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Rick5 3T WIS
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As a newbie, I am still learning a lot but I have learned enough to know that I am hooked. smile8.gif In terms of automatics, I have an Orient, and my soon to be returned vintage Tissot. I will definitely be buying a Stowa Antea 365 this fall. I have a couple of quartz watches that I really like too (Junghans RC and a Charriol which was my father's watch before he died). Now what? I can't decide at what level I want to get into this addiction. I am not rich, but I make a decent living such that a watch purchase every now and then isn't going to kill me. How did you decide what direction to go in when you first started becoming a WIS? A few thoughts have crossed my mind in recent months: 1) Buy the Stowa and then buy a Sinn 656 the following year. 2) Buy the Stowa and then maybe a couple of vintage watches (e.g., an Omega or Hamilton) in really nice condition. 3) Buy the Stowa and don't buy anything until I can save up for several years and buy a "grail" watch. Maybe something like an IWC. My wife has already given me the OK to "eventually" get an expensive watch (with the emphasis on eventually). goofy How did you start collecting? How does one decide these things? Bouncy.gif Rick |
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Skipdawg 3T WIS 
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Well when I first started out with some quartz watches back in the 80's it was not my intention to become a collector. By the mid 90's I had about 40 some odd quartz watches. Then a situation came up and I sold most all off. Then about 4 or 5 years ago I bought my first automatic and was hooked. And over time just kept adding to what I had and not selling any. Now and then gifting some out to family and friends and today have a decent little collection of close to 100 watches. LOL :D Mostly autos, some hand crankers 3 quarts with dead batteries, a rechargeable and a solar. Just take one step at a time and you will be running before you know it. I use to ask do I need another? Now I just ask what is next. :cool: |
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glock24 3T WIS
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Keep a running list of all the watches you can't live without. I keep a photo journel on my computer. Treat yourself to a new watch at least once a year on your birthday. Automatics all the way . . .200+ individual moving parts that fits on your wrist is so much more than just a watch. It is a conversation piece, an heirloom, a mastery of mechanics and engineering, and environmentally friendly . . .hand6.gif Last edited on Tue May 13th, 2008 09:20 pm by glock24 |
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Paxman 3T WIS 
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One watch at a time... |
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hucky 3T WIS 
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I bought everything that I saw in the beginning more funds than sense. Now I try to sit back and think about the pieces I buy and do more research and ask the Veterans questions about the piece Im after. Read, read, read, learn all you can before letting your funds go and remember, it will always come up for sale again. Cheers |
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Upside 3T WIS 
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The more you learn and explore,the more you'll realize that there are alot of affordable watches that appeal to you. This is the key point-it's watches that YOU like. I started with an Oris about 5 years ago and it just went from there. For me I try and break up my purchases quarterly. I'm always looking at watches so when I come across something that I really like I grab it. I dabble in the affordable range so I can usually get 2 or 3 neat pieces every quarter. Some new, some vintage, all ones I like. I don't feel any rush to acquire more watches it just happens, I just try not to let to many enablers (yeah I'm talkin about you guys) show me to many good things at once;) |
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Rick5 3T WIS
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Thanks for the great info guys! I've been spending so much time on the net reading about watches since December, that I think my wife is about ready to kill me. The choices and directions that one can choose to go in are pretty amazing. I guess that is what makes it all so much fun. The only thing I know for sure right now is that I *must* own a Stowa Antea 365. So that one will certainly be next! |
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deidler 3T WIS
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Value pays. |
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Ablejack 3T WIS 
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Nice selection. You could build an entire collection around the Stowa line. Dress, diver, pilot, etc. But seriously, wait until that 365 has been on your porch and then wrist for a while before you decide on your next watch. You might find the Stowa satisfies some of your present urge for a vintage or grail watch. It is a Grail for many of us. And the mid-twentieth century bauhaus style is ever cool. Welcome to our sorry lot. |
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YARGH 3T WIS
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Skipdawg wrote: Then about 4 or 5 years ago I bought my first automatic and was hooked. And over time just kept adding to what I had and not selling any. Now and then gifting some out to family and friends and today have a decent little collection of close to 100 watches. LOL :D How much is it costing you per year in servicing??? |
