Watches you wish you never let go.

[Kippax]

Maybe its the simplicity of this forum to allow the urge to "flip" and try something different. But I increasingly look back at the watches and wondered why oh why did I let them go.

I have had some real crackers in my time, at the time I may have thought it was the right decision. But looking back at my watches I'm keen to get them back, somehow. I recently purchased back my Breitling Aerospace Night Mission (Cobra dial) which I purchased new from an AD. Sold it at a loss and purchase it back, more than I let it go for, crazy I know but I wanted it back and now can't see me ever parting company with it.

The problem I have now is that I want to get back more of my old watches. For example

My panda dial, Speedy (Modded), I always wanted it and took me ages to get one but sold it? What was I thinking?

Maybe I'm just not very good at keeping hold of things as something "better" comes along. What a crazy hobby! They tell me watches are an investment! Pfft, what a load of cobblers! I don't mind trying something and letting go for a loss, as I have scratched that particular itch, but it always comes back. Like I have said I have had some real belters I wish I still own.



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[walkerwek1958]

I think we have two different types of enthusiast. Some are happy to acquire the watches they really like over a period of years and keep them, eventually building a collection. Others, sometimes for financial reasons, don`t do that, they hop from one 'must have' to another and keep swapping. I belong firmly in the former camp, I`ve built a nice collection over a period of 20 years. I have a let a couple go that I wish I`d kept, but generally I'm happy with the deals I`ve done.

Golden rule is to always try a watch on before deciding to buy one. Not always possible with vintage stuff, but I always try to do this if I can.

3 watches I regret selling: A Rolex 116200 Datejust, a 36.2mm blue-dialled Steel Aqua Terra (tried to buy it back at a very strong price but the owner didn`t bite).......and a mid-70s Omega C-cased Constellation in steel with the correct bracelet. That's the one I regret selling most.

Financially, I should regret selling my 16610 Sub Date in 2014 for around 60% of its current value, but I don`t miss the watch at all. Sold it for more than I paid, which was OK......but selling at today's value would be more OK!

[TaketheCannoli]

About 50 :(

[RJM25R]

Personally I sold a modded speedy ( I had the modding done as you well know) with the mitsokoshi dial back in 2015-16 to fund an 116610lv which I still have.

Sold the speedy for £1800, fully boxed with papers and service history bracelet etc






And bought another (already modded with Gemini dial) for £2300, loose watch nothing else!











Crazy hobby..... but it is a stunner.

Although I’ve had a real issue with Breitling Aerospace having owned around 7 of them.......















And regardless of all this nonsense, I haven’t worn anything except a GMT for 6 weeks........ so there’s thousands of pounds sat in a watch box until the whim takes me!!!!





Did I say, crazy hobby???!!!

[tixntox]

My black faced Strela Chrono. :(
Nuff said!

[gcleminson]

Just two.

[David r]

Sold many and regretted virtually all of them but the one I regret most and will buy another of when I have the money is the snowflake



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[Dave in Wales]

The list is tooooooooooooooooooooooooo looooooooooooooooooooooooong

[jacinabox]

There's been a few; Omega Speedy Moonwatch, Omega "Great White" and Omega 2254.50 Goodness knows why I parted with them, I think my love for watches faded a little and they were easy to sell and there were other things I "needed". I think a Moonwatch is the one I'd really like to own again - we'll see.

There was a Breitling Crosswind Special and a Navitimer that I occasionally have a hankering for again; but as with the Moonwatch maybe the Navitimer of some sort again.

There were a couple of Rolex; Sub ND and Sea Dweller, I don't miss them in the sense that I'd like them back, I just couldn't warm to them. But because they sold at a fraction of today's worth...still the "financials" are not what this is all about, is it? <said ruefully>!

David

[Mick P]

Selling any decent watch is an odds on chance you will regret it at some time later in life.

I have bought watches but I have never sold any, hence I have no regrets.

