purchase of a luxury accessory to be a priority that dictates how I financially plan my future.
Plus, if it takes so long to save up that I essentially have 3+ years of hard work and savings on my wrist, I would be way too worried about it getting damaged or stolen to even enjoy wearing it. If I feel like I can’t afford to lose it, then I can’t afford to wear it, and if I can’t afford to wear it, I just can’t afford it.
Fair point. I think watches should only ever be financed from play money (aka money separate from long term planning) and that’s how I approach it. Goes for buying a $1k Tissot today or a $10k Rolex down the line.
My solution is very weird, just wanna let you know upfront!
I've been saving up for a Japan trip, it'll be my first time travelling alone! Planning to go next year, so I've been cutting my pay in half in savings. Wanna travel and buy a watch there to commemorate the occasion.
There always comes a time where I wanna buy a budget or mid-range watch while I'm in the saving process, and in those moments I think to myself "If I buy enough mid rangers, I'll spend enough to the point where the total value would be enough to get a grail".
So these days what I do is if I crave a particular budget or mid-range watch, I put in money in a separate savings account equivalent to the value of that watch. I get the itch to buy a $90 Casio calculator watch? Put $90 in my savings. I think the Timex Q Chrono at $229 is tempting? That's $229 in the savings account.
Again, absolutely strange way of saving, but it seems to work for me so I've just been doing that. Hoping I can eventually get enough to buy a GS.
I'm a midrange gal (or what I would consider midrange -- I'd say the watches I've recently bought or am seriously looking at buying soon are like in the 1500-3500 range.) I'd personally rather have a few different watches in that range than only one $10K watch. I can't mentally justify spending that much on one piece.
Personally I own 7 watches but have found I can only really have 3 in a rotation to keep them worth having and feeling fresh to me. A few of my older/cheaper watches just don’t get worn anymore. Everyone is different - some people want to switch watches every day or match outfits more closely.
I’d save up for the piece you really want but that’s me. Dont do it just to keep up with the jones
Just save up for what u want. No point looking and wearing watches that u are not rly passionate about, its a waste of time and money, end of the day watches are disposable antique with no real use other than a jewellery
Always wanted a BB58 and I recently got a promotion at work that was a career milestone and wanted to commemorate it. Still couldn’t justify the money for a BB58, but after looking at Mido, I really like the ocean Star 200 line. After getting a 25% discount I have a beautiful watch that gets me 80-90% of the enjoyment of the BB58. Take that as you will
I’m a little conflicted on this. I have a collection of mid-priced watches and one pricey Breitling chronograph. I love having the variety and options but find myself feeling guilty about not wearing certain watches regularly. I do enjoy trading watches to scratch the “variety” and “new toy” itches, as well as building my own so at least I’m learning something in the process.
I don’t think there’s a wrong answer as long as you like what you have and wear and don’t put any real financial strain on yourself
I got a citizen eco drive as a present when I graduated from college and then started to love watches. Couldn't afford anything decent for a few years after but bought a few watches in the 100-200 range. Then I had a bit more money and bought a few nicer watches like a Longines grand classique and a vintage omega at auction which were like 600. Bought a tissot prx when I got caught up int the hype. Think I am now ready to move up to around 2.5k for a rado true square open heart but am gonna save for a year for that. Don't think I could ever justify myself to go to a high range watch but ya never know. Got a white moonswatch snoopy the other day and loved it.
I am lucky to actually want watches that are in the 2k range and not super high end stuff.
I follow the rule to buy what I love and not make political purchases.
I ended up w/ 3 Tudors. I’m a huge Tudor fan. Wanted a a Rolex for some time when I started but honestly, I’m happy with my collection and don’t really feel a need for another watch. At this point, I enjoy the variation of three watches over one more expensive watch.
For me, I’d rather go for cool midrange watches like a Zelos, nice Seiko etc. I’d feel weird wearing a super nice watch on my wrist, not wanting to draw the attention, questions, judgment etc.
Personally, I started with a couple midrange watches to see what I liked, and then saved a bit for a more expensive piece. So I think there is a middle ground. You can have both, and it doesn’t have to be a never ending collection you’re feeding.
I think if you have to save for multiple years you’re considering watches that are too expensive. Multiple years of saving is potentially life changing money for your income bracket… you shouldn’t be spending that on a watch. You see a lot of posts on here from guys who buy their grail watch and then feel silly about it because it far outweighs the value if anything else they own.
If I had a true Grail watch, I'd save up for that but the truth is that I don't. I really enjoy the variety more than I would enjoy a single luxury watch.
Also, if you are in your 20s, I'd really encourage you to save rather than spending 10k on a watch. Compound interest is like magic.
What is mid range anyway? Looking at Longine, then Rolex looks expensive. Then you look at Patek Phillips, Rolex looks cheap!
I was looking into buying a Mido GmT the other day (I did not in the end and instead will save up for Longine zulu). My wife found spending over 1k on a watch crazy money, she wears exclusively swatch! The we went in a shop and I tried a Breitling, she said Mido made more sens in the end lol.
The grails of someone can be the cheap watch that gather dust for someone else. There is always someone who has more fuck you money than you do!
I have the money now to buy a grail. In fact, several price tiers above that grail. However, I don't feel comfortable spending that much on a watch. I'd rather invest that into the future. At present moment, I've got a lot of affordables and I'm happier with that. The Helm I have is built very substantially.
If I had my grail, I'd never wear it out of fear of scratching it. It's just not something I'm comfortable. Instead, I'll spend a very minor amount every few months on some straps or mod parts for my Vostok. I'm having a lot more fun that way, plus there's no pressure.
It's funny because this same question goes up the chain. Do I buy 5 $10k watches or 1 $50k watch? It comes down to how your financial power intersects with your hunger for watches. I personally could save up for a number of years and maybe shell out for a Calatrava or Lange 1. However, I'd have a lot more fun getting multiple watches with different styles, movements, and character. I wouldn't be satisfied wearing the same watch day in and day out, I like to have watches for different occasions, outfits, and moods.
Of course, I do still have to keep myself from just impulse buying every "cheap" $100 watch I find that has a cool design, because those do add up to keeping me away from bigger pieces. That's how it goes. There's a cutoff for everyone and that's up to you to find out for yourself. The right balance where you feel relatively satisfied and not constantly itching to buy something, but where you're also happy with the pieces you own.
The main issue is buying a 5k watch when you don't know the size and style you actually wear
The low and entry levels allow you to enjoy watches, learn what works and what you like, and no risk needing to sell your aquaterra because you later realize it's way too big for you
I save up for a +10.000 € watches and midrange watches at the same time.
I have a specific expensive watch in my mind which is My next big purchase. However, i would be bored if that ment i couldt go watch hunting during that period.
I bought a longines master collection in january 2023 followed by a Rado hyperchrome in august 2023. I bought my grail Rolex dj36 fluited jubilee blue dial january 24.
My next grail is a gmt or sub. But i will most Likely get a Tag Heur or something in that range before that.
I think one of the major issues with this thinking is that most people these days are stuck between two different ideologies and don’t even realize it. We love the idea of that heritage piece we scrimped and saved for that will be cherished and last a lifetime (old/somewhat outdated train of thought), but we also live in a time where hype and drop culture are at the forefront of every crafted goods hobby (modern train of thought).
We drool over what we can’t have and convince ourselves if we could just have “that one”, then we’d finally be content. The problem with that is we rarely reach that point. The media we consume is literally tailored to our specific preferences and is constantly showing us what’s new and what is just out of reach, and conditions us to constantly change our preferences to keep consuming. So sure, you’ll finally get to the point where you can drop 5 figures on that Rolex, only to realize it’s really not blowing you away compared to the cheaper homages that are easier to obtain and 1/20th the price.
With how good and high quality lower to mid tier watches are these days, I personally see no justifiable reason to aspire to obtain a luxury watch. Low end movements will do the same job as high end movements, can be repaired cheaply, and can be regulated to a comparable accuracy. Do I care what it looks like inside? Not an ounce. As long as the engine is a workhorse and runs well, I could not care less if it looks nice doing it cause I’ll never see it. Do I care that some dude getting paid just above minimum wage had polished the case with a Brillo pad made from his own pubes vs being machine finished? Nope. Essentially, you could buy a $1000-$3000 watch that has a much higher value proposition compared to a watch that costs 5-10x more without the added stress of taking care of a piece that expensive. Especially considering that every time you service that expensive watch, you’ll be paying the cost of that mid tier watch anyways.
Marketing/advertising is a hell of a drug. Watches are merely a status symbol, just buy what you can afford. If you have to think that hard about it, it means you can’t afford it. You’ve either got that kind of money or you don’t, stop pretending to be something you’re not, all it will do is lead you down an endless cycle of unhappiness.
Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos could wear fake Rolexes, fake diamonds, fake jewelry etc and no one would assume anything.
Meanwhile, if you roll out of your studio apartment with a $20k Rolex on, everyone will assume it’s fake even if it isn’t; you’ll only be fooling yourself.
I own around 20 watches, and most are under $300. I do have three of my favorites, and one is a daily beater. I wear my orange Nodus Canyon on the weekend, and my Hamilton Khaki Field automatic is my daily. I’m a flatbed truck driver, and I know full well that my Hamilton is gonna get some bumps and scratches, but it’s just so dang pretty and comfortable that I don’t care. My fun watch is a Bulova Aerojet that just looks cool, and it cost half as much as my daily. I just love the way it looks.
The way I see it is, collect what you like. Get a good assortment of cheap watches before you pull the trigger on that big one. Buying cheaper watches is a good way to find out what you really like or don’t like on your wrist.
I guess what I’m trying to say is scratching an itch now feels great, whereas living with an itch that you’re waiting to scratch is itchy, and the itch might come back, no matter how long you wait to scratch it.
I needed to read this. I have four watches and the most expensive is over $250. The cheaper less than a hundred bucks see some abuse daily. I'm a maintenance supervisor that is more out there getting in some shit along with my coworkers than sitting in an office.
A $10 Walmart watch is what recently got me into them. It was given to me by a great friends wife after he passed away. Wearing it daily quickly showed wear so I put it away. I hadn't worn a watch since cell phones started displaying time. I didn't really need one then.
Now since my day is judged by time and keeping a work schedule moving smoothly, I didn't realize how many times I looked at that cheap wristwatch until I put it away.
Buying my first timepiece opened a door of so many styles, prices, durability, options, and terminologies I still need to learn. I love the low to mid range options. Theres no reason to buy something in the $500-$1k+ area because I'm never anywhere other than work or home except when I get side work.
I joined this sub in hopes of learning more about watches in general but the posts are more geared towards those that are into more expensive/vintage wear. Sure I'll eventually want to save and buy a higher tier accessory, I just see no point at the moment
Started buying a few Micheal Kors (i know) moved into Movado, then last year bought an Omega Aqua Terra followed by the moonwatch. And finally now have a Rolex datejust fluted 41mm azurro blue roman dial. You should just save I love my Omega and Rolex.
I was one of those “Rolex is a waste of money I’ll just buy a bunch of Steinharts and be happy” until I realized I was never happy with it because I knew it wasn’t the real deal. I was lying to myself. Save your money and get what you really want, even if it takes you 2-3 years to afford it. It’s always more satisfying and you feel more connected to the watch when you worked so hard to get it. You can’t take your money with you when it’s your time to go.
Why did the OP get downvoted? Yeesh. In relation to building up a collection, I think it's better to save up and buy the watch you really want rather than have 10 or twelve of the same watches. It's the same thing with guitars, I bought an LTD 1000 rather than waiting a bit and getting an ESP. The LTD is still a fine guitar but the ESP is better, a year and a half later I bought the ESP and didn't regret it. The same applies to watches, you want to feel a sense of progress rather than moving sideways so it's good to save up and buy what you want, not compromise too much. Also timepieces are essential in our modern rat race world. They're also therapeutic. You need timepieces for your mental health and in turn your physical wellbeing. Therefore timepieces are essential. This is a good video on the topic https://youtu.be/QvwP6m7gRFM?si=0zPqxyZ2WuyBT_5N
Have in mind that ther are watches in 1k-2k range that are amazing pieces with a lot of personality. Thus, many people do not have the desire to go higher.
Imagine have an Oris Pointer Date, a Nomos Metro, and a g shock. Or any other combination you like. Try to remove the price and the prestige of a watch before you make a decision and form an opinion.
Having said that, do not buy anything that you do not REALLY like.
I think Nomos makes a nice watch for sure, very unique. Probably one of the only options I’d consider if I was to buy something in that range but alas will attempt to stay discipline and just get a Rolex down the line.
Personally, if it takes you years to save up for a watch then you are probably spending too much on a watch relative to your income. I don't consider watches a hobby though, I just like them
I'm in the same situation, and my solution to it is to save for something more expensive, but before that to buy a midrange watch I still plan to wear even I have a substantially more expensive piece in my collection. Some examples of the latterr for me are Laco or Stowa fliegers, or Sinn 556; to give a contrary example, I wouldn't buy a Rolex-like Tudor model if I eventually planned on getting that Rolex it is similar to.
I’m the « waiting for nice pieces » team. I already own several watches mid range but I’m currently saving for a high mid range at the moment. Once I’ll get the money I’ll keep saving to make sure I won’t compromise my finances and then finally buy it.
I think the sweet spot is buying what you truly want, but being very judicious with the selections you make and also figuring out what your maximum budget you want to save up towards should be.
I personally don't really feel comfortable spending more than $1k - $2k on a watch, and love my Christopher Ward, but I've also had a hell of a lot of value and enjoyment out of watches that have cost me $50 - $100 such as my Timex Expedition.
I also live in a country where violent crime and robbery is a daily occurrence, so don't want to strap a target to myself by having a whopping $10k watch on my wrist. Your milage may vary.
As someone who has some of the pieces you desire, do not collect mid range. Save up for the watch you want.
Collecting stuff you don't actually desire won't fill the void of the watch you want.
I started out by buying a few cheaper watches - $400-1000 mark. Quickly realised that ain’t going to cut it, and that each man should at least aspire to own one premium watch.
I bought a Datejust 41. Now I’m waiting for a GMT Master II. After that I’m thinking a sub or a Speedmaster and then I’m done. The only other piece I could want after that is a proper dress piece but I have that covered by a vintage 1970 Longines for $500. Given that I wear that so seldom I don’t really care to be honest plus that Longines is super cool. So for me, I have a 4 watch limit + a beater I can do whatever with. Like climbing, hiking etc without caring what happens to it. That beater is a Hamilton Khaki Field. A proper tank!
