Great video, love the honesty. I especially resonate with #10, can be quite easy to fall into that trap. In the end, buy what you love and ignore the rules because, in reality, there are none.
Such great advice! I appreciate you sharing this. I’ve gone through the cycles just like you: Omega, Rolex, Tudor and all the other popular brands. I now mostly wear two watches: a MoonSwatch and G-Shock square. Anyone who asks me about getting into watches. I just tell them to buy a G-Shock and call it good.
I have no regrets, I just have a bunch of watches that give me great enjoyment and fun to wear, some watches are very affordable and others are a bit pricey, as long as I can afford it and feed my family- no problems !😊
There was some really good advice here. The number one that really hit home for me was WEAR your darn watches! I had a couple beautiful luxury watches but I was trying to keep them pristine… so what was the point other than just looking at them? I now wear them all the time even with some inevitable scratches which now don’t bother me near as much. The other major point for me is Don’t throw away your old Watches! , I had a couple Watches that I threw away and now I regret it, as there was a lot of history and nostalgia behind them.(And one of them was also Timex iI had n high school) : (
I don’t have any regrets yet because I’m only on waitlists, I’ve never actually been able to purchase any of the watches I want, and I’m skeptical I ever will
Another thing is I realized in my watch hunting journey is my favorite brand is probably Breitling I always wanted a Rolex and still do but I’ve been looking at Breitling In a different light
This was a great video - liked the candid discussion around mistakes and regrets. Found it pretty cathartic haha. I’m currently looking into my first major purchase. I’ve been putting a lot of importance behind it - viewing it as my “everyday watch for life” and it’s been stressing me out. I’ve been trying to tell my self to view it not as “the last watch” but rather “the next watch,” but it’s hard to not stress over such a big purchase. When you built your ideal 3-watch collection and we’re identifying the perfect watch for each category, did you find yourself stressing and experiencing this “paralysis by analysis” ?
I wish I had my watches from when I was kid. They’ve been lost for many many years though. They weren’t expensive but they would have immense sentimental value. The only watch I threw out was a “guess” tank style watch that didn’t work. Now after watching your video I even regret that. I probably could have polished it and gotten a new battery and strap.
I swore no more watch but just ordered my Marathon JDD ARCTIC SAR . Had the JSAR and sold it a few years ago and regretted it . This is the last one now . 🎉
I have a Tudor Prince Day date 36 mm, its in for service. 1/10th the price of the Rolex. I wanted a Submariner the Rolex is the better part of 10 K, the Tudor Sub 36 mm is looking good. then my collection will be done, its not practical to keep buying and selling.
omg i also have fossil watch. it was kinda my first 'luxury' watch. had it in my 20s and the only watch I wear for 6 years. it's crazy how versatile it is! no matter what outfit I have, the watch just stands out. I even got compliment saying my watch looks like the vintage 🥹 then I got a job which allow me to splurge on 'better' quality and brand. my first expensive watch was orient. I sold the fossil watch for dirt cheap... it has scar, straps were beat up too even tho i just change it. you can tell how much I actually wear that damn watch! but I had to move on to a next chapter. after a while I kinda regret selling it.. I sold it bcos it's fossil lmfao. the watch was in a very good quality tho before they became crap like now. but man, that watch has been thru my young adult life 🥲
The whole thing about buying purely off value is a nice tip. I was just about to buy something on a prime sale just because I was itching to get something but at checkout I had this gut feeling like I was making the wrong choice. Thankfully I took my time and considered that I was about to settle for a watch with a lot of compromises just for the sake of getting something on sale over waiting and getting the watch I really wanted. Long story short I love my Bulova lunar pilot its my first serious watch and im glad I didnt settle for whatever seiko 5 was cheapest even though they are still fine watches and I will likely still get one down the road.
I really take my time to buy a watch,and when I do, I really don't regret a thing, i don't buy watches to sell them afterwards, i buy to wear them and enjoy them
I agree with a few here, really enjoy this video, I will say buy what you can afford and afford to keep. I've been thru over 100 watches easily since the 80s and have some regrets as many were great watches. I gotta slow down so imma try and work on that.
