Reply With QuoteI decided a few years ago, that six was the ideal number for me. I now have twelve.
Whatever number you set for yourself, it will always change when the next nice watch turns up for sale.
Forgive me if this has been covered before, but I was just reminded of the mathematical formula for the correct number of bicycles to own, as quoted here from 'the rules' on velominati.com (worth a read if you're a budding roadie).
http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/
It states:
'While the minimum number of bikes one should own is three, the correct number is n+1, where n is the number of bikes currently owned. This equation may also be re-written as s-1, where s is the number of bikes owned that would result in separation from your partner.'
It's a simple rule and one that, it seems to me, applies equally well to watches.
Are there any other rules that we should all be adhering to?
I decided a few years ago, that six was the ideal number for me. I now have twelve.
Whatever number you set for yourself, it will always change when the next nice watch turns up for sale.
If that's the case then it's just as well that Mrs. MST doesn't know about the 2531.80 that's been masquerading as my 2221.80 since I bought it late last year! Without that my collection would be at the requisite n+1 (or s-1) so it's probably just as well that she doesn't, at least not for the time being anyway
As many as you can get away with !!
Seriously though it's getting silly now. Last count 18 and when i picked up the 46mm SOH yesterday i swore i'd sell one. Just can't decide which !
Si
Yep, I've got a problem.
15 chronographs & one conventional with date....I only wear 4 of them but I love the 6 more of the others !
I've had to stop now, but if another comes along, I will sell two for every one until i'm back at 10 or so !
Cheers
Darren
My rule of thumb is closer to n^2, actually.
Currently own 8. 6 of which I wear in rotation.
What's the ideal number? There isn't one!
The correct number of watches to own is 5. Or maybe 6.......
F.T.F.A.
I used to just buy watches without and real purpose and the most I had at one time was 15.
I then consolidated my collection and got the number down to a more manageable 6 and if I fancied a new watch I had to get rid of one but I didn't want to own more than 6 at a time. After a while I decided that even a modest number of 6 watches was too many for me.
Today I have 4 nice watches and a G-shock for work but ideally I'd like to get it down to 3 plus the G-shock so that's the correct number for me at least.
ive never really considered if there is a correct number, i just buy watches if i like the look of them or if i find myself with a bit of spare cash. id never get one on credit and i dont like the idea of selling any to buy another. im happy that i like the ones i own enough to keep them and i wouldnt want to usurp the current collection with a new pretender. i know my watches dont have feelings but still, i dont want to hurt any of their feelings by selling them to "trade up"
i ave a hankering for another new watch but so far i dont know what. I might just spend the money on scotch and steak.
I'm strickly a 3 to 20 kind of guy!!
Aslong as you don't have more than your age :-).
Although I'm getting my first Omega soon and I've told myself I will be happy with just that 1 (and a Tissot that I will never sell).
My problem is that I more or less never wear anything other than whichever Rolex I have at the time. Breitlings omegas and even non sports Rolex just end up on the shelf. The seikos I haven't worn for more than about half an hour although I know they are great watches.
I tend to accessorise which ever watch is my favourite at the time rather than change watch all together. I currently have my GMT 2 on a PO strap with deployment.
I should have a Rolex a G shock my SpeedBird GMT and maybe one other but I don't. I have a disease!
Maybe one per activity? One for the pub, one for work, one for golf/football, one for a restaurant, one for holiday etc?
I guess it is whatever feels right.
I do think it's a bit I of a shame to own watches that aren't worn. I am guilty of this to a degree.
But if them sitting there isn't at the expense of putting food on the table, I don't suppose it matters much.
I could probably cope with 3-4 more :/
I like to live without limits, there's hopefully still ten thousand plus days left in my life, so I would say the limiting factors are space and money!
Thought I'd be happy with one. Now I have 11.
That strong urge to get the 12th one fill up the 12 watch case is getting stronger by the day.
I try and rotate as much as I can, but a couple of them dont seem to get any wrist time. But I dont wanna let go them either.
A WIS's dilemma i suppose.
Bottom-line from a WIS perspective,
There are too many watches out there to prevent oneself from stopping at a number.
I also have 11 with a spare pillow in my 12-watch case, which therefore leaves room for a 'grail'I rotate mine on a regular basis.
I currently own one. I've sold all the others, but will most likely purchase a few more in future. No problem living with one, though.
I once had 48, then managed to get down to about 24 for several years. Last year I made a concerted effort to reduce the number even further and I'm currently at 12. I really feel like my choices are severely limited now, even though I wear the 14060 70% of the time. It's just that for that other 30% of the time, I feel like I'd like to have a few more options. Or would that be silly?
Isn't that part of the fun though!Originally Posted by WingTsun
I think I'm on around 47 at the moment and that is too many......... I'm aspiring to get to around 10 but I suspect that this will take a few years to achieve (if at all).