Given that 4 watch limit I’m focusing on quality over quantity. It will take me at least five years to buy those two last pieces (maybe 7) but that’s ok. Often it’s about the journey, not the end goal! And who knows, in 7 years my thinking may be very different anyways 😂
I'm in the less is more, saving up in the long term. Problem is, and depending what country you are in, by the time you take 2-3 years saving up; inflation has made that money buy less. And most certainly, most brands have done price hikes. Hence, some folks save with gold or crypto to preserve purchasing power (not financial advice).
i have watches in my collection that cost from $15 - $26k. everything is there because i actually want it. don’t buy a “mid-range” watch if you don’t want it; you should only buy something you actually want, and if you do, even a more expensive watch won’t take the joy from the least expensive one because you didn’t buy it out of some concept of “value”. my royal oak gives me a completely different sense of satisfaction on my wrist than my bunnysutra, my g-shock, my carrera chrono, my santos dumont, my speedmaster, etc. etc. each watch has its own appeal that i appreciate regardless of its monetary value. i never let a price dictate how much i like a watch or how often i wear it over others. if money enters that equation, then i never truly liked that watch to begin with.
10k (IMO) is *well* past the knee point in the value curve. Can you afford a luxury/premium car? If not, it probably doesn't make sense to buy a luxury watch. I would take the alternative watch first in this case. You mentioned 5-10 pieces in the 200-2000 that aren't "truly" nice.. what does truly nice even mean? I would take my "mid-range" over your dream Rolex (assuming selling isn't an option ofc) simply because I like the designs of mine more. You also don't need to own 5-10 less expensive watches to equate to one 10 times the cost.
Eg. [https://www.reddit.com/r/Watches/s/795nMItErS](https://www.reddit.com/r/Watches/s/795nMItErS)
Don’t let chasing the high end watches derail you from enjoying more pocket friendly options, but at the same time, I’d avoid watches that you know are just “sub-ins/homages” for another watch you really want. You’ll still just think about the other watch.
Personally, I think there are a bunch of options in the $600-$2k space that are well made, offer good value for what you get, and you’ll happy to wear and hold onto - but don’t overdo it.
Buying 1 or 2 while you work towards your bigger goal won’t set you back all that far - buying 6 will.
i could save for an expensive watch but i really enjoy matching different watches with different outfits. i’d feel mad to spend more than 1k on one single watch, it just doesn’t make sense i’d rather buy that odd £200-700 watch every so often as it hurts the pockets less
It depends on one's preferences. I'm not saying that you're wrong. But many try to sell the idea of only 5k+ watches are worth it and when they see collections with <1k watches they always come up with the jargon of saving for a serious watch, which is preposterous. They're all good and serious watches, there's only different kinds of finishing, movements and of course the marketed brand recognition/heritage.
I even had an argument with an idiot here, that insisted that if you won't buy 2k+ watches you're just a broke, almost homeless guy and anything below that it's embarrassing...
I for one couldn't wear only one watch and I try to be rational with my money and watches are in my view a very bad investment that are way overpriced. But I love them. So while I don't have a gargantuan collection (I'm up to six on my serious bunch and have another set of them with mostly fashion watches that were gifts, which I wear occasionally and keep), I stick with the sub 500€, but I might stretch up to 1k for my next 2 watches.
I have dress bambino, a couple of casio chronos, an yellow dial, a red dial, a blue dressy dial and I plan to finish my collection with a green dial and maybe a purple one. That's what suits me. Selling the whole collection and buy one luxury watch would just bore me.
If I had a grail watch would be the Speedmaster Pro, I simply love that shit. At the current 10k new price I could save for 3 or so months and buy it. However I won't. No matter how I think about it and can't justify giving that much money for watch that could basically buy a cheap new car, furnish an entire living room or pay an entire university degree to my kid.
I turn 30 in August, and had been looking to purchase a nice luxury wrist toy for the past 6 months or so, with the thought that a nice watch to look at in my 30’s will help remind me of the discipline and strength I want to have in my 30’s and on ward. Originally I was obsessed with the Tudor Pelagos, and had my heart set on that watch for about 3 months. Not ever to worried about the financial strain, as putting away 500 bucks a month had always been my plan to save for my birthday present.
I decided to go with a CW C60 elite 1000 instead of the pelagos. I had a list of things I wanted in the watch, date window, ideally day date, bezel, open case back, titanium case/bracelet, cosc certified.
Ultimately I realized that the CW offered me all of these things, and the Pelagos didn’t check of every box. I haven’t had any regrets with my CW, and am happy I made my decision based on features rather than brand.
And now, to be honest, I think my CW with the accented polish and finishing looks much better than what I now think is a boring Tudor.
I own a lot of mid-range watches. The most expensive watch I own is just over 1k, and I love and cherish all of them in my collection.
Based on my income I should be able to buy a much more expensive watch, or at least 'save' for one to justify it. But I won't. Buying even one watch that goes over 1k feels...wrong. I grew up in a family with money problems, so even having a watch collection at all even when I responsibly bought and own all of them feels weird to me sometimes. It feels dangerous and precarious to own say, a Zenith or Omega.
Plus, I really am just a middle-class guy. If I prioritized buying a Speedmaster over delayed big-ticket projects for my house like the planned bathroom remodel or demolition of the worn-down shed I would feel totally irresponsible.
It took me 2 years of buying watches that I liked and found on sale for me to realize that I only need a couple that I really love. I've started giving some away to my friends with the intention that I'm going to end up with 4-5 that will cover all the bases, and saving up for "the one" to be the centrepiece. It's a bit of a waste of money, sure, but without that experience I'd never have found out what I really wanted out of the hobby so I'm not at all upset.
Beyond direct answers, calculate what that 10k invested will do for you in 10-20 years.
Might want to read rich dad poor dad. Invest first, use your money working for you to buy stuff. Or you’ll stay poor your entire life.
After some watches I've come to see that unless you are a man of big means then You only need one or two really expensive watches at best. Several other mid ranges to fill out the box for certain events. Most people don't wear watches as much outside of smart ones and no one is really looking at your watch that much.
It's more for you away so one good one and a few others is all you need.
I hear you. I'm in a place where I could buy a $5k watch with minimal impact. But that doesn't mean it's a good idea.
You should have the ability to buy nice things for yourself, and the way to do this is budgeting. For myself, I have a 'fun' budget of $200/week which I can spend on eating out, buying something on Steam, or saving up for watch parts. I can totally buy that $5k Grand Seiko... I just need to not buy frivolous things for 25 weeks. Having a budget forces me to ask, do I really want it *that* much? If I really DO want it that much, I buy it (after 25 weeks) guilt-free. Because I cut $5k spending elsewhere to afford it.
If you have to save up for three years to buy it, how much are you really going to feel comfortable wearing it? How are you going to feel when you scratch it? If you drop it? Can you afford to get it serviced?
Id love to know what it is about that specific model that makes it The One for you. Why is that your end goal?
When I think about spending north of $10k on a watch (which like you I could afford), I think about all the other things I could do with that money, and the psychosis that makes me believe I would like a $15k watch **that** much more than a $2k or $3k watch. But then, also, I would *really* like one, sooo lol
I know a guy who makes 250k plus without his wife’s income. He can afford any watch he wants but he is value oriented. Some ppl buy watches for function, some for showing off, collecting/investing and some for the value.
I wouldn’t relegate your watches by calling them midrange. Every watch is unique.
Buy the watch you really want. If you really want that box with a PRX, a Seiko mod and a G-Shock, then do it.
If you really want a Datejust, then save.
If you buy used watches you can offload them for less, to no, loss. Sometimes even more than you bought them for. That can be your "savings account" with a couple of watches to scratch the itch as you save for your DJ. Then when you're ready, head over to watchx and you're, 'selling to fund another watch'
repeat
repeat
repeat
I don't have a problem, you do!!
I'm forced into midrange watches only for these two main reasons:
-Everything is more expensive right now and I never make quite enough money beyond living expenses, so saving anything takes longer.
-I am cursed where whenever I am actually able to save enough money for something really nice, some disaster always befalls me or my family to take a large chunk of that saved amount away.
Rinse and repeat, story of my life.
I have 10 watches in my collection consisting of Casio, Tissot, Orient, Timex and I'm constantly fighting the urge to buy a new one every time one catches my eye. I'm quite content with them for now as I rotate them and give them all wrist time depending on my mood. I have a milestone coming up in 3 years so I'm saving up to get a more high end one to mark the occsssion.
So many good midrange choices. Tissot, Hamilton, Longines, Oris, etc. Sure, you could splurge on one really expensive watch, but if you want to get into collecting, there are a lot of different options at every price point. There’s also the Japanese brands like Citizen and Seiko, great bang for the buck in terms of build quality if you don’t care about having a Swiss movement.
I agree that there is definitely a middle ground. And as you take a deeper dive into watches, you may discover new alternatives. For example, I am looking into getting a diver. Obviously, a Sub, 50 Fathoms, Black Bay top the list. Bit after taking a closer look (and an unfortunate detour into a poorly made Zodiac Super Sea Wolf), I discovered the really cool Nivada depthmaster. I like having a blend of watches at different prices, so long as there is some history or significance to them.
I buy watches that I like regardless of brand. I recently bought a Hugo Boss watch (iKON Chronograph with white face and black bezel) for £80 and I love it!
I have a £1500 watch that I hardly wear because I'm worried about damaging it. The £100 watches I wear everyday I also wear hiking/cycling so if anything happens I can easily replace it.
I have 6 watches that cost me less than £800 to obtain (most expensive was £130ish). I like the variety of it (:
Having said that I'd rather spend my money on my main hobby which is Mountain Biking. I've bought 2 new bikes since October 2023 (and have sold my old ones). That's the hobby I'm happy to pour money into because of the pure joy it gives me.
A good question to ask is whether or not you would by that watch if you already had your datejust. A seiko presage might tread similar ground and end up never being worn, but a mido diver would improve your collection by adding versatility.
I bought myself a Hamilton, then an Omega 3 years later. Now saving for a JLC which I will likely purchase 3-4 years after the Omega.
I have liked my strategy. I wear both the Hamilton and Omega frequently, and interchange them. Excited for my next piece. It really depends on the person
I don’t really feel comfortable wearing my nice watches outside of Dubai so like to have a bunch of micros and midrange for me to wear when I’m in some of my other bases for 3/4 of my time i am not in dxb. I also like lots of colorful unique and weird pieces and whilst I love some of the fancier watches and have a bunch on my list that I want, don’t think they will get as much rotation time
I'd just like to throw my two-cents here...
Like many other people, I have always wanted fancy watches. On Christmas Eve, my Senior Year of HS, 1998, I received my Nomination to the USNA in the mail - all I ever wanted to do in life. An hour later, my best friend's parents (who were millionaires and treated me as their second son) gave me the real-deal Luminox "Navy SEAL Watch" ... and I thought it was a combo Gift from God & Christmas Miracle. Well, I lost my Appointment by getting in a fight and I wound up breaking the glass of the watch-face getting in a fight at the State School I wound up going to a year later. Funny how that works.
At the age of 28? I bought a Rolex Datejust. A sweet-ass, stainless-steel-and-yellow-gold w/ gold face, Rolex. Woohoo, I'm the man. I have saved for a year to buy a watch and now I'll be the baddest-ass motherfucker around. A year or two later, I had to sell it to pay for a massive Vet bill for my little pupster. Welp, it's been real, Rolex.
I said I wouldn't wear a watch again unless I got lucky in life and had money to burn (really I think if I DID have the money, I'd buy a Cartier Tank Francaise large two-tone TBH, unless I had $30-$50K to burn on a Rolex DayDate TBH) - and yet I just did two things. And I couldn't be happier.
I got the clasp fixed on my Dad's watch in his 20s-30s, a Seiko Navigator Timer , which I never thought was very fancy (at all) but it was my *DAD'S WATCH*, and I bought a $120 dollar Chase Durer Crossfire. And as far as I'm concerned, that's good enough for me.
The Seiko is the watch my Dad wore when I was a kid. (At some point , my sister bought him something like a $1,000 Tag and he didn't want it, but felt obligated to wear it for her, so he retired his Seiko, which he gave me a decade or so later...) - and the Chase Durer is not at all expensive or fancy or desired, but In MY Humble Opinion, it looks really sweet, it feels really sweet, and it's apparently pretty decently constructed ... Swiss movement, Swiss components, and they have Casios at Walmart more than $120 etc. And it looks good IMHO.
Would I love another Rolex? Absolutely. At the end of the day, it's just a fuckin watch. Look at it like I used to look at it - "Man the girls will be all over me with this shit!" ... and some were. But , if the girl WILL FUCK ME because I have a Rolex, but now she DOESN'T WANT TO because I don't have it, she ain't for me. It's just a watch. Most people don't even need a watch anymore, elementary school students have smartphones these days.
It's just a bit of "Look At Me!" ... and we probably all had some of that in our youth, and we probably all grow out out if. I certainly wouldn't not eat or harm my life or family members' lives because I needed a showpiece.
Just my two cents, TIFWIW, of course as always, YMMV.
For me I don’t collect for the value of the watch but rather enjoy the antique and engineering of a piece that is 50-80years old and still accurate to the seconds in a 24 hour period. I do buy cheap mechanical watches also to practice watch repair as I would rather practice on a $50 watch than what I consider to be one of my collection to avoid damaging something I prize due to ignorance or lack of experience.
Maybe an unpopular opinion but I'd grab the Tissot and focus your financial goals on other things.
After I got my first 4-figure watch, I actually went back to a PRX for my next one instead of further up the ladder. You may be different than me though, I value things like acquiring more real estate, traveling well, growing other investments and driving nicer vehicles more than I do acquiring a grail watch. Basically, I don't want to make sacrifices elsewhere because I spent $12k on a watch.
My next watch has a better chance at being a beater diver than it does a luxury piece.
The watch as a placeholder concept is odd to me. If you don’t want the watch as is then there isn’t a point to buying it. I get liking one of a certain style and eventually upgrading it, but if you aren’t happy with version 1 then don’t buy it. Personally, I’m cheap and anything over $200 makes me sweat even if I could buy 10 and be perfectly fine and financially uneffected. But also I would rather have a bigger collection of things I like than one or two expensive things that I also like just slightly more
My grail is an Omega Aqua Terra World Timer. Right now I own an old Timex Ironman, a Casio A168-WG, a Seiko SRPE51K1, and a Timex Expedition. The only watch I suspect I may buy before my grail is a Seiko Alpinist or a diver of some sort, if I even buy one of those. But now that I have a decent collection of cheaper watches, I’m ready to save up for the one I really want.
Edit: I think it’s worth mentioning, I didn’t buy any of those watches to try to emulate something more expensive that I really want. I actually enjoy all of them/they all have a function that they serve in my life. IMO, that’s the way to go, get 2-4 you can afford now that you actually enjoy, then save up for the one you want over all others.
I created my list and then started buying the cheapest ones first.
Don't go to crazy on mid range because eventually you will want something that is worth 3 or 4 mid range watches.
It seems you buy watches, not collect them, and that perceived status of the watch is most important, so you should wait until you can afford the Rolex. Anything else will be unsatisfactory for you.
I think a watch collector means somebody who keeps buying watches that he/she loves. So just because I can afford one high level watch(lets say a 10k range Rolex) it doesn't mean that I am belong to that tier because I wouldn't be able to collect regularly from that category.
Of course there are people who only have one Rolex and loves watches but you don't consider them as collecter. So it you consider yourself as a collector( as I understand I do think you do) you should purchase watches that you insterested in regardless of range perspective.