No regrets. You learn to buy what you like. Then you regret buying watches others don't respect. Then you feel foolish for caring what others thought. All along the way, you live and you learn--first about watches, then about yourself.
I bought my first automatic 25 years ago. I bought my second automatic a month ago. I bought my third automatic a week ago. My collection is complete* . . . .*minus a GS, because, GS.
This was the best "watch advice" video I've seen. Some of your points really struck home, especially watching too many reviews and developing a list... I have one, on a spreadsheet! I discovered your channel today and subscribed. Great job!
My main rule is to only buy watches I intend to keep. If there's any indication that I'll want to sell it at some point or don't want it enough I don't buy it. I personally hate selling stuff. I prefer gifting them away to friends and family.
My Uncle passed away without any heir, he had alot of watches Rado, citizens etc. I don't have any knowledge or interest in watches and was dispose all this old watches and i ended up on this video. Thank you for advice brother. This watches will remain with me forever.
I've learned that when you ask someone "Why did you buy that watch?" and they start reading you the brochure, it's always the wrong watch for that person. I've only bought watches that when I see them, the first thing that pops into my mind is "fuck, that's awesome!" and years later I haven't had that regret for "buying the wrong watch" all the RU-vidrs and bloggers always talk about. Plus I only buy when the money is plenty, so never had to sell a watch to buy a new one. I have all the watches I bought still. This is just a hobby, it doesn't have to be your life.
Female watch enthusiast for decades. Got into riding motorcycles, sold my Speedmaster and my Breitling to buy bikes- which I considered an incredible lifestyle/experience so I don’t really regret selling those. Much. No longer ride. Bought myself an Aqua Terra for my last big birthday. Felt like an experience, going into the city, falling in love with the piece in the window… I’ll never sell it. Never. Great concept for a video, thank you so much!
Nice! I think these watches have a period of time in our lives. Sometimes it is short and sometimes longer. Those first two allowed you to get into a hobby that I'm sure you have great memories from. Now the next will help on the next stage.
Another important rule is: Never rush into a purchase. This has saved me a bunch of times. My collection strategy is buy to keep. So it's important that I really know what I'm buying before I get it. It also helps keep my collection relatively manageable. I agree 100% with #8!!! Do not watch too many reviews. This hobby can be toxic and most YT content creators have a vested interest in the watch market to include hyping specific brands and products. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I think I’ve made one impulsive purchase since getting into watches. While I like the watch I got, I can’t stop but think that had I really taken my time I probably wouldn’t have bought it.
Do it the Warren Buffett way. Buy and hold. My collection is going to my kids eventually. I love each piece and rotate them regularly. You are spot on JC.
Rushing the watch purchase might be related with buying somethig "like" the real thing but not "the" real thing. Don't rush just save and wait. Buy the right one
I would say my only regret is going too big too soon. The first year I got into watches (3 years ago), I bought myself a $1200 watch. I still have it and love it, but since then, I rolled the price point back a little and got a Seiko SRPE51 for under $200. I bought it to be a work beater but now I find that I use the cheaper watch a lot more on a day to day basis and the expensive watch sits in the watch roll. I just feel I went about things backwards lol.
I get it. I regret the $14 I spent on a watch from China. The bezel fell off when I turned it, Then the second hand fell off. I then picked it up a couple days later and the indicies were rattling around inside. President Xi, you owe me fourteen bucks! 🤭
Bank for buck is an under rated one, a lot people starting their collection run into this but a year or later when they know more about watches and what they like, they regret buying a watch because it was ‘bank for buck’ but they great watches that most people would not regret buying that are bank for buck
I like this video and I like your casual style of presentation. There's a lot of good advice in here. I think one of the biggest failings that people make is not buying what they like, but buying what the so-called watch community says they should be buying. Also, as you say, watches should be worn. If you're scared to wear a watch be scared to buy it.