[Neely8]

I had three watches that I traded towards an AP Diver; two of which were Subs: a 116610LV and a 14060M. The third was a Speedy Moonwatch. Bear in mind that this was long before the LV suddenly became the poster child of the Rolex bubble.
I regret moving all three. I’ve since re-acquired a Speedy, but finding a decent 14060M is getting harder and will be even tougher once I decide I have enough funds.

Then I had a 116600 Sea-Dweller which I let go for a stupidly low price and then Rolex stopped production and the price on the pre-owned market shot up.

[paskinner]

Now, let's see.....

There are others, but that's enough for one go.


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[becca1]

IMG_1361.JPGIMG_2938.JPGThese two...
I doubled my money on the seadweller but it’s worth double again,now.
The Explorer I bought brand new from an AD in 2014,it had been in stock since they were discontinued,possibly the last in the world at an AD??
I miss that explorer terribly,got another,but it had to be the polar,couldn’t bring myself to get a lesser one in black.



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[becca1]

IMG_1361.JPGIMG_2938.JPGThese two...
I doubled my money on the seadweller but it’s worth double again,now.
The Explorer I bought brand new from an AD in 2014,it had been in stock since they were discontinued,possibly the last in the world at an AD??
I miss that explorer terribly,got another,but it had to be the polar,couldn’t bring myself to get a lesser one in black.



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sorry,that first pic of the seadweller was awful



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[marcus.furius]

I have a few I really regret but none more than is 1977 ref 1500

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[Raffe]

I bought and sold a few watches, though not anywhere close to what the 'flippers' are doing. I have far too many and the only reason is that I have diifculties deciding which ones to sell. In the rare occasions I have sold watches, I usually never look back - with one notable exception:



On the other hand, don't get me started about the watches I regret not buying...

[zcahhi6]

My seamaster 300, but hopefully I will get another one back soon.

[andy tims]

Just a selection from a list far too long to post

[gettinon]

Like most on here I have moved on many watches that on reflection I would rather have kept but 3 I really miss are a TT blue dial Submariner, a Baume Mercier Capeland XLL and a Corum Bubble Diver auto. I had to part with these to raise some money in a hurry for a family member and can't see me being ever able to replace them.

[Cptnbignose]

Just a selection from a list far too long to post

If that’s only a selection of those flipped I’d love to see what you’ve kept? Some lovely watches there.


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[Capcarrot]

Quite a bittersweet subject - still ‘it’s better to have loved and lost...’ and all that! I haven’t sold enough yet to truly regret although, in a fit of rationality, I have just sold my moonwatch and suspect that might come back to haunt me down the line.


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[andybaird22]

I’ve had

BLNR
HULK
DAYTONA
Speedy moonwatch
Black bay blue

All gone... pretty much to find house moves etc

Now just have my grandfathers Everite watch however miss all of the above and have put my name down for a BLNR and a black bay 58




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[Daniel]

Sold this for some reason. Must have been tripping.




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[danmiddle2]

I've sold a lot, but as far as wishing I hadn't there are really only two for me:

Vintage SM300 "Big T"

and oddly this SMP (pic stolen from the interweb)



I say oddly because I never wore it when I had it, I am not a fan of chronograph watches generally, and I much prefer the other SMP's that I have.... But every time I opened the watch box, I always enjoyed holding it...

[Craizeehair]

This is the one I do regret selling, it doesn't keep me awake at night but I still think it is a lovely thing and I have other watches I would sell over this, not sure what came over me? Apologies for the poor pic... you can tell this was pre TZ, that wouldn't cut the mustard nowadays!

[LeBowl]

Just these two






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[ktmog6uk]

I'm an inveterate and unrepentant flipper, probably one of the worst flippers on here!
the only ones i really regret are a prs-18a and a vintage sold gold 14ct Tissot Visodate automatic with a solid heavy gold screwback case, it needed work and i let it go but i've never come across another. i had vowed to keep to about 8 watches but i'm somehow back up to 18 again so a clear out is imminent again.

[S.L]

[RJM25R]

Erm



Just remembered this one too.







Sold it because it felt too small and bought an 114060 to replace it.

[Chairman LMAO]

Speedmaster Pro that I bought for my 21st, sold at 25 or 26 when I was made redundant. Would love it back.