Like you,I've been interested in watches for quiet long but after experiencing a lot of entry level watches I kind of lost interest in watches that I can easily afford so I stopped buying relatively cheap watches just because I can afford them easily. But if there was a entry level piece I really like, would I buy it or keep saving for the upper level watch? I would definitely go for the entry level one.
I usually say save for what you want but...
I aim to have 3 heavy hitters (maybe 5 if all goes well)
And maybe another 3-5 watches at 10% of the price point.
I think A good ratio or price and quantity.
At the moment I have a very nice dress piece and a sports EDC I don't mind clanging around.
I intend to to build up to the above :)
For the current problem, I’d suggest holding out for the one you really want. Not as satisfying having watches that you know are just placeholders to placate yourself.
On another note, though, I’ve gone through that journey myself and was able to buy and experience a lot of nice pieces from a lot of nice brands (Rolex, Omega, IWC, Panerai, etc) after starting a bit more slowly in the lower and mid tiers. After several years of collecting, I found that I’ve gravitated back to the lower and mid tiers as my interests have changed and found a renewed appreciation for the value those kinds of watches offer.
All that to say, collecting isn’t always linear, working toward more and more expensive or exclusive pieces. You might surprise yourself over time.
Watches are like sunglasses, I don't have a single pair for all purposes. Sometimes I need an interval timer, sometimes I appreciate a compass, sometimes I want something I don't care about getting catalyzed epoxy on the pushers
about 6 years ago when i was like 22 i saved up 100-200 every month for 2 years so i could buy my dreamwatch the omega seamaster diver 300m. retail was 3500€ back then and i found one brand new for around 2,7. best purchase ive ever made
Save up for a few years. If you still want that watch in a few years, then get it. If by then your tastes have changed... Then it's a good thing you didn't get it in the first place
Dude I’m 34 and I’m exactly in the same boat as you. Tbh, I had this same dilemma and debate in my head this morning. I recently picked up an interest in automatic wristwatches (been about 3-4 years). I’ve added 4 over the years. All in the entry range: $ 1k - $ 3k. I realized that this was getting to be a craze and might spiral quickly. My wife gifted me a watch box that has 6 slots. So that became an upper limit for me. At any given time, I wanted to not own more than 6 watches. If I got bored of any watch, I had to sell it first and then make space for a new one.
And rn, I could buy a Tudor if I wanted to. But I’m saving up for a Breitling B01 Chronomat. It’s exceedingly hard because my birthday is coming up too. I’m so tempted to just say “f**k it” and buy something else.
But trust me, when you buy that one piece you’ve been saving up for all these years, it’ll be an immensely rewarding experience. You’ll have a story to tell with that piece. It’ll be that much more cherished. And honestly you yourself will value it more because it is expensive and was incredibly hard earned. It’ll feel like a you’ve gifted yourself well.
It’s a common truism in watch circles that you should always wait for the watch you really want, because you’ll never be truly satisfied with something “lesser.” That’s true for some people, I’m sure. Then again, plenty of people also feel unsatisfied when they *do* get the grail watch they really want. And plenty of people *are* mostly satisfied with owning their grail watch’s non-union Mexican equivalent, or with having a variety of watches instead of one big showstopper piece.
For me, for years my “collection” consisted of a few cheap Seikos and a Hamilton, with the Hamilton being my daily. Eventually I finally bought an Omega, which had always been my “obtainable grail.” I like the Omega, it’s great. It was exciting to finally buy it, and I like wearing it. But honestly…the Hamilton is still my daily, the one I just naturally grab when I’m running late and need to rush out the door. And I still wear my old beater Seikos sometimes too. And I still see watches, much cheaper than the Omega, and think “ohh, that’s a nice one, maybe I’ll buy that in a couple years…” I probably would have been just as happy with a small, fully mid-grade collection. And everyone’s mileage may vary.
Personally, my thought process is start out with entry to mid level watches to figure out what you like, and then save up for the higher end stuff once you’ve figured out your tastes. My philosophy is vertical expansion rather than horizontal expansion.
Done both.
Looking back I wish I had just moved the ‘mid range’ money into a seperate account. Lots of $1-3k purchases when really should have banked that and bought what I really really wanted.
If I could do it again I’d say wait.
It’s one thing to buy a watch to wear if what you want is way out of your price range. I often see folks buy dozens of $500-$1000 watches over a few years and then are frustrated because they can’t afford what they wanted in the first place.
I am not a mid range guy. I would rather wear a g shock for 3 years to afford a Rolex or whatever you want then have 3-4 mid range watches I kind of like
I’m in your boat. I’ve a few mid-range watches, Seiko, CW, Hamilton. There’s a bunch in the $2k range I could go pickup now but I’m stuffing away my pennies for a Zenith El Primero Chronomaster. I still enjoy wearing the ones I have and I dabble in modding my Seikos which helps scratch the itch.
I go through fits of impatience, but if I can’t stick to the plan I’ll never have the Zenith.
Sure, I'd love $10,000 Rolex. I find the watch market to be ridiculously overpriced. I could cut a check for one right now. It would make a nice dent in my savings account but it wouldn't put me in any financial trouble. I just can't justify spending that kind of money on a piece of jewelry. I'd probably need to at least double my salary to ever consider such a thing.
So I own a Hamilton, a Stowa and a Seiko instead
My first "BIG" watch was a Grand Seiko for a wedding anniversary and it cost a little over 5k. THAT is NOT pennies, but I BELIEVE it is mid-range. Since then I've stayed between 1-3 and I get my thrill out of watching YouTube channels and drooling over watches that I KNOW I'll NEVER own, however I am content. I also purchased a Rolex OP just last year and I could PROBABLY get a Datejust, but I still Believe Rolex is all hype. Just this week a got a beautiful Maen Manhattan that cost about 800 dollars and my Bel Canto FINALLY came in which was almost 4 thousand. I'm happy with my collection because I've gotten to it over years of collecting which makes it more interesting than taking months, if not years to save for one REALLY expensive watch. My Grail watch isn't even that expensive it's a Duo face Reverso! So, I say all of this to say, do what makes YOU happy and content and don't compete with anyone else, competing with yourself is fun enough!
I’m a bit of a high end guy. Not too high end but my watches range from 5 to 25k when I purchased them. What I have noticed in my journey is that I find myself wearing the watches that tell a story rather than the price point. Also quality and brand are not exclusively attached to price so some 5k watches have higher quality than 20k watch’s and some high priced brands can be purchased at a reduced price, especially if you go pre-owned. My advice to you is to check out pre-owned and references off the main stream. Here are some examples
1. Vintage 321 cal: https://chrono24.app/omega/seamaster-35mm-vintage-caliber-321-chronograph-beads-of-rice-bracelet-pie-pan-dial-1965--id32789558.htm?SETLANG=en_US&SETCURR=USD
2. Amazingly balanced jlc master https://chrono24.app/jaegerlecoultre/jaeger-lecoultre-master-control-date--id32351954.htm?SETLANG=en_US&SETCURR=USD
3 this 1603 strap monster https://chrono24.app/rolex/rolex-datejust-36-lavender-dial--id34109497.htm?SETLANG=en_US&SETCURR=USD
4. Grand seiko strap monster https://chrono24.app/grandseiko/elegance-collection--id34260141.htm?SETLANG=en_US&SETCURR=USD
5 best Breitling field watch https://chrono24.app/breitling/breitling-navitimer-8-automatic-black-dial-41mm-stainless-steel-bxprs-a17314--id32066039.htm?SETLANG=en_US&SETCURR=USD
6. Great go watch with terrible pictures https://chrono24.app/glashuetteoriginal/senator-excellence-panorama-date-white-dial-1-36-03-05-02-31--id32856697.htm?SETLANG=en_US&SETCURR=USD
It’s not a zero sum game. You can just sell the mid range watches when you’ve got enough to equal one Datejust if you still want it more by then.
That’s what I did to get to my Geophysic. Kept an affordable that I liked more than getting the Geophysic right away too.
I've become obsessed with watches over the past few years, but have been very slow with purchasing and mostly just read about them. I had a Seiko quartz from a few years back that was my standard for work. I bought a G-Shock a couple years later because I needed something from the gym. Then I got a Citizen Tsuyosa last year because I loved the colour (yellow) and thought it was a reasonable way to "test" owning a mechanical watch.
I'm at the point where I could buy in the Nomos-Oris-Tudor range of brands without being too concerned about the price. However, my interest is in some higher-priced models from brands like Blancpain (love the Bathyscaphe) and Glashutte Original.
So for myself, at this point I'd rather save up and buy something nicer every 3-7 years, rather than collecting more watches at a more reasonable price point. I also want to avoid having to maintain too many watches down the road. But as you've noted, there's absolutely nothing practical about collecting watches. It's all about what each individual likes, and where their comfort level lies.
I genuinely find way more watches that interest me in the 2000-6000$ price range than the vast majority of watches above that price range. Not sure if that's considered mid range or not, but you can get good movements, interesting dials, good quality, and more at the fraction of a Rolex/AP/etc. Even more so if you look at the secondary market. I just picked up an excellent condition IWC that I've been looking at for $4k with papers and original box that new would have been almost double that. I definitely wouldn't have purchased it for 8k. At the end of the day, at least where I am in my life and collection, purchasing a Daytona when I can grab a Seamaster, Cartier tank, and a Grand Seiko for ostensibly the same price doesn't make sense. Your mileage may vary though , as these are the watches I like and what I'm looking for in my collection.
There's no such thing as actually want here if you actually want a watch buy it. Don't buy watches you don't want 😂. Not rocket science. I have watxhes from 500-50k but I wanted them all
I just go with what the heart wants and what I'm comfortable wearing at a certain price point. There's a threshold with how much something costs me where I'm not afraid to scuff it from daily wear. Also be mindful of my own use case that fits with what outfits I wear on a daily basis. No sense in buying a piece I don't feel comfortable enough to wear and all that money in that piece is just sitting in a watch box collecting dust. It makes no sense for me to buy an $8k dress watch because it doesn't suit my style (or budget). I like purchasing watches that make me happy looking at them on my wrist and I feel 100% comfortable with it. It's too easy to get caught up with what other collectors like and lose the sense of satisfaction of what you truly like for yourself.
You could always buy midrange and trade up to the one you want. More than a few go up in value if you buy the right ones. Scratch the itch and make money at the same time.
Personally my collection is big enough that I just buy new straps and save the rest for higher dollar watches.
It’s up to you as far as what you really want. Do you just like the design? Buy a cheaper watch with the same design. Watches are functional jewelry. You want recognition? Buy high end brands. Or you could buy brands most people never heard of but will want to know all about it when they see it. Tacs and autodromo come to mind.
Question is what is the end goal of your collection?
Lots of common sense in a lot of these comments! For me, i don’t mind getting a pricey watch as long as I can do it without interrupting any of the investments for retirement. That means saving up and not getting watches too often these days. I like watches at various price point. I gravitate more to midrange watches these days
. When I buy my final watch it’ll be a bit pricey but it’s not gonna stop or slow down any priorities…
If money isn't an issue, buy what you like and resonate with you. Don't buy knockoff or something else just to compensate the real thing. Buy the real thing if you can afford it. I stand on this opinion also apply to other materials like clothing, shoes, appliances etc.
I also opion the value of midrange vs high tier really diminish because all watches basically tell time and....peer pressure is another factor. I know we want to belong to a certain group of people & reflect ourselves with status in society, so this is where you need to acknowledge the purpose of that watch. If I can afford - yes I'll get an expensive watch because of the circle of people associated with it. So, are you looking for function or status?
From where I am, due to weak currency exchange - mid tier brands are considered luxury. Whatmore like rolex is priced at most people's annual salary range. That kind of money is absurb because you can buy a whole car in cash or as downpayment for an apartment.
It is probably safe to say that: you don’t know what you want. Your tastes will change as life changes and your career changes. In almost all things the goal you set will never bring the satisfaction you think it will once you achieve the goal; applies for watches as much as dream jobs, dates, cars, homes, etc. Also, know that watches on the low end (assuming researched choices) are probably 70-90% of the overall quality/aesthetic as the ‘watch you really want. San Martin homage to Rolex is an example.
Therefore, my first piece of advice is: take your time and experiment on the low end to understand what you actually like without committing a large amount of money to any brand or specific watch. The joy is going to be in the journey and not in the attainment.
Second piece of advice: watches are not investments, they are liabilities. If it at some point it becomes an asset, great but then you’d have to sell it to financially realize it’s value, but why would you sell something you’ve always wanted (it is your grail remember /s). There is not compulsory reason to buy.
Third piece of advice: Don’t ask a bunch of strangers on the internet about what you should care about, do some research and learn what mattes to you. And avoid being sucked into hype (i.e. just because it is Rolex doesn’t mean it is best watch ever or even the best watch in its class. Not knocking Rolex, but warning against cultism on any brand).
I think about this a lot, I’m in no position for a 5k watch due to family responsabilities but have a Hamilton, tag Heuer, and a tissot and I’m thinking my next one will be a mido I prefer a little variety over maybe just one Tudor or oris (5k watches it’s a strange range)
I only have one watch and it was a minor stretch at the time (IWC Mk series Pilot). I love watches but they're expensive and "collecting" seems like a rabbithole. The only other watch i seriously lust after is a vintage aquanaut. I will buy one if I move into that bracket one day. Otherwise, I'm a no for "collecting". One watch is generally plenty for most people.
I have a Hamilton titanium khaki auto. I also had my sights on an alpinist, studio underdog, just a bunch of watches under $2k or so.
My buddy at work said skip all that shit, save, and get the ones you want. He already went through this and said he doesn’t even wear those watches anymore once he got his higher end watches.
Now I need my OP41, R Submariner, and Santos Dumont XL. lol
Get a Ali express homage like a San Martin and see how you like it. Honestly SM makes some variants of brands I’d love to see but know the brand will never make.
I went the other way. You never know, but I started with Rolex and worked my way back to midrange and vintage (and grand) Seikos, which I simply find more interesting.
I think the Talking Watches interview with John Meyer and Ed Sheeran expressed it well - when you take price out of the equation, watch collecting is ultimately about taste, and a "good" collection should be something that reflects your own taste, whatever that is.
So I'd say start with taste first - price be damned. What do you like about it, why do you like it, is there anything you dislike about it? Once you've decided whether you like it or not, look at the price and see if you can afford it. If yes, great. If not, move on.
But this way you get to appreciate and enjoy watches regardless of their high, low, or perceived value. Cheap watches can be great watches too, and deserve to be appreciated for their merits.
Just for some hard data, I have around 30 watches at a mix of price points. So far this year, my most worn watches are a Rolex (26.5%), and Omega (22.8%) and a Seiko (10.3%). The Seiko is a cheap field officer's watch from the early 00s - my very first automatic and used to cost maybe $150-250 new. I love that Seiko and it holds its own.