In South Africa I do not believe that buying a expensive watch a high end watch is worthwhile because it will be a matter of time and you can get mugged of your watch crime is high here so it can happen anywhere in the world I guess but here the risk is very high so unfortunately you cannot wear a Rolex here or whatever else so then the highest for me is the G shock and is it dangerous to wear because of thieves maybe so but not as dangerous as a Rolex so now one is restricted in what to buy.Anyways watches can be addictive once collecting but collect for who for yourself but for what to gather dust and pass it to your children.Anyways different strokes for different folks I guess but yeah so it goes I can’t even buy me the Seiko I would like the Tuna for fear of theft.now I’m thinking of the MRW 200 H cheap one and will they steal that well maybe who knows but unlikely they love the king here who wants to steal a watch with plastic case.I have two watches G shock and Casio edifice and like the MRW 200 H tactical style.Maybe total of three then I will have or sell these two and downgrade what to do I don’t know
Very nice video. Thanks for all the great advices. I collect Steeldive and Berny watches many years ago and this watches are still looking good and working great. You should try them and let me know what you think.
The problem with watch collecting is that the activity boils down to trying to fill an unfillable consumeristic void. It's an endless and futile pursuit that will get you no where.
I couldn't possibly disagree more, respectfully. In a world of devices made to die on purpose, buying mechanical things encase in artificial sapphire to tell the time is a fcking act of rebellion in a way. You don't need a watch to tell the time. But it's fcking beautiful. It's not necessary. It's way too complicated. It's hard to make. It's not nearly as accurate as your cellphone anyway, which can track all timezones with more readability than any world's timer, does not need to be adjusted for leap year for 5 hours like any perpetual calendar movement, so on and so forth. I have spent literal years of my life researching my first serious watch before buying it. The only impulse watch purchase I made was a stupid Caravelle for 60 bucks (the New York) that looks tough as Mike Tyson's fists.
Many people try to have one of everything like they're curating their own watch museum. You don't need every single watch complications or types. Buy what you love and only spend money on watches that you can afford to lose.
Exactly. Buy watches and have in mind to give them away, on day, as gifts to friends and loved ones, but never to sell them. That’s the key to watch happiness.
Buying a San Martin they look great but when the bezel jammed up on a diver trying to get a warranty repair was a nightmare. A short time later the "pearl" on the bezel fell out too. My advice don't buy Chinese watches.
Watch collecting is a illness and an expensive one I only have one watch now and I am thinking of buying a second one I sold all my watches and I couldn’t be happier this is not a place to put your money at least I did not lose too much money on the sales.
It's so funny how the beginning of this journey is so similar to the majority of us. I'm in the phase where I'm rushing just to have more watches(quantity over quality). Very good breakdown of what to avoid. Thx!
The only saving grace is you have an allocated budget for all your watches. Otherwise this sounds more like unnecessary self torture than anything else. 😂
Sadly, all the watches in your collection are ex-hyped watches, only "brand" watches that everyone wants. Better to be original, find your own taste and not buy all the stuff that reviewers and hodinkees advertise!
I watch the RU-vidrs strictly for entertainment now. I can appreciate the watches they feature without feeling the need to own them all. That just came with time. When I fist got into collecting things got pretty out of hand 🤣🤣
Sometime back I set myself a 2 Year Rule - have to keep whatever I buy for 24 months. Stops me buying on impulse, and stops me selling because I'm having a sulk that day.
Great video and great points. I've made a number of these mistakes. I would even suggest Rule 10 should be Rule 1, that seems like the first and most obvious mistake that newbies make (I certainly did). I thought I needed one dress watch, one chronograph, one diver, one pilot watch, etc... What I learned eventually is that I love a certain kind of steel, rotating bezel dive and pilot watches and that is what I actually wanted to build a collection around.
