Quote Originally Posted by Idontgram View Post
Looking for advice from more experienced collectors.

I have had a mini grail which I’ve liked since I first started on this journey a few years ago, it’s not exactly as rare as hens teeth but it was discontinued about 6 years ago and there are usually about 10-15 available globally on C24, usually from Japan,.

I’ve just spotted one on watchfinder for a pretty reasonable price (lower than anything else on C24). Trouble is I’m in the middle of a house renovation and expecting a baby in April, so there’s no spare cash! To buy the watch, I’d have to sell just about everything in the box.

Part of me says go for it (it’s a nice way to mark the new arrival and an excellent one-watch collection) but the other part of me says I’d miss the variety: I change my watch nearly every day!

I’ve seen these threads pop up every so often: what have others done? Did you regret your decision either way?
I did this to some extent a couple of years ago (probably at a lower level than you might be thinking) and ended up selling it and going back to a scattering of cheaper watches.

Trouble for me is I can’t ‘really’ afford an expensive watch, and by afford I mean afford to lose it, damage it or for it to depreciate to nothing. It was this special thing (great in some ways) but meant I didn’t wear it much and if I did was worried I’d damage it. Before I knew it I was wearing cheaper watches all the time and it just seemed pointless.

I did also realise I get a lot of pleasure from messing about with many, even choosing what to wear and having different watches for different occasions. I also realised that cost doesn’t equal instant happiness and I’d personally rate my 6105-8009/Seiko bullhead/silver pogue way more interesting on the wrist than anything in the current Rolex or Tudor line up.

Until Tudor bring out a submariner I’m unlikely to be tempted to do it again.

It’s a bit like watching the recent car pervert Chris Harris interview when you realise someone like Chris gets more pleasure from old Peugeot 205’s than a modern Ferrari. We all think we want/need better but sometimes it takes that taste of caviar to realise you prefer fish n chips.