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Skipdawg 3T WIS
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YARGH wrote: Skipdawg wrote:Then about 4 or 5 years ago I bought my first automatic and was hooked. And over time just kept adding to what I had and not selling any. Now and then gifting some out to family and friends and today have a decent little collection of close to 100 watches. LOL :D I don't service anything till it shows a need and then it depends on the watch. If you take care of a Auto or handcraker well you should not need to do anything at all for a good 25 to 30 years if the watch is built well if not longer. |
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YARGH 3T WIS
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Skipdawg wrote: YARGH wrote:Skipdawg wrote:Then about 4 or 5 years ago I bought my first automatic and was hooked. And over time just kept adding to what I had and not selling any. Now and then gifting some out to family and friends and today have a decent little collection of close to 100 watches. LOL :D What is "taking care of?" I mean, other than avoiding impacts and liquids? I thought it was some hard-and-fast rule that you had to service these things every 5 years. You're saying that's not the case? |
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Skipdawg 3T WIS
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YARGH wrote: Skipdawg wrote:YARGH wrote: All depends on the watch. A quality well built watch should not need it in 5 or even 10 years service unless there is a problem with it. My Grandfathers Rolex was not serviced for 36 years when it went to my dad. It was still fine and within COSC. But my dad serviced it just to be safe. And that is why many folks do it in 5, 10 or 15 year periods just to be safe. I've been told by a few watch repair guys now that really is not needed though. Kind of like the old saying. "If it ain't broke don't fix it" A quality watch with regular wear should out last you. |
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KenC Admin 
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Initially, I took out a loan for $300,00.00 but found it was not quite enough. Then, I mortgaged one of my children, but found out I could do much better simply selling them outright. Lately, in order to pick up watch money, I have started selling drugs...not the harsh, dangerous drugs like meth and Ecstasy, but the more natural and organic ones like heroin and hash.
So, then I started out with a couple of Invicta's which is like having someone come up, punch you in the nose and tell you to stop it...so I moved to quality inexpensive brands like Seiko & Orient. Gradually, as I learned more, I moved my limits up to under $100 to under $200 to under $500...I have also cracked the $1,000 barrier on rare occasions. Look for choice preowned pieces...it will save you a bundle, and also bring you into a "break-even" (more or less) situation should you decide to "flip" the piece. My main piece of advice is that 1) friends don't let friends buy Invicta...and...2) buy only what you like, not what someone else tells you to buy. Mostly...HAVE FUN! |
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Rick5 3T WIS
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All great advice. Thanks a lot guys. As a side note, the dynamics of these different watch forums are very interesting to me. I like this one and watchuseek a lot. I've looked at time zone a lot too, but it seems that almost everyone there has an unlimited watch budget, and that definitely ain't me! I can't believe the number of ridiculously expensive watches a lot of those guys seem to have. |
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KenC Admin
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Rick5 wrote: All great advice. Thanks a lot guys. As a side note, the dynamics of these different watch forums are very interesting to me. I like this one and watchuseek a lot. I've looked at time zone a lot too, but it seems that almost everyone there has an unlimited watch budget, and that definitely ain't me! I can't believe the number of ridiculously expensive watches a lot of those guys seem to have. .........or say they have!!!! |
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Rick5 3T WIS
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KenC wrote: Rick5 wrote:All great advice. Thanks a lot guys. As a side note, the dynamics of these different watch forums are very interesting to me. I like this one and watchuseek a lot. I've looked at time zone a lot too, but it seems that almost everyone there has an unlimited watch budget, and that definitely ain't me! I can't believe the number of ridiculously expensive watches a lot of those guys seem to have. LOL - I never thought of that possibility! |
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Paxman 3T WIS
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Rick5 wrote: KenC wrote:Rick5 wrote:All great advice. Thanks a lot guys. As a side note, the dynamics of these different watch forums are very interesting to me. I like this one and watchuseek a lot. I've looked at time zone a lot too, but it seems that almost everyone there has an unlimited watch budget, and that definitely ain't me! I can't believe the number of ridiculously expensive watches a lot of those guys seem to have. Oh... do consider that possibility!! BTW, Ken sold some of the finest black tar heroin ever... his China white was always stepped on though...:shock: |