Exactly. I wanted a watch with different dials and different t hands and different bracelet types and different metals. I ended up abandoning that. It was so stupid to pigeonhole my collection like that
My preferred method of watch collecting is I set an annual budget that I feel comfortable with and then decide if I want to spend that on one watch or a couple over the course of the year. This process allows me to research and really decide what I would like and look forward to the purchase(s). Also I think it’s important to decide early on how many watches you would like to have in your collection. Finally, each watch I own, I try to build a sentimental bond with. Some watches I wore when my kids were born, others worn when I got engaged and married, others were gifts etc. I’ll never complain about the price tag when I have a bond with the watch
@@justsain3236 of the three I’d probably go with Seiko, there’s a reason why so many people have them in their collections. Tissot isn’t bad either, just not my style.
When I bought my pelagos 39 it wasn’t even on my radar. I knew it existed but didn’t think it was an option. When I went into the AD and he said he had one I fell in love with it. Curious after the fact, I watched a few reviews and it was surprising the amount of “negative” reviews on the watch. Yes there are a few things that could be changed/improved but to quote YoureTerrific, “it is the best watch FOR ME!” Regardless of what reviewers said about the Pelagos 39, I don’t regret my decision whatsoever. I do really appreciate your videos on it and the positivity towards it compared to others.
For a watch video, there is too much talk of money? The watch is the watch. Perhaps Rolex isn't a watch anymore? Remember: the watch you wear shouldn't make anybody else feel less, as a result.
I find the easiest way is to take a trip to the shops and see how tiny that £10k object is in the window and think, na, I’m good. I had the same £50 beater watch for 15 years (still got it).
My biggest regret, trading my very first Rolex, a Sub Date 16610. It was 1999, I had just turned 18 years old and I saved $2800 to buy a Pre-owned Sub Date that still had the green sticker in the back, it couldn't possibly had been more than 2 years old. The guy that sold it to me told me that at the time the 16610 brand new was $3800, so I got it for almost 25% below retail. I wore it for just like 3 months and I traded it back in (plus 1k cash) at the same store for (cover your ears) a 2 tone Datejust. 2 tone was huge in the nineties and I felt like a baller for having a gold and steel Rolex. I regretted it so much later, I wish I had always kept that 16610 and pass it down one day. Now every time I feel the urge to sell my Polar 16570 I try to think back about that time and convince myself that I will probably regret it too.
My watch collection is of a very minor number (5 in total, but even so I regret buying two of them) and importance, especially in value... Thank you so much for the sound and wise advices! I really felt them! Loved the 10th one (as I might keep the two I regret)!
Great video, I am sure we all relate to these points. A personal regret of mine is : BUILDING YOUR COLLECTION TOO QUICKLY. I made the mistake of buying too many watches too quickly, at one time I bought 7 watches in one single month.! I have 15 watches now but really enjoy wearing 5 of them... the others are gathering dust while still brand new, thinking of giving them away.
The last point happens to me a lot, instead of enjoying to the full my rolex collection (4 watches) im all the day thinking and over analyzing the gmt pepsi call that im waiting for a long time , a gmt that i dont really need because i already have an expl 2, sometimes we just have to relax and enjoy more our hard earned watches wich are more than enough. We also tend to put our grail watch into a pedestal and when we achieve it soon another grail comes to our mind, we just have to enjoy our grear pieces relaxed
Ponte Vecchio! The third window on from the left used to be a jewelry store that my father (who's from Florence) bought my Mom's wedding ring in. Tiny tiny place - this was back in the 60s.
Agree on the throwing away comment. All those watches from “before” are a part of the journey. (I also bought a quartz pocket watch as a teenager!) Thankfully I have most of my old watches, but there are some that I must have tossed out (have no memory of it) years and years ago. Now I actually have a bunch of my old watches arranged chronologically in a watch box, and that box is a little museum that tells part of my watch story; it’s actually fun to look at and go back down memory lane. (I also have a chronological spreadsheet of every watch I’ve owned with all kinds of detail, dates, notes, etc. As we all say, it’s a bit of a sickness. Lol)
Thanks Harrison first viewer, now subscriber. Your points are so valid. I am not tempted by super expensive watches these days as I had a Rolex and numerous high end watches. It got to the point I nearly bankrupted myself. Now I love to collect homages, Japanese brands and micro brands. But never over $500. That's my limit. My collection sits at 60 watches. Great advice mate..