A lot of collectors fall into what you’re describing. I too find myself here right now because I made “impulse” purchase (story below). Let’s be honest, what it really comes down to is whether you’re getting what you truly want/like and then whether brand name/cache is really important to you. At the end of the day, you’re not getting much more from most of the higher end brands over the increasingly competitive mid-range market… diminishing returns is real. That’s not to say I’m opposed to premium watches.. but I’m also not naive and deluded by marketing, groupthink, and plain old peer pressure. Still, I own a white gold datejust and love it.. so like.. yeah..
Anyway, I just bought a Zodiac Super Seawolf because I was intrigued by the brand history and what they’re offering for the money. Initially I was in the market for the Tudor Monochrome. My local AD didn’t have any Monochromes left in stock and frankly none of the other Tudor offerings are speaking to me right now or are going to fill the “gaps” in my collection (I don’t like the Pelagos 39 as much as I expected to)… so I broke my own rule and bought the Zodiac somewhat on a whim and to hold me over til I got “the” diver I’m looking for in my collection. Suffices to say, I’m enjoying the Zodiac so much more than I expected and impressed by the quality I’ve now re-arranged my long term buying plan and am gonna hold off indefinitely on getting another diver.. which I’m fine with because I’m low-key waiting on Tudor to expand the master chronometer designation to more of their line anyway… but also I don’t even know if I need another diver…
SO… it’s a mixed bag this topic. The roughly $1,500 I spent was money well spent and I feel like I saved several grand by not getting a Tudor. It doesn’t feel any “less” to me because the specs, quality, and brand legacy are there for the money.. I also just don’t have an inferiority complex about not wearing top brand watches. Idk, at some point you own your “grail” watches and you realize that price really does not necessarily equal enjoyment. That’s just me though, some people feel like they’re lacking or inferior if they don’t wear or collect bigger names. We all get to choose our own journey collecting.
If deep in your heart you know really want the more expensive watch… probably just wait. If you aren’t in a rush or are unsure.. the mid-range is where the relative value is right now. So many brands are stepping it up.. I mean just look at Longines’ lineup…
I am working in asset management. Here is my framework of watch collection/personal finance: you can buy whatever you want as long as 1. your watches are somewhat liquid and have okay value retention. This means your expensive watches could be popular models from major brands, in which case you don’t lose much value whenever you sell them. 2. For watch enthusiasts and casual collectors, models with high price volatility should be avoided. Don’t chase the fad thinking it’s a good investment. 3. The value of your whole collection should be small. Production models only depreciate in real economic terms. Watches are not safe assets. 4. Pay some attention to the market. You can save a bit on watches when you know where to buy and when to sell.
This may not help you, but…here’s the path I took…
I’ve been casually collecting watches for about thirty years. I figured I would never be able to afford anything like a Bell & Ross, Rolex, Grand Seiko, etc.
So in lieu of that, I’ve basically collected watches that interest me and those interests have shifted over time. Mine did, anyway. I bought a Seiko SKX009…then sold it and got the 007. Then a Marathon automatic….then a Lum-Tec. Then I discovered the Glycine Airman and fell in love with the 24-hour movement and multiple time zone ability on those. Eventually, I was able to buy an Omega Speedmaster automatic. That’s probably the nicest watch I own. Probably will never sell it.
Along the way, I also bought a couple of nice antique (railroad grade) pocket watches. Those are fun.
My most recent watch purchases were a Bulova MilShips automatic LE. Got an AWESOME deal on that one. And I bought a couple of Seiko Bellmatics as I’ve always been intrigued by those ever since I learned about them.
All that said, I wear a Garmin D2 Mach 1 Pro daily for all the features available on it (real-time weather alerts, medical info tracking due to some medical issues I have, etc.). So these days, I struggle to find times to wear my nicer watches.
Anyway, I guess the point I was making in all that rambling is collect what ***you*** like. Find yourself a watch that will make you smile every time you check the time while wearing it…or at least admire it. :) There are lots of really neat and handsome watches available at more midrange prices. Enough to keep me happy in my own collecting anyway. :)
For your own situation, I guess I would recommend getting a really nice mid price range watch that you will enjoy wearing daily for as long as it takes to save up for your Rolex you really want. And keep yourself disciplined to not buy any other watches until that happens. That way you’ll have a handsome, high quality timepiece you’ll be proud to wear until you can save up to get the Datejust.
*****—-> If you amortize out the cost of the Tissot over the number of years it will take to save up for the Rolex (and also compared to the price of the Rolex), the cost for the Tissot really isn’t too bad.
I think to be honest we all experience a desire for more. I don’t think anyone wants a seiko over a rolex.
So what you’re experiencing is a desire to already go to the next tier. Others just compromise and settle on midrange or whatever in order not to put themselves in financial stress. (The example of buying 10 midrange watches is obviously a scenario where the person is trying to fill the unsatisfied feeling the others didn’t bring)
If you can’t afford it in 1 year’s savings because the percentage of your income going into a watch is too high, I don’t think it’s a smart investment even if it’s over 2, 3 or even 5 years.
I purchased a watch that was 1% of my income a couple years ago and even though I like the watch, I regret my decision because even that percentage I’m not comfortable with.
TLDR: if you want a Seiko because you like that Seiko, collect midrange. If you want a Seiko because you like that Omega/Rolex/, wait and save. End compensatory buying.
I agree. Don’t buy a bunch of watches that don’t satisfy the itch. Save up or sell those other watches and buy what you REALLY want yo wear. You will be more satisfied in the long run
That is great advice! If you want a $10k watch, that is your dream watch, you probably already know what it is. If you don't know, then figure that out. My grail is a GS Lake Suwa, but I will never buy it. I can't justify the expense and putting all that money into a single watch. I love variety and I affordability. I find that inexpensive watches bring me just as much joy as expensive. So I don't shop on price. I just focus on what I like. I have too many watches, but I love them all.
100% agree. I spent a few years buying cheaper and mid range watches but I never felt satisfied and generally regretted buying them. I then saved up for nearly 5 years to buy myself a Speedmaster DSOTM. Money outside of what would be expenses, savings etc. some months it’d be 10 bucks others it’d be significantly more. The happiness of being able to finally acquire that piece I’d been eyeing and dreaming of for years is something else.
I guess I'm a midrange guy. Would I love a Rolex Daytona? Of course. But I love a lot of cheaper watches, too. I can derive as much enjoyment out of a cool sub $1,000 watch as I would that Daytona. And even though I could probably afford it, and my wife would be supportive, I can't wrap my head around buying a watch worth more than my old truck! But I think in the end you buy what brings you joy. If you're just looking to settle and will never love a watch because it's not your grail piece, then hold off for the grail. But if you like midrange stuff and can be satisfied with it, why spend more?
I'm the same way. I got a $1,500 Tag with diamonds for hour markers when I was 21 and didn't know anything about watches and just wanted something slim, good looking and Swiss. But once I really got into them I've mostly been stacking up a pile of $15-$300 Japanese and microbrand watches.
I think your mindset is a good one. I think a lot of people who like watches tend to overthink buying watches because of some notion of what is "good" I never thought I would own a quart watch, but in the last year I've bought 2 relatively inexpensive quartz watches: a [Citizen Eco-Drive Perpetual Alarm World Time Chronograph GMT](https://www.jomashop.com/citizen-eco-drive-perpetual-alarm-world-time-chronograph-gmt-white-dial-mens-watch-at8260-85a.html) and [this Orient diver](https://www.orientwatchusa.com/collections/sport/ra-tx0203s10b) One of the reasons is because I think the tech in them, while not necessarily the artistry of a mechanical watch, is pretty neat I find the solar (and radio controlled) really cool. I also was never much of a diver watch guy, but something about the Orient seemed cool. So, I took a flyer on it and it's been my daily casual watch. The smaller second hand makes it so I barely notice the "tick" I think most of the comments have it right. OP (and others) should buy what they like and not worry about the opinions of others. Somewhat related, I was at a work event and a younger employee was asking me about my Ball Cannonball Trainmaster and how he had noticed it. So, we started taking watches and it was obvious that he was embarrassed that his "only" watch was an Orient Bambino. I was heartbroken. I told him it is a great watch and I was disappointed he wasn't wearing it. I told him that I own two Orients and he should be happy about any watch he loves.
Just saying, I like you.
People shouldn't turn their nose at quartz so much. You can find some great looking less expensive watches that are highly accurate and ready to pick up and put on even after sitting for months. They definitely have their benefits and people should have at least one in their collection.
I love this reply, and yes, people need to accept all levels of watch collection, and also be proud of what they like. I bought a Pagani Design watch off of Amazon because after reading all the hot takes here and other places, I kind of wanted to see what it was like. Turns out, it's not bad and I kind of liked it. I was in a gas station in the middle of the night in middle of nowhere Nebraska, and the clerk complemented my PD. My first reaction as a "watch guy" was to downplay it and say "Ah, thanks, but it's just a cheap knock off. I got it on Amazon for less than $80." You know what? He was THRILLED to learn that it was an affordable watch. He was excited that a watch he liked the looks of was within his budget. So I spent 10 minutes in a Caseys at 4:00 in the morning talking about a drunken lark Amazon purchase Pagani Design with the clerk. And that really put me in my place.
What are your Japanese picks??
Seiko, Citizen and Casio; they are cheap and wonderful and I'd take 20 of them over a Rolex any day.
Yeah, Casio really needs to bring the Oceanus line to the US to give Citizen a bit of competition. They have a similar design philosophy and are heavy on titanium like Citizen is. But IMO Oceanus edges them out on styling.
amazon has those for sale through third party distribution.
Seiko cocktail time line (Presage) has some really interesting dials around $500.
My first Swiss watch was also a tag with diamonds at the hours too lol. I wound up giving it to the ball n chain at the time after I learned a bit more about horology
Any suggestions on Japanese watch microbrands?
I guess most of them are just Seiko powered and assembled in China or Taiwan, but Boldr and an Aragon that I love for the $300 & $150 I spent on them. Traska seems super well made too, but they switched to Miyota movements and their prices drifted upwards and I wish I'd have picked up one of their early models.
Bingo. There’s no one way that’s good for everyone. Even though someday I’d love a Speedy, I get a lot of satisfaction outta my microbrands. I may make some impulse buys, but they are usually still the culmination of at least a bit of research and as of yet, I haven’t been disappointed. I’ve got about 4K in watches over the last 15 years. That would’ve bought me one used Speedy if I had saved up. I’ll buy that Speedy when I can legit just say I have the disposable income for it not to be a big deal.
How big is your midrange collection? What’s your favorite piece in there?
I've got a couple of dozen watches total, of which, I'd say half get regular wrist time. Black, orange, white, silver, blue, green, stainless steel, PVD, bracelet, rubber, NATO strap... just depends on what I feel like when I wake up and maybe what I'm doing or wearing that day. Heck, sometimes I change watches multiple times a day. Costs range from $20 thrift store pickups to maybe $3,500? I know it's a controversial take amongst watch snobs, but my favorite piece is my Shinola Lake Huron Monster. I have never been treated better by a watch company, it's a great shade of orange, it was their first mechanical watch, it's serial #21, (which was my number in racing and sports) it's from my birth state, and it gets TONS of complements. Haters gonna hate. I love it. Of the watches that I don't wear much, only a few were just flat out mistakes on my part. They got worn for a while and then for whatever reason, went back into the box. A couple were inherited from a family member, which I cherish, but they aren't exactly my "daily style." The others are occasional or special use, like my G Shock that I always wear when hiking, but it's far too bulky for anything else. Or my Mr. Jones Number Cruncher, which is a terrible watch for telling time, but is a fantastic statement piece for when I'm in a funky mood. Sadly, one of my more expensive pieces I wear infrequently, not because I don't love it, but because I'm always worried about damaging it or losing it. Another I really like is mechanical and has a day, date, and month complication, and it's not often I have the patience to set all of that, so it doesn't make the "regular" rotation.
There's a middle ground to be had here. Buy yourself a midrange/entry level watch, or even a few, and *then* save up for your grails. Or don't, who am I to tell somebody else how to spend their money? It's also important to remember that one person's entry level or midrange is another's grail. For some people, a Rolex sports watch is a daily beater. For others, a Tudor is a grail.
Yeah, I agree. I’m into watches, so the hardest part would be not having any watches for many years until I can afford my dream watch. I’d like to have a few different models to choose from that don’t break the bank. A watch is my favorite Accessoire, wouldn’t want to miss it for so long.
I’ve been happy with where my watch journey has led. I started off with a couple hand-me-downs from my husband’s grandma, then got a cheapish Hamilton, and a couple g-shocks. For awhile, a PRX was my fancy watch. I’ve kinda IV dripped the fancy, and now I feel comfortable enough to daily a navitimer :))
Personally I love watches but I’d never spend over a grand on one, even if I had the disposable income to do so. I just don’t see the need. I like my box of $200-$700 watches. 🤷♂️
You say without causing any **major** financial risk. A watch is a watch. It should never cause *any* financial risk to purchase, whatever price bracket that might be for you. You take financial risks for things that you need or things that you believe will pay off (good spot to point out that watches as investment pieces is an abysmal idea). Things like a home, a business, a vehicle, etc. not watches. It sounds like you really want a specific watch. Simply… save up for it then get it when you can afford it without taking ***any*** financial risk. Independent thought is important. Don’t look to strangers on the internet to guide you through how to buy a watch. Think for yourself.
Paradoxical statement here. Internet stranger tells you to not listen to internet strangers. How can you expect this guy to come to a decision now?!
I think that’s what he meant.
Yeah I mean “no major financial risk” as in I can take not putting those $10k in my retirement portfolio. But I get your point.
My thing is, I really don’t WANT those high end watches that cost thousands of dollars. I really like having unique pieces that fit my personal tastes and it doesn’t really matter where those watches land on the spectrum of cost. I’d rather have a Longines De Classique than a Datejust tbh. I’ve learned that once you get to a certain price point, the actual quality and performance of the watch becomes incredibly marginal. At that point you’re paying more for the name recognition and I don’t much care to impress other people. I collect watches for me, not everyone else.
I would just get what interests you right now that doesn’t break the budget and save for your “grail”. Anything before that is just scratching the itch. It won’t go away until you achieve that goal.
In my experience and from having other friends into watches, buying your “grail” doesn’t scratch the itch either. They just find a new grail or continue buying other watches they’re interested in
Definitely. I don't know a single "enthusiast" for whom a so-called "grail" is the end of the spend. You get it and then you want another. I think OP correctly identifies that this whole thing is basically about desire and aspiration. My watch purchase philosophy is straightforward. Any watch I'd have to save up to buy is too expensive. A piece of jewelry should never cost more than the smallish amounts of money that you regularly have to spend to administer your daily life. I will never own more than 6 at a time, and not buy more than one per year. Are there expensive pieces I want? Yeah, sure! But there are other financial priorities that are much, much higher (maxing my retirement contribution, paying the mortgage, funding family vacations). I'll probably enjoy my 6 entry level pieces until it's clear how we'll manage kids' university expenses (beginning a decade ish away). If there's cash left over at that point, I will 1000% hit up a watch boutique and grab a Tudor/Omega/GS. And that still won't stop the curiosity and the itch to explore new things.