Hear hear..........
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
When I started I wanted to wear a different watch every day of the week. I now have nearly eight weeks worth.
I have 4 and am happy with that. 2 smarter, 2 more casual. Oh, and a g-shock for a beater. I keep thinking about dropping to 3.
How ever many take your fancy,no more,no less.
The ideal number of watches to own is 1. If it doesn't fit all your criteria then you have bought the wrong watch.
Edit:
Luckily I haven't found the perfect watch, yet!
Last edited by Chinnock; 10th March 2013 at 21:14.
“Don’t look back, you’re not heading that way.”
Ideally: 6. But I'm not that good at it :-)
I've been all over the place. From a few to about 73 pieces. Now I'm back to a clean 10...
I expect it's going to drop a few more and I'll end up with about 7 or 8...
That's great! I can tell my wife that 3 bikes and 4 watches is perfectly ok - the formula to prove!
I think I'm around mid 30's and I'd like to get it to a lower number so that I can better enjoy those that I have.
Your age + 6
OR
Your birth year
Whicherver is the higher of the 2.
No rules , just love 'em !!
Seems as good a place as any to quasi-introduce myself. I'm into vintage stuff and currently have 28 (though that'll be 29 once I finish my bumper Seamaster) and don't currently think that's too many considering the (ahem) "criteria" I use. In a perfect world I'd like to have at least once example of all the good/famous/desirable/etc. brands, but I also make many deviations for historically significant, interesting, or just plain fun things. So with that in mind I won't start to worry until I hit 366 watches. Actually, now that I think about it, 366 would actually be okay... 25% of the time.
I thought 1 was enough. Then I joined TZ-UK. (I was going to sell my Breitling once my Bremont arrived...)
Three works well with me, dress, sub and GMT. Would like to own one other, probably a pilot, that would do me nicely.
One for every day in the month is about right.
This is an interesting thread...
Although my sign-off below shows 16 watches, a quick look has identified that I actually currently have 21. Several of those are watches that I own for different reasons, probably won't sell and definitely won't wear - the reason why I didn't put them on my sign-off, I guess.
So is 16 the 'right' number? Not in my case... it's just where I happen to be right now.
I suspect that I would be happy at around 10 - 12 if they covered all the bases. At the moment, limited as I am by financial considerations, I have several that probably need to go but I wouldn't have the money to substitute them and others by what I'd really like.
So far this year I've sold 5 and bought 4 and I'm now a little closer to where I'd like to end up... mostly because I've finally secured a Breitling I really wanted.
So it's a work in progress and in truth I have no idea how many I'll end up with (but I do believe it will be less than 20!)
My wife thinks the whole thing is mad... but actually owns 5 watches herself!
Simon
I think that one for every year of your life is about right - make it one acquisition a year a a birthday present to yourself.
Those of us wjo are pesnioners or as in my case near that age, have some catching up to do first.....
Rob
I currently own 6, and just popped one in the post.
I only really wear 2 with any regularity though, and with times being as they are ( I mean for me personally rather than just the general economic climate) I can't justify watches sitting in the box unworn.
That doesn't mean I'm getting shot though. I just need to rationalise and exchange stuff I don't wear for stuff I will.
That for me probably means more "grab n go" type watches. Quartz, none date mechanicals, maybe manual wind.
Rules are for made to be broken
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
When I joined here nearly 18 months ago I had 3. I now have 16, which is probably too many. My wife thinks I'm barking mad, sometimes I'm inclined to agree with her, then I look at her handbag collection and don't feel so bad
1 x Dress watch
1x Diving watch
1 x daily beater
1 x For best
1 x Work watch
So 5, however I don't listen to my own logic
simple
x + 1
where "x" the number of watches currently owned
I thought I would be content with 1 'decent' watch, but it developed into bit of a problem. I am down to 6 now in all I think - 2 of which are G-Shock 'beaters'...
My other half keeps an eye on the watch winders now and tends to be 1 out, 1 in.
+1, one for every occasion.
I think the Ideal number is 20. I try to keep to 20. It creeps over, then I move a few on, settle at 20 again, then I inevitably see a few I can't resist, and so it goes on, and on.
How about 7 - one for each day of the week? Also happens to be the number in my set right now. . .
“ Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.” HHGTTG
I keep it down to ten, but if I somehow lost them all at once I'd probably restock at three, allowing a drift up to five.
I like this, it amuses me.
My own limit? I like to wear my watches, not just collect. At the point where I'm not wearing them, then I've got too many and a cull is called for. Not a problem for me currently, I'd like to have a couple more than I do currently, but can't afford to. (Not helped by having 2 that I need to get repaired.)
Dave E
Skating away on the thin ice of a new day
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