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Watchstuff 3T WIS 
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One thing to keep in mind...your tastes, what you like and your wearing habits will change, and just go with it. I have gone from almost all mechanicals to lots of quartz, to lots of Russians, to lots of Gshocks then back to mechanicals...you may go through periods where one watch is on your wrist for weeks, or you may do what lots of guys do and bring 3 to work and switch every few hours! My point is, the fun part for me is not investing so much of my disposable income in any one thing that I can quick sell or trade a few and get a new "fix" of something that intrigues me...it is after all a hobby, and hobbies are meant to be fun, so whatever hits you, go for it! |
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KenC Admin
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Watchstuff wrote: One thing to keep in mind...your tastes, what you like and your wearing habits will change, and just go with it. I have gone from almost all mechanicals to lots of quartz, to lots of Russians, to lots of Gshocks then back to mechanicals...you may go through periods where one watch is on your wrist for weeks, or you may do what lots of guys do and bring 3 to work and switch every few hours! My point is, the fun part for me is not investing so much of my disposable income in any one thing that I can quick sell or trade a few and get a new "fix" of something that intrigues me...it is after all a hobby, and hobbies are meant to be fun, so whatever hits you, go for it! Great advice (except for the quartz part...of course.:P) |
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canadajo 3T WIS 
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In the 198O's I had a timex ... and a broken Hamilton my dad gave me that I had taken apart a few times as a kid, and marveled at the peices ...this planted the seed early on ....In the early 90's I had a Casio and a Timex, a Fossil and the broken Hammy ....I wanted an Omega Seamaster so bad but I had two young boys and a mortgage and a single income family ...Finally about 4 years ago I started shopping for a watch that would cost about a thousand dollars ....I finally settled on an Oris TT1 diver and when I got it I went to my cousins ( The Paxman ) and showed him the watch ... he was about the only guy I knew that would appreciate the peice, as we always both loved watches.... He looked at it and tried it on.....I had no idea that the both of us would become total WIS's ............. |
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Watchstuff 3T WIS
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OK, I see, so that's how it's gonna be, eh? Them's fightin' words (at least to a good portion of my watch drawer!) :shock: goofy Great advice (except for the quartz part...of course.:P) |
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Paxman 3T WIS
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Watchstuff wrote: OK, I see, so that's how it's gonna be, eh? Them's fightin' words (at least to a good portion of my watch drawer!) :shock: goofy Great advice (except for the quartz part...of course.:P) Ken is a bit of an elitist... Not a liberal elitist... just a mechanical elitist... |
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Watchstuff 3T WIS
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face4.gif goofy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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Ablejack 3T WIS
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Quartz is a great choice if you buy a watch because you're interested in what time it is. coyote2.gif /mechanical elitist, (liberal kind too!) // I confess to owning a digital Timex Ironman. I walked the AT wearing it. |
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Watchstuff 3T WIS
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I just like em all! |
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Rick5 3T WIS
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I've always "liked" watches, but to be honest never even knew mechanical watches still existed until maybe 8 months of so ago. I bought my Junghans radio controlled quartz a couple of years ago and still love it. Then, one day about 8 months ago, I ran across someone who had recently bought a Zenith. Wow, I said to myself, that's a nice looking watch. He mentioned that he paid "6" for it. So, I started looking around the internet for a $600 Zenith. I see him a week later and say, "all of those watches that I found are really expensive" and which point he informed me he meant $6,000 not $600.  ?!?! You spent $6,000??? On a watch???Since then, I've been reading about watches like crazy. I learned that Orient was a good place for me to start with a reasonably priced but high quality automatic. I found the Island Watch site around February when googling "Orient" and so it began! My first mechanical watch was an Orient open heart. Love it! |
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Ablejack 3T WIS
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"6"! I have yet to pay "1" for a watch. Then again, I have nothing so graily as a Zenith either. Maybe someday. |
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Skipdawg 3T WIS
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Surf the forums for deals too. I have at least a half dozen watches worth over 4K and have not paid North of 3K for a watch yet. :cool: ;) |
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