[Owl1]

I had a PRS 2 Dreadnought some years back which i bought second hand for £1k ...sold it on for £1700 to an American enthusiast , i recall he offered me a part trade on a Kobold watch he claimed was presented to James Gandolfini, ...(Mr Gandolfini was still alive back then ) ..any way i took the ££$$ and regretted it ever since.

[electorn]

A no date Sub. Got the Sub date and I can't read the date even with the cyclops! I might be up for a swap soon...

[Lostgear]

Just this one.......

IMG_2786.jpg by Adam Stringer, on Flickr

and this...DSCF2735.jpg by Adam Stringer, on Flickr

and this oneIMG_3757.jpg by Adam Stringer, on Flickr

Darn........

[turbonick84]

Root beer.

[Topcat30093]

A few come to mind!!
My first Rolex - S/S Sub
Y/G Day Date
FP Journe Black Label Annual Calendrier.
My first Patek - 5146J
Patek 3940R.

[bloater]

Just the one a speedy reduced.
Bought with a redundancy payment and sold along with a load of other bits to fund me giving up work to care for the wife, until she was back on her feet
So whilst I miss the watch I'd do the same again in a heartbeat

[mrushton]

Sub date, early 2000s. A mint s/s Datejust I got for £1k (pre-owned) when they were retailing for £1800 and a JLC Reverso Night and Day (stunning detail). All were sat around not being worn as was a Sea Dweller that I wore 4 times in a year. I decided I wouldn't let any more go and only buy cheaper watches eg Oris or a Time Factor/Smiths that wouldn't cause me too much grief about wearing or not.

[apm101]

Nothing exotic for me, but I really miss:

Kronos ETA auto



Oris TT1 chrono



Beautiful Speedsonic



Orsa Sea Angler



Colt Superocean

[Raffe]

In summary, people regret selling the watches which have appreciated in value since they sold them.

Who would have thought?

[alas58]

Like most on here I have moved on many watches that on reflection I would rather have kept but 3 I really miss are a TT blue dial Submariner, a Baume Mercier Capeland XLL and a Corum Bubble Diver auto. I had to part with these to raise some money in a hurry for a family member and can't see me being ever able to replace them.

I've had 3 Capelands S XXL over the years, keep them for a year or so then as not wearing them move them on. Then about a couple of months later, after berating myself for my stupidity, start the search for another which is never easy as they are quite rare now. Thankfully managed to get another one in the summer and will not sell this one. Honest, no kidding, not a chance.

Miss my vintage Philip Caribbean, EZM2 and vintage Glycine Pumpkin also.

[mondie]

In summary, people regret selling the watches which have appreciated in value since they sold them.

Who would have thought?

Kind of makes sense, if you could buy it back easily enough at about the price you sold it for there would not be much to regret.

[walkerwek1958]

In summary, people regret selling the watches which have appreciated in value since they sold them.

Who would have thought?

Not the whole story where older/vintage watches are concerned, being able to find a replacement in the same condition is a major challenge, regardless of price. I tried to buy a watch back at almost double the price I sold it for but the owner disn’t want to ket ut go. Sometimes its not ‘all about the money’.

[Dan83bz]

Plenty, starting with a SARB017, of which I've owned many instances, and recently trying to find another I was aghast to see what they go for. I've had a Oris Chronoris few years ago, which I flipped almost instantly and foolishly (another "mini-grail" I had found), but I think it was one of the worst decision I've made.

As for prices going up, isn't it obvious, and pretty much across the board? Recently I was trying to find some where I had bought a certain watch quite a bit back (2004!) and I was just amazed to see firstly the price of the watch, but even more so the cost of delivery, as lately the price of couriers, Royal? Mail and even more so the delivery prices from US sellers have just gone over the moon! And its not like the sellers are making extra profits, it really has gone up. I guess you can blame that on Amazon since they are being charged peanuts or nothing in some cases apparently! so I guess they need to charge us "retail" folks tons more to cover the gap!

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Not one, but 4.....

[Dr Wolff]

Not one, but 4.....

Ouch! Grail collection

[watchcollector1]