The way I collect watchs is that I remind my self that yeah it's cool to have the watches but at the end if the day when I die they don't come with me so no matter the price point I wear it because Tomorrow isn't guaranteed so wear what you like not what others are telling you to like
Watches value gonna up and down but a collector is one who doesn't buy any watch for its value retention over time, not for the investment, not for the hype a collector buys a watch out of his/her love for the watches irrespective of anything. So stop claiming yourself a collector if you ever buy a watch to resell it or flip it.
In a world of devices made to die on purpose, buying mechanical things encase in artificial sapphire to tell the time is a fcking act of rebellion in a way. You don't need a watch to tell the time. But it's fcking beautiful. It's not necessary. It's way too complicated. It's hard to make. It's not nearly as accurate as your cellphone anyway, which can track all timezones with more readability than any world's timer, does not need to be adjusted for leap year for 5 hours like any perpetual calendar movement, so on and so forth. I have spent literal years of my life researching my first serious watch before buying it. The only impulse watch purchase I made was a stupid Caravelle for 60 bucks (the New York) that looks tough as Mike Tyson's fists. There is ZERO regrets to be had. Buy a couple Zelos, cash a few 5 years down the road, buy a Rolex, wait another 10, buy a house.
Good video and really good points. I too "suffer" from this watch collecting ailment, and in addition, I also collect electric guitars. Over the years, I've noticed a common factor between these products. If I want a specific product, even if it is significantly more expensive than a similar look-alike from another manufacturer, it's more sensible to just save up for the more expensive model that you really want rather than cycling through similar models half a dozen times only to realize that you've ultimately spent as much or even more money on this cycling than what you really wanted. Naturally, money also gets wasted in this process, because that's just how it is.
We all learn from our mistakes, but generally speaking, in this video you summed up a really great advises for everyone who's starting to get into the watches. Good points, respect!
My regrets in watch collecting is not spending the money to buy a ‘luxury high end’ watch. It’s the recent realization that ‘luxury high end’ watches’ nowadays. Note present day. Are a total rip off and scam. The emergence of extremely well made replicas with quality materials has shown me that a $500 replica is 99% that of a $10,000 genuine. Again, my opinion and values. How much of the movement is CNC’d nowadays. Is it still an artisan piece when practically every part is computered milled. With a little hand finishing. Is it worth $99,500 for that? No. Not for me. Regardless of how much money I have. I haven’t worn anything from my collection ever since Apple Watch came out. It is on my wrist at work, casual events, black tie parties. Don’t give a shit what other people are wearing. Got a Platinum Daytona on your wrist? Good for you. Please move to the side so I can get the potato salad. Thanks.
Don't have any desire to sell any of my watches and luckily don't have to. Saving up for a Non chronograph navitimer right now, that is my dream watch. When it comes to Rolex. I could not get exited about any of their models. They look dated, dull and polished and pretty much all come on a damn bracelet.
I don't regret giving away my old watches. I feel like I'm so happy to wear my IWC big pilot mark xx that every time I choose to wear something else I'm sad I don't get to wear my IWC. I do it so I can experience my other watches too but I'm okay giving away my $30 timex because I want to get more use out of my IWC and I can only wear one at a time. I also gave away my watch that I wore from age 13-31, it was getting old, it's a decent build quality but I just got bored with it. let someone else enjoy it, I probably wouldn't even get $10 on the used market for it...
My Reverso is Christmas-only : 24 and 25 Dec each year. No regrets on my collection, but I'm very, very non-hype. No modern Rolex rage. No interest in very high end ones, like AP or Patek. More like sports vintage preowned classics in steel.
Appreciate sharing this, there is a lot of stuff here that many people think but will never share. In my experience I found out that spending money on watch books, reading lots of forums (and writing to ask questions) is a really good way to spend the first year before pulling the trigger on a watch.
My biggest regret from collecting watches is that I started thinking I would make money off of it. If I would start all over again, I'll change my attitude in watch collection.