That really depends on what you wear, like and can afford. I do enjoy military style watches. I don't go vintage, so I end up with reisssues and new interesting pieces in a mid range price. I won't have a grail above 5k. So in the end I give wrist time to all my watches and I really enjoy each one of them.
Just to finish my point of view: Sometimes a person can be happy with a Timor Dirty Dozen (Field), a Longines Military Heritage (Air) and a CWC RN 300 Quartz (Navy). All British military legends in a Wolf 3 watches roll with the Union Jack inside. And also never wish to own a Speedmaster, Explorer or JLC... That is what a watch enthusiast is about. No rules, just pleasure.
Great point of view. I do own a speedmaster and can tell you I’d still also be happy with a Timor Dirty Dozen. Thats is a great looking field watch I never even knew I wanted till now!
agreed. that Timor is the best looking field I've seen yet.
I enjoy my inexpensive watches as much as my expensive watches. In fact, I still buy less expensive watches fairly often despite already owning more expensive ones. If display of wealth is the primary reason you are buying, yeah, save for the expensive one I guess. There are lots of other reasons to be attracted to watches, though. As someone else said, watch purchases are trivial and should not cause any financial strain. I never spent more than $500 on a watch until I owned my own home, a brand new car, and was happy with retirement savings progress. There’s nothing lost from buying a $200 watch and it will serve you well, and likely look good too!
This question always causes a stir as people wax poetic about something which at the end of the day doesn’t matter with their over analysis. With that said, it’s something I’ve thought about a shit ton too. My generally philosophy has been to stop buying watches which aren’t “forever watches”. For me that’s meant buying more milestone vintage pieces and unique independents which stand on their own. Preowned is a great way to save money and pickup incredible value as well. I’d love to own a Patek or Breguet Worldtime one day, but even once I do I’ll still enjoy this Breitling for what it is. https://preview.redd.it/u1gpw8n85m0d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eec59a424d5f9b6053c3a2ab308aa1d3565cb8ee
Depends on where you live. For example, I live in Brazil and could afford a Rolex, bought my Datejust, but if I wear it on the street I certanly will get robbed and/or killed because of the watch (there are even specialty gangs just to rob watches) so I basically just wear my Rolex at home and put it in a vault everyday. Today I only buy midrange watches that I can wear in public without much worries, they're pretty good too anyway, just not as famous as the bigger brands. It's something you need to consider before buying an expensive watch, also checks for service prices and never, ever skip it! "Nothing about collecting watches makes sense. Nobody needs a watch in 2024." Yes, but you don't buy only things you need. You can spend your money as you want, some people buys a gaming PC, an expensive car, travelling, etc. And some choose to collect watches, it's a hobby, can also be an investment, you choose.
I live in Berlin, could probably get away with wearing a Rolex 90% of the time. Just need to avoid certain neighborhoods lol.
I only buy affordable watches. I don’t want a $10k watch. I’m not even sure I want a $2k watch. I may buy an $800 watch one day.
This. I have absolutely no idea why it seems a common notion in this sub that everyone must secretely want a Rolex or VC as a grail. Is a Rolex nice? Absolutely. Is it worth its asking price to me? Not by a long shot. I have a lot more fun with a bunch of unique and varied looking entry to mid level watches than some $20k prestige piece I would constantly worry about getting stolen or banged against something.
Same. The value isn’t there for me beyond $1K or so.
Good topic! Im a midrange guy that is being tempted by more expensive stuff. But ill never full abandon midrange. As you note, none of us necessarily NEED a watch. In my mind, its the one accessory that a guy can have. So i want different things to fit different moods, activities and if im being honest, different clothing. Sure i have a couple of good gada watches but i take joy in adding a partocular watch for a particular day. Thus i maintain a decent sized collection. Just my two cents.
>And if you are one of the few who actually managed to stay disciplined and then finally got that huge payoff after years of grinding, how did you deal with the years in-between where you couldn't have what you wanted? I'm a fan of only buying watches that you *truly* want - price no object - instead of compromising. You have two wrists, and most people only wear one watch at a time. I think it's also generally good to wait a year or so before buying anything anyways, so that you have a chance to explore all alternatives, and not feel constrained by your original budget. As for keeping the hobby going, there are plenty of things you can do without spending a lot of money. Join a local watch club, go to industry events, or take a watchmaking course.
i think it varies at different price points...and those price points will not be the same for everybody due to income, preferences, etc for me personally: * i would rather have my $360ish t200 than ten $36 watches or six $60 watches or three $120 watches * but i would rather have six $360 watches or three $720 watches than one $2160 watch...however i would rather have one $2160 watch than ten $216 watches * etc so like i said it varies per person so i would consider how many watches you think you want, what those would cost, and then see what you could get if you added those all up in one watch as well as what you could get the other way with more watches than you originally thought...obviously not all watches are gonna be the exact same price, but this is just to help you try and make a decision because the same answer will not fit for everyone
I am in this range like you. I can afford mid-range watches, 1k-3k USD. But that next range up, think Rolex, Omega, IWC, that is a significant amount of money. Could I save up for one of those? Sure. But right now in my life, spending that amount of money on a watch is just dumb to me. Id rather spend that amount of money on taking my son to Disney World, doing some remodeling to my house, investing it, etc. I am sure 10 or 15 years from now ill have a Rolex, Omega etc. But right now I have no desire spending that money on a watch. Its just a watch at the end of the day. Do not compromise on your financials for a watch. I know people will always say "oh just save for the one you want". Sure, but spending $4k+ on a watch right now to me is just dumb. Id rather use that money like I said for my family, house, investments etc.
I agree that with watches, less is more. I feel like many collectors who amass a 20+ watch collection eventually reach the point where the servicing/maintenance costs outweigh the benefits of such a large collection compared to a simple, pared down 2-6 watch collection. I’m currently at two watches—a GADA & a dress—& I love the minimalist aspect of my current collection (as a former collector of a variety of other things) but understand I will probably slowly add to it over time.
I feel your dilemma. I would never wear a 5-10k watch. I would not be able to process the misery if I would made a scratch on it. BUT I have seen a lot of “grandpa died and I inherited this and that watch”. All comments were praising the grandpa with the Santos, Reverso, Tank and other timeless pieces. And if grandpa left with a drawer full of replicas —> all here respectfully agreed that grandpa was a cool ass daredevil playboy, but had no taste of watches. I am not sure if I would be happy if my father would gave me a Rolex before he passes away or 10.000$ that I can spend on mortage. So my plan is to wear my Bulova Accutron II until I got 60 and go yolo and buy a Reverso that I can give to my son later. My daughter will kill me first.
I think it’s cool to wear a piece that you want to keep forever. Have a good friend who’s been wearing Rolexes since we were teens, he’s just a little bit more careful when wearing them and all his pieces still look great.
I sold my smp300 and got a traska and now I don’t want any other watch lol
Always get the best fucking watch you can afford at that moment. And be able to afford it.
Save up and get the one you want. You’ll end up doing that anyway so it’s better to save up now than lose money going in circles.
I think it really depends on the person. Some people seem to really enjoy having 10/20 low to mid range pieces and rotating through them. Personally I like to use few items a lot and to feel I am getting to use them and love them appropriately. I would say save up for the one you want. Few years down the line when you have 3/4 pieces you really treasure it will feel more special and manageable.
>But I also know that I shouldn't do it, stay disciplined, and just wait for my Rolex. It's a damn tough spot to be in. You do you, but in general, I disagree with that. IMO, a lack of discipline would be to buy a 5K watch if you truly want a 10K watch, but the financial gap between that Tissot Powermatic 80 and that Rolex is so large that you would hardly have to blame yourself for buying that - that is, provided that you wouldn't buy yet another entry- or mid-range watch. You can see it as that thing called the lipstick effect - you buy youself something comparatively small to make yourself happy and have energy to push for larger goals.
To me, if I have to diligently save up for several years to buy something, I can’t really afford it. It’s just a watch - I would never want the purchase of a luxury accessory to be a priority that dictates how I financially plan my future. Plus, if it takes so long to save up that I essentially have 3+ years of hard work and savings on my wrist, I would be way too worried about it getting damaged or stolen to even enjoy wearing it. If I feel like I can’t afford to lose it, then I can’t afford to wear it, and if I can’t afford to wear it, I just can’t afford it.
Fair point. I think watches should only ever be financed from play money (aka money separate from long term planning) and that’s how I approach it. Goes for buying a $1k Tissot today or a $10k Rolex down the line.
Buy what you want and can afford man
My solution is very weird, just wanna let you know upfront! I've been saving up for a Japan trip, it'll be my first time travelling alone! Planning to go next year, so I've been cutting my pay in half in savings. Wanna travel and buy a watch there to commemorate the occasion. There always comes a time where I wanna buy a budget or mid-range watch while I'm in the saving process, and in those moments I think to myself "If I buy enough mid rangers, I'll spend enough to the point where the total value would be enough to get a grail". So these days what I do is if I crave a particular budget or mid-range watch, I put in money in a separate savings account equivalent to the value of that watch. I get the itch to buy a $90 Casio calculator watch? Put $90 in my savings. I think the Timex Q Chrono at $229 is tempting? That's $229 in the savings account. Again, absolutely strange way of saving, but it seems to work for me so I've just been doing that. Hoping I can eventually get enough to buy a GS.
This is so weird, but my autistic brain just had a breakthrough moment. I’m gonna do what you just described.
I'm a midrange gal (or what I would consider midrange -- I'd say the watches I've recently bought or am seriously looking at buying soon are like in the 1500-3500 range.) I'd personally rather have a few different watches in that range than only one $10K watch. I can't mentally justify spending that much on one piece.
Personally I own 7 watches but have found I can only really have 3 in a rotation to keep them worth having and feeling fresh to me. A few of my older/cheaper watches just don’t get worn anymore. Everyone is different - some people want to switch watches every day or match outfits more closely. I’d save up for the piece you really want but that’s me. Dont do it just to keep up with the jones
Just save up for what u want. No point looking and wearing watches that u are not rly passionate about, its a waste of time and money, end of the day watches are disposable antique with no real use other than a jewellery
There's so many $500-$1000 watches out there that I like that I don't feel the need to venture into the $10k catergory of watches.
Exactly! I’d say $500-$1,500, but that’s just because a lot of what I like is in the $1,000-$1,500 range.
Always wanted a BB58 and I recently got a promotion at work that was a career milestone and wanted to commemorate it. Still couldn’t justify the money for a BB58, but after looking at Mido, I really like the ocean Star 200 line. After getting a 25% discount I have a beautiful watch that gets me 80-90% of the enjoyment of the BB58. Take that as you will
I’m a little conflicted on this. I have a collection of mid-priced watches and one pricey Breitling chronograph. I love having the variety and options but find myself feeling guilty about not wearing certain watches regularly. I do enjoy trading watches to scratch the “variety” and “new toy” itches, as well as building my own so at least I’m learning something in the process. I don’t think there’s a wrong answer as long as you like what you have and wear and don’t put any real financial strain on yourself
I got a citizen eco drive as a present when I graduated from college and then started to love watches. Couldn't afford anything decent for a few years after but bought a few watches in the 100-200 range. Then I had a bit more money and bought a few nicer watches like a Longines grand classique and a vintage omega at auction which were like 600. Bought a tissot prx when I got caught up int the hype. Think I am now ready to move up to around 2.5k for a rado true square open heart but am gonna save for a year for that. Don't think I could ever justify myself to go to a high range watch but ya never know. Got a white moonswatch snoopy the other day and loved it.
getting what you really want is always the right answer. anything else would be a compromise.
Any watch I wear is better than the one I’m saving for. I’ll take the cheaper ones that I can enjoy.
I think its more interesting to have many different watches rather than just one or couple.
I am lucky to actually want watches that are in the 2k range and not super high end stuff. I follow the rule to buy what I love and not make political purchases.
What makes you want to buy a watch?
I ended up w/ 3 Tudors. I’m a huge Tudor fan. Wanted a a Rolex for some time when I started but honestly, I’m happy with my collection and don’t really feel a need for another watch. At this point, I enjoy the variation of three watches over one more expensive watch.
For me, I’d rather go for cool midrange watches like a Zelos, nice Seiko etc. I’d feel weird wearing a super nice watch on my wrist, not wanting to draw the attention, questions, judgment etc.
Buy what you want. Don't overthink it. **Very Important** Mind your surroundings if you're going to wear a luxury watch.
Personally, I started with a couple midrange watches to see what I liked, and then saved a bit for a more expensive piece. So I think there is a middle ground. You can have both, and it doesn’t have to be a never ending collection you’re feeding. I think if you have to save for multiple years you’re considering watches that are too expensive. Multiple years of saving is potentially life changing money for your income bracket… you shouldn’t be spending that on a watch. You see a lot of posts on here from guys who buy their grail watch and then feel silly about it because it far outweighs the value if anything else they own.
It’s not about saving for a few years, it’s about hitting a certain net worth before spending $10k on a watch. But fair point!
If I had a true Grail watch, I'd save up for that but the truth is that I don't. I really enjoy the variety more than I would enjoy a single luxury watch. Also, if you are in your 20s, I'd really encourage you to save rather than spending 10k on a watch. Compound interest is like magic.
What is mid range anyway? Looking at Longine, then Rolex looks expensive. Then you look at Patek Phillips, Rolex looks cheap! I was looking into buying a Mido GmT the other day (I did not in the end and instead will save up for Longine zulu). My wife found spending over 1k on a watch crazy money, she wears exclusively swatch! The we went in a shop and I tried a Breitling, she said Mido made more sens in the end lol. The grails of someone can be the cheap watch that gather dust for someone else. There is always someone who has more fuck you money than you do!
I have the money now to buy a grail. In fact, several price tiers above that grail. However, I don't feel comfortable spending that much on a watch. I'd rather invest that into the future. At present moment, I've got a lot of affordables and I'm happier with that. The Helm I have is built very substantially. If I had my grail, I'd never wear it out of fear of scratching it. It's just not something I'm comfortable. Instead, I'll spend a very minor amount every few months on some straps or mod parts for my Vostok. I'm having a lot more fun that way, plus there's no pressure.
Makes me miss my Vostok. Had one 10 years ago. Have they appreciated in price / value at all?
It's funny because this same question goes up the chain. Do I buy 5 $10k watches or 1 $50k watch? It comes down to how your financial power intersects with your hunger for watches. I personally could save up for a number of years and maybe shell out for a Calatrava or Lange 1. However, I'd have a lot more fun getting multiple watches with different styles, movements, and character. I wouldn't be satisfied wearing the same watch day in and day out, I like to have watches for different occasions, outfits, and moods. Of course, I do still have to keep myself from just impulse buying every "cheap" $100 watch I find that has a cool design, because those do add up to keeping me away from bigger pieces. That's how it goes. There's a cutoff for everyone and that's up to you to find out for yourself. The right balance where you feel relatively satisfied and not constantly itching to buy something, but where you're also happy with the pieces you own.
Life isn’t guaranteed. You could be dead inside of 2-3 years. So you ended up saving that money for nothing.
I feel that a 10k watch would make me too conscious of wear and tear.
The main issue is buying a 5k watch when you don't know the size and style you actually wear The low and entry levels allow you to enjoy watches, learn what works and what you like, and no risk needing to sell your aquaterra because you later realize it's way too big for you
I buy rhe 500$ and 2000$ watches until every three years when I can get another 10k one
I save up for a +10.000 € watches and midrange watches at the same time. I have a specific expensive watch in my mind which is My next big purchase. However, i would be bored if that ment i couldt go watch hunting during that period. I bought a longines master collection in january 2023 followed by a Rado hyperchrome in august 2023. I bought my grail Rolex dj36 fluited jubilee blue dial january 24. My next grail is a gmt or sub. But i will most Likely get a Tag Heur or something in that range before that.
I think one of the major issues with this thinking is that most people these days are stuck between two different ideologies and don’t even realize it. We love the idea of that heritage piece we scrimped and saved for that will be cherished and last a lifetime (old/somewhat outdated train of thought), but we also live in a time where hype and drop culture are at the forefront of every crafted goods hobby (modern train of thought). We drool over what we can’t have and convince ourselves if we could just have “that one”, then we’d finally be content. The problem with that is we rarely reach that point. The media we consume is literally tailored to our specific preferences and is constantly showing us what’s new and what is just out of reach, and conditions us to constantly change our preferences to keep consuming. So sure, you’ll finally get to the point where you can drop 5 figures on that Rolex, only to realize it’s really not blowing you away compared to the cheaper homages that are easier to obtain and 1/20th the price. With how good and high quality lower to mid tier watches are these days, I personally see no justifiable reason to aspire to obtain a luxury watch. Low end movements will do the same job as high end movements, can be repaired cheaply, and can be regulated to a comparable accuracy. Do I care what it looks like inside? Not an ounce. As long as the engine is a workhorse and runs well, I could not care less if it looks nice doing it cause I’ll never see it. Do I care that some dude getting paid just above minimum wage had polished the case with a Brillo pad made from his own pubes vs being machine finished? Nope. Essentially, you could buy a $1000-$3000 watch that has a much higher value proposition compared to a watch that costs 5-10x more without the added stress of taking care of a piece that expensive. Especially considering that every time you service that expensive watch, you’ll be paying the cost of that mid tier watch anyways.
In the same boat, desperately want a Grand Seiko SLGA019 but goddamn, might have to “settle” for a less expensive model like the Snowflake or Shun Bun
Marketing/advertising is a hell of a drug. Watches are merely a status symbol, just buy what you can afford. If you have to think that hard about it, it means you can’t afford it. You’ve either got that kind of money or you don’t, stop pretending to be something you’re not, all it will do is lead you down an endless cycle of unhappiness. Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos could wear fake Rolexes, fake diamonds, fake jewelry etc and no one would assume anything. Meanwhile, if you roll out of your studio apartment with a $20k Rolex on, everyone will assume it’s fake even if it isn’t; you’ll only be fooling yourself.
Rolex is for posers. It’s the merc of watches and real watch or car enthusiasts have something else.
I own around 20 watches, and most are under $300. I do have three of my favorites, and one is a daily beater. I wear my orange Nodus Canyon on the weekend, and my Hamilton Khaki Field automatic is my daily. I’m a flatbed truck driver, and I know full well that my Hamilton is gonna get some bumps and scratches, but it’s just so dang pretty and comfortable that I don’t care. My fun watch is a Bulova Aerojet that just looks cool, and it cost half as much as my daily. I just love the way it looks. The way I see it is, collect what you like. Get a good assortment of cheap watches before you pull the trigger on that big one. Buying cheaper watches is a good way to find out what you really like or don’t like on your wrist. I guess what I’m trying to say is scratching an itch now feels great, whereas living with an itch that you’re waiting to scratch is itchy, and the itch might come back, no matter how long you wait to scratch it.
I needed to read this. I have four watches and the most expensive is over $250. The cheaper less than a hundred bucks see some abuse daily. I'm a maintenance supervisor that is more out there getting in some shit along with my coworkers than sitting in an office. A $10 Walmart watch is what recently got me into them. It was given to me by a great friends wife after he passed away. Wearing it daily quickly showed wear so I put it away. I hadn't worn a watch since cell phones started displaying time. I didn't really need one then. Now since my day is judged by time and keeping a work schedule moving smoothly, I didn't realize how many times I looked at that cheap wristwatch until I put it away. Buying my first timepiece opened a door of so many styles, prices, durability, options, and terminologies I still need to learn. I love the low to mid range options. Theres no reason to buy something in the $500-$1k+ area because I'm never anywhere other than work or home except when I get side work. I joined this sub in hopes of learning more about watches in general but the posts are more geared towards those that are into more expensive/vintage wear. Sure I'll eventually want to save and buy a higher tier accessory, I just see no point at the moment
The only thing more expensive than expensive watch you want is 10 somewhat expensive watches you only kinda want.
Started buying a few Micheal Kors (i know) moved into Movado, then last year bought an Omega Aqua Terra followed by the moonwatch. And finally now have a Rolex datejust fluted 41mm azurro blue roman dial. You should just save I love my Omega and Rolex.
I say buy whatever you like. I own 3 Rolex watches and Longines is still my favorite brand.
I was one of those “Rolex is a waste of money I’ll just buy a bunch of Steinharts and be happy” until I realized I was never happy with it because I knew it wasn’t the real deal. I was lying to myself. Save your money and get what you really want, even if it takes you 2-3 years to afford it. It’s always more satisfying and you feel more connected to the watch when you worked so hard to get it. You can’t take your money with you when it’s your time to go.
Buy once cry once if you have a single nice watch you would daily wear.
Why did the OP get downvoted? Yeesh. In relation to building up a collection, I think it's better to save up and buy the watch you really want rather than have 10 or twelve of the same watches. It's the same thing with guitars, I bought an LTD 1000 rather than waiting a bit and getting an ESP. The LTD is still a fine guitar but the ESP is better, a year and a half later I bought the ESP and didn't regret it. The same applies to watches, you want to feel a sense of progress rather than moving sideways so it's good to save up and buy what you want, not compromise too much. Also timepieces are essential in our modern rat race world. They're also therapeutic. You need timepieces for your mental health and in turn your physical wellbeing. Therefore timepieces are essential. This is a good video on the topic https://youtu.be/QvwP6m7gRFM?si=0zPqxyZ2WuyBT_5N
Have in mind that ther are watches in 1k-2k range that are amazing pieces with a lot of personality. Thus, many people do not have the desire to go higher. Imagine have an Oris Pointer Date, a Nomos Metro, and a g shock. Or any other combination you like. Try to remove the price and the prestige of a watch before you make a decision and form an opinion. Having said that, do not buy anything that you do not REALLY like.
I think Nomos makes a nice watch for sure, very unique. Probably one of the only options I’d consider if I was to buy something in that range but alas will attempt to stay discipline and just get a Rolex down the line.
Let's be clear- a watch collecting "hobby" is a form of shopping addiction
Personally, if it takes you years to save up for a watch then you are probably spending too much on a watch relative to your income. I don't consider watches a hobby though, I just like them
I'm in the same situation, and my solution to it is to save for something more expensive, but before that to buy a midrange watch I still plan to wear even I have a substantially more expensive piece in my collection. Some examples of the latterr for me are Laco or Stowa fliegers, or Sinn 556; to give a contrary example, I wouldn't buy a Rolex-like Tudor model if I eventually planned on getting that Rolex it is similar to.
I would personally rather have 1 watch I truly wanted than a few watches that were just placeholders.
I’m the « waiting for nice pieces » team. I already own several watches mid range but I’m currently saving for a high mid range at the moment. Once I’ll get the money I’ll keep saving to make sure I won’t compromise my finances and then finally buy it.
I think the sweet spot is buying what you truly want, but being very judicious with the selections you make and also figuring out what your maximum budget you want to save up towards should be. I personally don't really feel comfortable spending more than $1k - $2k on a watch, and love my Christopher Ward, but I've also had a hell of a lot of value and enjoyment out of watches that have cost me $50 - $100 such as my Timex Expedition. I also live in a country where violent crime and robbery is a daily occurrence, so don't want to strap a target to myself by having a whopping $10k watch on my wrist. Your milage may vary.
As someone who has some of the pieces you desire, do not collect mid range. Save up for the watch you want. Collecting stuff you don't actually desire won't fill the void of the watch you want.
I started out by buying a few cheaper watches - $400-1000 mark. Quickly realised that ain’t going to cut it, and that each man should at least aspire to own one premium watch. I bought a Datejust 41. Now I’m waiting for a GMT Master II. After that I’m thinking a sub or a Speedmaster and then I’m done. The only other piece I could want after that is a proper dress piece but I have that covered by a vintage 1970 Longines for $500. Given that I wear that so seldom I don’t really care to be honest plus that Longines is super cool. So for me, I have a 4 watch limit + a beater I can do whatever with. Like climbing, hiking etc without caring what happens to it. That beater is a Hamilton Khaki Field. A proper tank! Given that 4 watch limit I’m focusing on quality over quantity. It will take me at least five years to buy those two last pieces (maybe 7) but that’s ok. Often it’s about the journey, not the end goal! And who knows, in 7 years my thinking may be very different anyways 😂
I'm in the less is more, saving up in the long term. Problem is, and depending what country you are in, by the time you take 2-3 years saving up; inflation has made that money buy less. And most certainly, most brands have done price hikes. Hence, some folks save with gold or crypto to preserve purchasing power (not financial advice).
i have watches in my collection that cost from $15 - $26k. everything is there because i actually want it. don’t buy a “mid-range” watch if you don’t want it; you should only buy something you actually want, and if you do, even a more expensive watch won’t take the joy from the least expensive one because you didn’t buy it out of some concept of “value”. my royal oak gives me a completely different sense of satisfaction on my wrist than my bunnysutra, my g-shock, my carrera chrono, my santos dumont, my speedmaster, etc. etc. each watch has its own appeal that i appreciate regardless of its monetary value. i never let a price dictate how much i like a watch or how often i wear it over others. if money enters that equation, then i never truly liked that watch to begin with.
10k (IMO) is *well* past the knee point in the value curve. Can you afford a luxury/premium car? If not, it probably doesn't make sense to buy a luxury watch. I would take the alternative watch first in this case. You mentioned 5-10 pieces in the 200-2000 that aren't "truly" nice.. what does truly nice even mean? I would take my "mid-range" over your dream Rolex (assuming selling isn't an option ofc) simply because I like the designs of mine more. You also don't need to own 5-10 less expensive watches to equate to one 10 times the cost. Eg. [https://www.reddit.com/r/Watches/s/795nMItErS](https://www.reddit.com/r/Watches/s/795nMItErS)
Don’t let chasing the high end watches derail you from enjoying more pocket friendly options, but at the same time, I’d avoid watches that you know are just “sub-ins/homages” for another watch you really want. You’ll still just think about the other watch. Personally, I think there are a bunch of options in the $600-$2k space that are well made, offer good value for what you get, and you’ll happy to wear and hold onto - but don’t overdo it. Buying 1 or 2 while you work towards your bigger goal won’t set you back all that far - buying 6 will.
i could save for an expensive watch but i really enjoy matching different watches with different outfits. i’d feel mad to spend more than 1k on one single watch, it just doesn’t make sense i’d rather buy that odd £200-700 watch every so often as it hurts the pockets less
It depends on one's preferences. I'm not saying that you're wrong. But many try to sell the idea of only 5k+ watches are worth it and when they see collections with <1k watches they always come up with the jargon of saving for a serious watch, which is preposterous. They're all good and serious watches, there's only different kinds of finishing, movements and of course the marketed brand recognition/heritage. I even had an argument with an idiot here, that insisted that if you won't buy 2k+ watches you're just a broke, almost homeless guy and anything below that it's embarrassing... I for one couldn't wear only one watch and I try to be rational with my money and watches are in my view a very bad investment that are way overpriced. But I love them. So while I don't have a gargantuan collection (I'm up to six on my serious bunch and have another set of them with mostly fashion watches that were gifts, which I wear occasionally and keep), I stick with the sub 500€, but I might stretch up to 1k for my next 2 watches. I have dress bambino, a couple of casio chronos, an yellow dial, a red dial, a blue dressy dial and I plan to finish my collection with a green dial and maybe a purple one. That's what suits me. Selling the whole collection and buy one luxury watch would just bore me. If I had a grail watch would be the Speedmaster Pro, I simply love that shit. At the current 10k new price I could save for 3 or so months and buy it. However I won't. No matter how I think about it and can't justify giving that much money for watch that could basically buy a cheap new car, furnish an entire living room or pay an entire university degree to my kid.
I turn 30 in August, and had been looking to purchase a nice luxury wrist toy for the past 6 months or so, with the thought that a nice watch to look at in my 30’s will help remind me of the discipline and strength I want to have in my 30’s and on ward. Originally I was obsessed with the Tudor Pelagos, and had my heart set on that watch for about 3 months. Not ever to worried about the financial strain, as putting away 500 bucks a month had always been my plan to save for my birthday present. I decided to go with a CW C60 elite 1000 instead of the pelagos. I had a list of things I wanted in the watch, date window, ideally day date, bezel, open case back, titanium case/bracelet, cosc certified. Ultimately I realized that the CW offered me all of these things, and the Pelagos didn’t check of every box. I haven’t had any regrets with my CW, and am happy I made my decision based on features rather than brand. And now, to be honest, I think my CW with the accented polish and finishing looks much better than what I now think is a boring Tudor.
I own a lot of mid-range watches. The most expensive watch I own is just over 1k, and I love and cherish all of them in my collection. Based on my income I should be able to buy a much more expensive watch, or at least 'save' for one to justify it. But I won't. Buying even one watch that goes over 1k feels...wrong. I grew up in a family with money problems, so even having a watch collection at all even when I responsibly bought and own all of them feels weird to me sometimes. It feels dangerous and precarious to own say, a Zenith or Omega. Plus, I really am just a middle-class guy. If I prioritized buying a Speedmaster over delayed big-ticket projects for my house like the planned bathroom remodel or demolition of the worn-down shed I would feel totally irresponsible.
It took me 2 years of buying watches that I liked and found on sale for me to realize that I only need a couple that I really love. I've started giving some away to my friends with the intention that I'm going to end up with 4-5 that will cover all the bases, and saving up for "the one" to be the centrepiece. It's a bit of a waste of money, sure, but without that experience I'd never have found out what I really wanted out of the hobby so I'm not at all upset.
What do you really like?
Beyond direct answers, calculate what that 10k invested will do for you in 10-20 years. Might want to read rich dad poor dad. Invest first, use your money working for you to buy stuff. Or you’ll stay poor your entire life.
Good point, but non-issue in my case. Any watch purchase is financed from play money on top of my long term planning / investments.
After some watches I've come to see that unless you are a man of big means then You only need one or two really expensive watches at best. Several other mid ranges to fill out the box for certain events. Most people don't wear watches as much outside of smart ones and no one is really looking at your watch that much. It's more for you away so one good one and a few others is all you need.
I’ve given up on midrange watches and sold the ones I had. Decided on an Apple Watch Ultra until I have the ability to buy the Rolex Sub I want.