Incredible how not a single one of these applies to me ha. Who would ever rush to sell watches? I mean if I didn't wear something for 2 years I can see myself considering selling but I cant imagine ever rushing to sell, guess everyone is different.
I beg to differ. There are different kinds of watch collectors. I know exactly which watches I want and have a list. My 12 pieces square metallic Casio collection is complete. I don't care about future models. The same with my 6-pieces analogue quartz collection. I still lack 3 watches (out of 6) in the my mechanical collection (Hamilton field watch, Seiko Alpinist and Mido Ocean Star 600), I'll buy them, new as alnost always, when I have saved the money. Except for a dress watch on occasions, I do not wear them, looking at them is sufficient for me. Stamp and coin collectors don't use their items either. The collection is meant to be passed on to the family - in mint condition. What I wear is a Timex Expedition. It has all what I need from a watch.
I regret collecting watches in general. Developed such great bonds with some pieces, and love each and every one. Remember 1)sold a lot of watches along the way already. Most that don’t get worn. Good watches: not random expenditures i got tired of. A daytona, many pateks, APs, and even more langes. I can no longer sell any more watches because the ones left all have sentimental value to me. Who the hell am i gonna sell my vintage seiko 5 to? With a worn out bracelet and a movement that hasn’t been serviced in 8 years. Am i ever going to sell my 5164a? The watch i have built the most memories with? What about my navitimer, the very first watch i owned? And my snoopy speedmaster? Unsellable. Oh how i envy the man who just bought 1 watch and is happy with it. Maybe added two more to the collection over the years when he saw something cool. Buy the things you like and buy them well. Don’t chicken foot and buy 20 2k watches when you have 20k to spend. Buy something you’ll wear to shit and buy it well. It’s a bubble. You’re not some grey market ahole. Stop thinking of selling and investment value. Don’t be like me.
Brave to tell the story of throwing the sentimental watches away. Man, I cringe on the inside for you thinking about it. Those types of things haunt me, when I've allowed them too. I would be too embarrassed to tell anyone. Just block it out, la la la.
I’ve made plenty of mistakes but the only real regret I have is selling the watch I bought for my engagement. It was awhile ago, a cheap Seiko SNKL795. I have much nicer watches now, but every time I see a picture of me in that watch on that day, I miss it. Definitely shouldn’t have sold it. Hopefully I can track it down some day.
I think, all your points can be summarized with: You hadn't learned before, how to select things. Those points you make, remind me of myself of how I was generally, 10 years ago. It's as if on one hand you didn't know yourself very well, and on the other had too much money.
(Imagine Jesse’s voice from Breaking Bad) ~ Great mic yo. And that cap is my grandads and his but you rock it. I’ve made mistakes $180k more than yours and my clock is ticking to an exit. Moon phase? Dope! Yo! The sun? Not a fan!” (Now that’s the film reverse reference I challenge all y’all scholars to solve.)
My only regret was buying two watches when I started and did know to check case and lug to lug sizes. Bought a 45 mm watch that is way to big and a 35mm that is way to small. I since learned my sweet spot is 38mm to 42 tops. 38 and 40 are best and a lug to lug of 47 mm or less.
Biggest regret was telling my ex-hub that I did not need the beautiful white pearl with cherry blossoms Rolex he wanted to buy me. I was young and was not a watch person. I saw no need to own something so expensive that I would not wear. Still think about it years later specially because I finally became a watch person 🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
Excelent 10 points. I would add: buy the watches for you and not the watches other people might like or complement. Those are the ones without wrist time going for sale. From the list the old watches kkeping thing its the most valuable advise you're going to get. Watches are ultimatly one of the most personal and meaningfull items you own especially those who where given by peaolple you love.
My first watch was a Citizen Stiletto Blackout. I was 22 years old. 10 years later, I bought myself a Longines 190th anniversary stainless steel, and gave my first watch a way. I have no regrets at all. In my opinion, if I’m not gonna use it, there’s no reason why it should remain in my collection. I’ve moved on to better things.