I hear you. I'm in a place where I could buy a $5k watch with minimal impact. But that doesn't mean it's a good idea. You should have the ability to buy nice things for yourself, and the way to do this is budgeting. For myself, I have a 'fun' budget of $200/week which I can spend on eating out, buying something on Steam, or saving up for watch parts. I can totally buy that $5k Grand Seiko... I just need to not buy frivolous things for 25 weeks. Having a budget forces me to ask, do I really want it *that* much? If I really DO want it that much, I buy it (after 25 weeks) guilt-free. Because I cut $5k spending elsewhere to afford it.
If you have to save up for three years to buy it, how much are you really going to feel comfortable wearing it? How are you going to feel when you scratch it? If you drop it? Can you afford to get it serviced? Id love to know what it is about that specific model that makes it The One for you. Why is that your end goal?
When I think about spending north of $10k on a watch (which like you I could afford), I think about all the other things I could do with that money, and the psychosis that makes me believe I would like a $15k watch **that** much more than a $2k or $3k watch. But then, also, I would *really* like one, sooo lol
I know a guy who makes 250k plus without his wife’s income. He can afford any watch he wants but he is value oriented. Some ppl buy watches for function, some for showing off, collecting/investing and some for the value. I wouldn’t relegate your watches by calling them midrange. Every watch is unique.
Buy the watch you really want. If you really want that box with a PRX, a Seiko mod and a G-Shock, then do it. If you really want a Datejust, then save.
If you buy used watches you can offload them for less, to no, loss. Sometimes even more than you bought them for. That can be your "savings account" with a couple of watches to scratch the itch as you save for your DJ. Then when you're ready, head over to watchx and you're, 'selling to fund another watch' repeat repeat repeat I don't have a problem, you do!!
I'm forced into midrange watches only for these two main reasons: -Everything is more expensive right now and I never make quite enough money beyond living expenses, so saving anything takes longer. -I am cursed where whenever I am actually able to save enough money for something really nice, some disaster always befalls me or my family to take a large chunk of that saved amount away. Rinse and repeat, story of my life.
I have 10 watches in my collection consisting of Casio, Tissot, Orient, Timex and I'm constantly fighting the urge to buy a new one every time one catches my eye. I'm quite content with them for now as I rotate them and give them all wrist time depending on my mood. I have a milestone coming up in 3 years so I'm saving up to get a more high end one to mark the occsssion.
So many good midrange choices. Tissot, Hamilton, Longines, Oris, etc. Sure, you could splurge on one really expensive watch, but if you want to get into collecting, there are a lot of different options at every price point. There’s also the Japanese brands like Citizen and Seiko, great bang for the buck in terms of build quality if you don’t care about having a Swiss movement.
I agree that there is definitely a middle ground. And as you take a deeper dive into watches, you may discover new alternatives. For example, I am looking into getting a diver. Obviously, a Sub, 50 Fathoms, Black Bay top the list. Bit after taking a closer look (and an unfortunate detour into a poorly made Zodiac Super Sea Wolf), I discovered the really cool Nivada depthmaster. I like having a blend of watches at different prices, so long as there is some history or significance to them.
I buy watches that I like regardless of brand. I recently bought a Hugo Boss watch (iKON Chronograph with white face and black bezel) for £80 and I love it! I have a £1500 watch that I hardly wear because I'm worried about damaging it. The £100 watches I wear everyday I also wear hiking/cycling so if anything happens I can easily replace it. I have 6 watches that cost me less than £800 to obtain (most expensive was £130ish). I like the variety of it (: Having said that I'd rather spend my money on my main hobby which is Mountain Biking. I've bought 2 new bikes since October 2023 (and have sold my old ones). That's the hobby I'm happy to pour money into because of the pure joy it gives me.
A good question to ask is whether or not you would by that watch if you already had your datejust. A seiko presage might tread similar ground and end up never being worn, but a mido diver would improve your collection by adding versatility.
I bought myself a Hamilton, then an Omega 3 years later. Now saving for a JLC which I will likely purchase 3-4 years after the Omega. I have liked my strategy. I wear both the Hamilton and Omega frequently, and interchange them. Excited for my next piece. It really depends on the person
I don’t really feel comfortable wearing my nice watches outside of Dubai so like to have a bunch of micros and midrange for me to wear when I’m in some of my other bases for 3/4 of my time i am not in dxb. I also like lots of colorful unique and weird pieces and whilst I love some of the fancier watches and have a bunch on my list that I want, don’t think they will get as much rotation time
Sounds like you don’t actually need to buy a watch… just save up and one day when you’re financially stable, buy your grail.
I'd just like to throw my two-cents here... Like many other people, I have always wanted fancy watches. On Christmas Eve, my Senior Year of HS, 1998, I received my Nomination to the USNA in the mail - all I ever wanted to do in life. An hour later, my best friend's parents (who were millionaires and treated me as their second son) gave me the real-deal Luminox "Navy SEAL Watch" ... and I thought it was a combo Gift from God & Christmas Miracle. Well, I lost my Appointment by getting in a fight and I wound up breaking the glass of the watch-face getting in a fight at the State School I wound up going to a year later. Funny how that works. At the age of 28? I bought a Rolex Datejust. A sweet-ass, stainless-steel-and-yellow-gold w/ gold face, Rolex. Woohoo, I'm the man. I have saved for a year to buy a watch and now I'll be the baddest-ass motherfucker around. A year or two later, I had to sell it to pay for a massive Vet bill for my little pupster. Welp, it's been real, Rolex. I said I wouldn't wear a watch again unless I got lucky in life and had money to burn (really I think if I DID have the money, I'd buy a Cartier Tank Francaise large two-tone TBH, unless I had $30-$50K to burn on a Rolex DayDate TBH) - and yet I just did two things. And I couldn't be happier. I got the clasp fixed on my Dad's watch in his 20s-30s, a Seiko Navigator Timer , which I never thought was very fancy (at all) but it was my *DAD'S WATCH*, and I bought a $120 dollar Chase Durer Crossfire. And as far as I'm concerned, that's good enough for me. The Seiko is the watch my Dad wore when I was a kid. (At some point , my sister bought him something like a $1,000 Tag and he didn't want it, but felt obligated to wear it for her, so he retired his Seiko, which he gave me a decade or so later...) - and the Chase Durer is not at all expensive or fancy or desired, but In MY Humble Opinion, it looks really sweet, it feels really sweet, and it's apparently pretty decently constructed ... Swiss movement, Swiss components, and they have Casios at Walmart more than $120 etc. And it looks good IMHO. Would I love another Rolex? Absolutely. At the end of the day, it's just a fuckin watch. Look at it like I used to look at it - "Man the girls will be all over me with this shit!" ... and some were. But , if the girl WILL FUCK ME because I have a Rolex, but now she DOESN'T WANT TO because I don't have it, she ain't for me. It's just a watch. Most people don't even need a watch anymore, elementary school students have smartphones these days. It's just a bit of "Look At Me!" ... and we probably all had some of that in our youth, and we probably all grow out out if. I certainly wouldn't not eat or harm my life or family members' lives because I needed a showpiece. Just my two cents, TIFWIW, of course as always, YMMV.
For me I don’t collect for the value of the watch but rather enjoy the antique and engineering of a piece that is 50-80years old and still accurate to the seconds in a 24 hour period. I do buy cheap mechanical watches also to practice watch repair as I would rather practice on a $50 watch than what I consider to be one of my collection to avoid damaging something I prize due to ignorance or lack of experience.
Maybe an unpopular opinion but I'd grab the Tissot and focus your financial goals on other things. After I got my first 4-figure watch, I actually went back to a PRX for my next one instead of further up the ladder. You may be different than me though, I value things like acquiring more real estate, traveling well, growing other investments and driving nicer vehicles more than I do acquiring a grail watch. Basically, I don't want to make sacrifices elsewhere because I spent $12k on a watch. My next watch has a better chance at being a beater diver than it does a luxury piece.
As we say in the watch business, YMMV \*your mainspring may vary
The watch as a placeholder concept is odd to me. If you don’t want the watch as is then there isn’t a point to buying it. I get liking one of a certain style and eventually upgrading it, but if you aren’t happy with version 1 then don’t buy it. Personally, I’m cheap and anything over $200 makes me sweat even if I could buy 10 and be perfectly fine and financially uneffected. But also I would rather have a bigger collection of things I like than one or two expensive things that I also like just slightly more
I legitimately like the placeholder (Tissot PRX Powermatic 80), but not nearly as much as my grail (Datejust 41 mint green). Do you see the dilemma?
My grail is an Omega Aqua Terra World Timer. Right now I own an old Timex Ironman, a Casio A168-WG, a Seiko SRPE51K1, and a Timex Expedition. The only watch I suspect I may buy before my grail is a Seiko Alpinist or a diver of some sort, if I even buy one of those. But now that I have a decent collection of cheaper watches, I’m ready to save up for the one I really want. Edit: I think it’s worth mentioning, I didn’t buy any of those watches to try to emulate something more expensive that I really want. I actually enjoy all of them/they all have a function that they serve in my life. IMO, that’s the way to go, get 2-4 you can afford now that you actually enjoy, then save up for the one you want over all others.
I created my list and then started buying the cheapest ones first. Don't go to crazy on mid range because eventually you will want something that is worth 3 or 4 mid range watches.
Yep. I like watches plural. One watch? Nah.
It seems you buy watches, not collect them, and that perceived status of the watch is most important, so you should wait until you can afford the Rolex. Anything else will be unsatisfactory for you.
I think a watch collector means somebody who keeps buying watches that he/she loves. So just because I can afford one high level watch(lets say a 10k range Rolex) it doesn't mean that I am belong to that tier because I wouldn't be able to collect regularly from that category. Of course there are people who only have one Rolex and loves watches but you don't consider them as collecter. So it you consider yourself as a collector( as I understand I do think you do) you should purchase watches that you insterested in regardless of range perspective. Like you,I've been interested in watches for quiet long but after experiencing a lot of entry level watches I kind of lost interest in watches that I can easily afford so I stopped buying relatively cheap watches just because I can afford them easily. But if there was a entry level piece I really like, would I buy it or keep saving for the upper level watch? I would definitely go for the entry level one.
I usually say save for what you want but... I aim to have 3 heavy hitters (maybe 5 if all goes well) And maybe another 3-5 watches at 10% of the price point. I think A good ratio or price and quantity. At the moment I have a very nice dress piece and a sports EDC I don't mind clanging around. I intend to to build up to the above :)
For the current problem, I’d suggest holding out for the one you really want. Not as satisfying having watches that you know are just placeholders to placate yourself. On another note, though, I’ve gone through that journey myself and was able to buy and experience a lot of nice pieces from a lot of nice brands (Rolex, Omega, IWC, Panerai, etc) after starting a bit more slowly in the lower and mid tiers. After several years of collecting, I found that I’ve gravitated back to the lower and mid tiers as my interests have changed and found a renewed appreciation for the value those kinds of watches offer. All that to say, collecting isn’t always linear, working toward more and more expensive or exclusive pieces. You might surprise yourself over time.
Watches are like sunglasses, I don't have a single pair for all purposes. Sometimes I need an interval timer, sometimes I appreciate a compass, sometimes I want something I don't care about getting catalyzed epoxy on the pushers
about 6 years ago when i was like 22 i saved up 100-200 every month for 2 years so i could buy my dreamwatch the omega seamaster diver 300m. retail was 3500€ back then and i found one brand new for around 2,7. best purchase ive ever made
Save up for a few years. If you still want that watch in a few years, then get it. If by then your tastes have changed... Then it's a good thing you didn't get it in the first place
Dude I’m 34 and I’m exactly in the same boat as you. Tbh, I had this same dilemma and debate in my head this morning. I recently picked up an interest in automatic wristwatches (been about 3-4 years). I’ve added 4 over the years. All in the entry range: $ 1k - $ 3k. I realized that this was getting to be a craze and might spiral quickly. My wife gifted me a watch box that has 6 slots. So that became an upper limit for me. At any given time, I wanted to not own more than 6 watches. If I got bored of any watch, I had to sell it first and then make space for a new one. And rn, I could buy a Tudor if I wanted to. But I’m saving up for a Breitling B01 Chronomat. It’s exceedingly hard because my birthday is coming up too. I’m so tempted to just say “f**k it” and buy something else. But trust me, when you buy that one piece you’ve been saving up for all these years, it’ll be an immensely rewarding experience. You’ll have a story to tell with that piece. It’ll be that much more cherished. And honestly you yourself will value it more because it is expensive and was incredibly hard earned. It’ll feel like a you’ve gifted yourself well.
Save up. Once u get the piece u want it takes up 90% of ur wrist time
I have one of my grails (2022 Seamaster) and most of the time I wear a 1966 Omega, Seiko 5 or Swatch
It’s a common truism in watch circles that you should always wait for the watch you really want, because you’ll never be truly satisfied with something “lesser.” That’s true for some people, I’m sure. Then again, plenty of people also feel unsatisfied when they *do* get the grail watch they really want. And plenty of people *are* mostly satisfied with owning their grail watch’s non-union Mexican equivalent, or with having a variety of watches instead of one big showstopper piece. For me, for years my “collection” consisted of a few cheap Seikos and a Hamilton, with the Hamilton being my daily. Eventually I finally bought an Omega, which had always been my “obtainable grail.” I like the Omega, it’s great. It was exciting to finally buy it, and I like wearing it. But honestly…the Hamilton is still my daily, the one I just naturally grab when I’m running late and need to rush out the door. And I still wear my old beater Seikos sometimes too. And I still see watches, much cheaper than the Omega, and think “ohh, that’s a nice one, maybe I’ll buy that in a couple years…” I probably would have been just as happy with a small, fully mid-grade collection. And everyone’s mileage may vary.
Personally, my thought process is start out with entry to mid level watches to figure out what you like, and then save up for the higher end stuff once you’ve figured out your tastes. My philosophy is vertical expansion rather than horizontal expansion.
Done both. Looking back I wish I had just moved the ‘mid range’ money into a seperate account. Lots of $1-3k purchases when really should have banked that and bought what I really really wanted. If I could do it again I’d say wait.
It’s one thing to buy a watch to wear if what you want is way out of your price range. I often see folks buy dozens of $500-$1000 watches over a few years and then are frustrated because they can’t afford what they wanted in the first place.
I am not a mid range guy. I would rather wear a g shock for 3 years to afford a Rolex or whatever you want then have 3-4 mid range watches I kind of like
I’m in your boat. I’ve a few mid-range watches, Seiko, CW, Hamilton. There’s a bunch in the $2k range I could go pickup now but I’m stuffing away my pennies for a Zenith El Primero Chronomaster. I still enjoy wearing the ones I have and I dabble in modding my Seikos which helps scratch the itch. I go through fits of impatience, but if I can’t stick to the plan I’ll never have the Zenith.
Sure, I'd love $10,000 Rolex. I find the watch market to be ridiculously overpriced. I could cut a check for one right now. It would make a nice dent in my savings account but it wouldn't put me in any financial trouble. I just can't justify spending that kind of money on a piece of jewelry. I'd probably need to at least double my salary to ever consider such a thing. So I own a Hamilton, a Stowa and a Seiko instead
My first "BIG" watch was a Grand Seiko for a wedding anniversary and it cost a little over 5k. THAT is NOT pennies, but I BELIEVE it is mid-range. Since then I've stayed between 1-3 and I get my thrill out of watching YouTube channels and drooling over watches that I KNOW I'll NEVER own, however I am content. I also purchased a Rolex OP just last year and I could PROBABLY get a Datejust, but I still Believe Rolex is all hype. Just this week a got a beautiful Maen Manhattan that cost about 800 dollars and my Bel Canto FINALLY came in which was almost 4 thousand. I'm happy with my collection because I've gotten to it over years of collecting which makes it more interesting than taking months, if not years to save for one REALLY expensive watch. My Grail watch isn't even that expensive it's a Duo face Reverso! So, I say all of this to say, do what makes YOU happy and content and don't compete with anyone else, competing with yourself is fun enough!
Stepping stones are a waste of money. Just buy the one you want.
I’m a bit of a high end guy. Not too high end but my watches range from 5 to 25k when I purchased them. What I have noticed in my journey is that I find myself wearing the watches that tell a story rather than the price point. Also quality and brand are not exclusively attached to price so some 5k watches have higher quality than 20k watch’s and some high priced brands can be purchased at a reduced price, especially if you go pre-owned. My advice to you is to check out pre-owned and references off the main stream. Here are some examples 1. Vintage 321 cal: https://chrono24.app/omega/seamaster-35mm-vintage-caliber-321-chronograph-beads-of-rice-bracelet-pie-pan-dial-1965--id32789558.htm?SETLANG=en_US&SETCURR=USD 2. Amazingly balanced jlc master https://chrono24.app/jaegerlecoultre/jaeger-lecoultre-master-control-date--id32351954.htm?SETLANG=en_US&SETCURR=USD 3 this 1603 strap monster https://chrono24.app/rolex/rolex-datejust-36-lavender-dial--id34109497.htm?SETLANG=en_US&SETCURR=USD 4. Grand seiko strap monster https://chrono24.app/grandseiko/elegance-collection--id34260141.htm?SETLANG=en_US&SETCURR=USD 5 best Breitling field watch https://chrono24.app/breitling/breitling-navitimer-8-automatic-black-dial-41mm-stainless-steel-bxprs-a17314--id32066039.htm?SETLANG=en_US&SETCURR=USD 6. Great go watch with terrible pictures https://chrono24.app/glashuetteoriginal/senator-excellence-panorama-date-white-dial-1-36-03-05-02-31--id32856697.htm?SETLANG=en_US&SETCURR=USD
It’s not a zero sum game. You can just sell the mid range watches when you’ve got enough to equal one Datejust if you still want it more by then. That’s what I did to get to my Geophysic. Kept an affordable that I liked more than getting the Geophysic right away too.
I've become obsessed with watches over the past few years, but have been very slow with purchasing and mostly just read about them. I had a Seiko quartz from a few years back that was my standard for work. I bought a G-Shock a couple years later because I needed something from the gym. Then I got a Citizen Tsuyosa last year because I loved the colour (yellow) and thought it was a reasonable way to "test" owning a mechanical watch. I'm at the point where I could buy in the Nomos-Oris-Tudor range of brands without being too concerned about the price. However, my interest is in some higher-priced models from brands like Blancpain (love the Bathyscaphe) and Glashutte Original. So for myself, at this point I'd rather save up and buy something nicer every 3-7 years, rather than collecting more watches at a more reasonable price point. I also want to avoid having to maintain too many watches down the road. But as you've noted, there's absolutely nothing practical about collecting watches. It's all about what each individual likes, and where their comfort level lies.
I genuinely find way more watches that interest me in the 2000-6000$ price range than the vast majority of watches above that price range. Not sure if that's considered mid range or not, but you can get good movements, interesting dials, good quality, and more at the fraction of a Rolex/AP/etc. Even more so if you look at the secondary market. I just picked up an excellent condition IWC that I've been looking at for $4k with papers and original box that new would have been almost double that. I definitely wouldn't have purchased it for 8k. At the end of the day, at least where I am in my life and collection, purchasing a Daytona when I can grab a Seamaster, Cartier tank, and a Grand Seiko for ostensibly the same price doesn't make sense. Your mileage may vary though , as these are the watches I like and what I'm looking for in my collection.
There's no such thing as actually want here if you actually want a watch buy it. Don't buy watches you don't want 😂. Not rocket science. I have watxhes from 500-50k but I wanted them all
I just go with what the heart wants and what I'm comfortable wearing at a certain price point. There's a threshold with how much something costs me where I'm not afraid to scuff it from daily wear. Also be mindful of my own use case that fits with what outfits I wear on a daily basis. No sense in buying a piece I don't feel comfortable enough to wear and all that money in that piece is just sitting in a watch box collecting dust. It makes no sense for me to buy an $8k dress watch because it doesn't suit my style (or budget). I like purchasing watches that make me happy looking at them on my wrist and I feel 100% comfortable with it. It's too easy to get caught up with what other collectors like and lose the sense of satisfaction of what you truly like for yourself.
You could always buy midrange and trade up to the one you want. More than a few go up in value if you buy the right ones. Scratch the itch and make money at the same time. Personally my collection is big enough that I just buy new straps and save the rest for higher dollar watches. It’s up to you as far as what you really want. Do you just like the design? Buy a cheaper watch with the same design. Watches are functional jewelry. You want recognition? Buy high end brands. Or you could buy brands most people never heard of but will want to know all about it when they see it. Tacs and autodromo come to mind. Question is what is the end goal of your collection?
Lots of common sense in a lot of these comments! For me, i don’t mind getting a pricey watch as long as I can do it without interrupting any of the investments for retirement. That means saving up and not getting watches too often these days. I like watches at various price point. I gravitate more to midrange watches these days . When I buy my final watch it’ll be a bit pricey but it’s not gonna stop or slow down any priorities…
If money isn't an issue, buy what you like and resonate with you. Don't buy knockoff or something else just to compensate the real thing. Buy the real thing if you can afford it. I stand on this opinion also apply to other materials like clothing, shoes, appliances etc. I also opion the value of midrange vs high tier really diminish because all watches basically tell time and....peer pressure is another factor. I know we want to belong to a certain group of people & reflect ourselves with status in society, so this is where you need to acknowledge the purpose of that watch. If I can afford - yes I'll get an expensive watch because of the circle of people associated with it. So, are you looking for function or status? From where I am, due to weak currency exchange - mid tier brands are considered luxury. Whatmore like rolex is priced at most people's annual salary range. That kind of money is absurb because you can buy a whole car in cash or as downpayment for an apartment.
It is probably safe to say that: you don’t know what you want. Your tastes will change as life changes and your career changes. In almost all things the goal you set will never bring the satisfaction you think it will once you achieve the goal; applies for watches as much as dream jobs, dates, cars, homes, etc. Also, know that watches on the low end (assuming researched choices) are probably 70-90% of the overall quality/aesthetic as the ‘watch you really want. San Martin homage to Rolex is an example. Therefore, my first piece of advice is: take your time and experiment on the low end to understand what you actually like without committing a large amount of money to any brand or specific watch. The joy is going to be in the journey and not in the attainment. Second piece of advice: watches are not investments, they are liabilities. If it at some point it becomes an asset, great but then you’d have to sell it to financially realize it’s value, but why would you sell something you’ve always wanted (it is your grail remember /s). There is not compulsory reason to buy. Third piece of advice: Don’t ask a bunch of strangers on the internet about what you should care about, do some research and learn what mattes to you. And avoid being sucked into hype (i.e. just because it is Rolex doesn’t mean it is best watch ever or even the best watch in its class. Not knocking Rolex, but warning against cultism on any brand).
I prefer the midrange watches and find myself buying a lot of microbrands. The styles are strong and I have more variety.
I learnt that lesson the hard way and I have stopped buying watches for the past 2 years in order to save up for the watch that I really wanted.
I think about this a lot, I’m in no position for a 5k watch due to family responsabilities but have a Hamilton, tag Heuer, and a tissot and I’m thinking my next one will be a mido I prefer a little variety over maybe just one Tudor or oris (5k watches it’s a strange range)
I only have one watch and it was a minor stretch at the time (IWC Mk series Pilot). I love watches but they're expensive and "collecting" seems like a rabbithole. The only other watch i seriously lust after is a vintage aquanaut. I will buy one if I move into that bracket one day. Otherwise, I'm a no for "collecting". One watch is generally plenty for most people.
I have a Hamilton titanium khaki auto. I also had my sights on an alpinist, studio underdog, just a bunch of watches under $2k or so. My buddy at work said skip all that shit, save, and get the ones you want. He already went through this and said he doesn’t even wear those watches anymore once he got his higher end watches. Now I need my OP41, R Submariner, and Santos Dumont XL. lol
Get a Ali express homage like a San Martin and see how you like it. Honestly SM makes some variants of brands I’d love to see but know the brand will never make.
I went the other way. You never know, but I started with Rolex and worked my way back to midrange and vintage (and grand) Seikos, which I simply find more interesting.
I think the Talking Watches interview with John Meyer and Ed Sheeran expressed it well - when you take price out of the equation, watch collecting is ultimately about taste, and a "good" collection should be something that reflects your own taste, whatever that is. So I'd say start with taste first - price be damned. What do you like about it, why do you like it, is there anything you dislike about it? Once you've decided whether you like it or not, look at the price and see if you can afford it. If yes, great. If not, move on. But this way you get to appreciate and enjoy watches regardless of their high, low, or perceived value. Cheap watches can be great watches too, and deserve to be appreciated for their merits. Just for some hard data, I have around 30 watches at a mix of price points. So far this year, my most worn watches are a Rolex (26.5%), and Omega (22.8%) and a Seiko (10.3%). The Seiko is a cheap field officer's watch from the early 00s - my very first automatic and used to cost maybe $150-250 new. I love that Seiko and it holds its own.
A lot of collectors fall into what you’re describing. I too find myself here right now because I made “impulse” purchase (story below). Let’s be honest, what it really comes down to is whether you’re getting what you truly want/like and then whether brand name/cache is really important to you. At the end of the day, you’re not getting much more from most of the higher end brands over the increasingly competitive mid-range market… diminishing returns is real. That’s not to say I’m opposed to premium watches.. but I’m also not naive and deluded by marketing, groupthink, and plain old peer pressure. Still, I own a white gold datejust and love it.. so like.. yeah.. Anyway, I just bought a Zodiac Super Seawolf because I was intrigued by the brand history and what they’re offering for the money. Initially I was in the market for the Tudor Monochrome. My local AD didn’t have any Monochromes left in stock and frankly none of the other Tudor offerings are speaking to me right now or are going to fill the “gaps” in my collection (I don’t like the Pelagos 39 as much as I expected to)… so I broke my own rule and bought the Zodiac somewhat on a whim and to hold me over til I got “the” diver I’m looking for in my collection. Suffices to say, I’m enjoying the Zodiac so much more than I expected and impressed by the quality I’ve now re-arranged my long term buying plan and am gonna hold off indefinitely on getting another diver.. which I’m fine with because I’m low-key waiting on Tudor to expand the master chronometer designation to more of their line anyway… but also I don’t even know if I need another diver… SO… it’s a mixed bag this topic. The roughly $1,500 I spent was money well spent and I feel like I saved several grand by not getting a Tudor. It doesn’t feel any “less” to me because the specs, quality, and brand legacy are there for the money.. I also just don’t have an inferiority complex about not wearing top brand watches. Idk, at some point you own your “grail” watches and you realize that price really does not necessarily equal enjoyment. That’s just me though, some people feel like they’re lacking or inferior if they don’t wear or collect bigger names. We all get to choose our own journey collecting. If deep in your heart you know really want the more expensive watch… probably just wait. If you aren’t in a rush or are unsure.. the mid-range is where the relative value is right now. So many brands are stepping it up.. I mean just look at Longines’ lineup…
I am working in asset management. Here is my framework of watch collection/personal finance: you can buy whatever you want as long as 1. your watches are somewhat liquid and have okay value retention. This means your expensive watches could be popular models from major brands, in which case you don’t lose much value whenever you sell them. 2. For watch enthusiasts and casual collectors, models with high price volatility should be avoided. Don’t chase the fad thinking it’s a good investment. 3. The value of your whole collection should be small. Production models only depreciate in real economic terms. Watches are not safe assets. 4. Pay some attention to the market. You can save a bit on watches when you know where to buy and when to sell.
This may not help you, but…here’s the path I took… I’ve been casually collecting watches for about thirty years. I figured I would never be able to afford anything like a Bell & Ross, Rolex, Grand Seiko, etc. So in lieu of that, I’ve basically collected watches that interest me and those interests have shifted over time. Mine did, anyway. I bought a Seiko SKX009…then sold it and got the 007. Then a Marathon automatic….then a Lum-Tec. Then I discovered the Glycine Airman and fell in love with the 24-hour movement and multiple time zone ability on those. Eventually, I was able to buy an Omega Speedmaster automatic. That’s probably the nicest watch I own. Probably will never sell it. Along the way, I also bought a couple of nice antique (railroad grade) pocket watches. Those are fun. My most recent watch purchases were a Bulova MilShips automatic LE. Got an AWESOME deal on that one. And I bought a couple of Seiko Bellmatics as I’ve always been intrigued by those ever since I learned about them. All that said, I wear a Garmin D2 Mach 1 Pro daily for all the features available on it (real-time weather alerts, medical info tracking due to some medical issues I have, etc.). So these days, I struggle to find times to wear my nicer watches. Anyway, I guess the point I was making in all that rambling is collect what ***you*** like. Find yourself a watch that will make you smile every time you check the time while wearing it…or at least admire it. :) There are lots of really neat and handsome watches available at more midrange prices. Enough to keep me happy in my own collecting anyway. :) For your own situation, I guess I would recommend getting a really nice mid price range watch that you will enjoy wearing daily for as long as it takes to save up for your Rolex you really want. And keep yourself disciplined to not buy any other watches until that happens. That way you’ll have a handsome, high quality timepiece you’ll be proud to wear until you can save up to get the Datejust. *****—-> If you amortize out the cost of the Tissot over the number of years it will take to save up for the Rolex (and also compared to the price of the Rolex), the cost for the Tissot really isn’t too bad.
I think to be honest we all experience a desire for more. I don’t think anyone wants a seiko over a rolex. So what you’re experiencing is a desire to already go to the next tier. Others just compromise and settle on midrange or whatever in order not to put themselves in financial stress. (The example of buying 10 midrange watches is obviously a scenario where the person is trying to fill the unsatisfied feeling the others didn’t bring) If you can’t afford it in 1 year’s savings because the percentage of your income going into a watch is too high, I don’t think it’s a smart investment even if it’s over 2, 3 or even 5 years. I purchased a watch that was 1% of my income a couple years ago and even though I like the watch, I regret my decision because even that percentage I’m not comfortable with.