Reply With QuoteWhen you have it you'll covet something else. I've owned most of the sports Rolex range and my most worn watch is the Tudor Pelagos. Not the same for everyone I know but the chase is certainly part of the passion.
I've thought about this a few times and I think the only thing that stops me is the logistics of it. I would love a Daytona and on a good day I think the value of my current small collection would probably cover it.
Anyone else considered this? Or actually done it?
When you have it you'll covet something else. I've owned most of the sports Rolex range and my most worn watch is the Tudor Pelagos. Not the same for everyone I know but the chase is certainly part of the passion.
Yes. You'll start with the grail and then add others for what ever reasons apply at the time. Then you'll question why you have so much money tied up in the Daytona. That was my experience anyway.Originally Posted by manganr
Two watches is the minimum I think. You won’t want to batter your grail daily and when you’re not wearing the grail you’ll want something decent.
I’d rather a 911 and a Golf than a Lambo and a Dacia.
What a brilliant analogy.. :)
Brilliantly summed up.
I love the idea of just having one watch but the fact is I personally would get bored with one. I like having a bit of variation. The analogy above is excellent. It’s also relative, my two or three ‘good’ watches would easily be someone’s ‘beaters’. They do however make me smile when I put them on and having a couple means I have the option of swapping when I fancy a change. Although who knows, maybe one day that will change and I’ll settle on ‘the one’.
Don’t do it. No such thing as a ‘grail’, the attraction fades after a while.
Owning several that you like and enjoy for different reasons makes far more sense, build a nice collection and keep them long- term.
I lusted for a Daytona for 10 years - when I got one it was gone in 3 months.
Be careful what you wish for.....
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
The Daytona was my grail watch from 2002 when I saw one in a window on holiday. Finally got it in 2013 and then the new model in 2016. Whilst it’s a great watch it’s my least worn. Grails change over time. No way would I sell a collection for one watch.
It has been a constant battle for me for years.
I do it every so often, then something grabs me and I soon end up with 2/3/8 sat on the dressing table.
I have managed once or twice and for a few years each time - and if my life changed to the point where I was not in a position to change them up so readily, I know can be completely satisfied with one watch - but…
I love watches because my father wore the same old Seiko day in, day out for all of my childhood and something about it fascinated me.
It being a constant theme and an intrinsic part of my memories of childhood, his carefree way to wear it for any task without any concern for dinging it or how it looked, all made it look even more awesome.
I strive to have that same sort of ideal - a watch that is an immutable part of me - but I think it is probably some sort of shangri-la.
I have bought a few Grails before. And they are no longer Grails - they just turn into nice objects that get superseded at some point.
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Last edited by notenoughwrists; 18th December 2021 at 20:36.
Biggest issue for me is my long-standing Grail used to cost £2650 retail, and now costs £12-15k for a used version.
(And I turned down a couple of opportunities to buy it new at retail!!!)
Not sure I would ever get past that, so have written off owning it on principle - but think about it almost all of the time.
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Last edited by notenoughwrists; 18th December 2021 at 21:14.
Not necessarily. If you love your grail enough, it remains your most special watch for good.
But is it your most worn?
My grail was and is my vintage Cosmonaute and I've never hankered for any watch as much, but I don't wear it often, for a variety of reasons.
I'm not even sure, if push came to shove, if it would be the last watch I'd part with.
If you can shed some for a Daytona, go for it, but all? I can't see that satisfaction lasting that long, but I think the Daytona is a rather disappointing watch when you see it (It was certainly my experience in my early watch collecting days when a) you could buy one and b) I could have actually afforded one - When I saw it, I no longer felt I wanted one).
M
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
I could live with just these two. I'm halfway there.
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I have two grails, sums it up really.
Still looking.
I have several in a collection of 24 that compete for that accolade!
Is there a perfect watch that would be the one to supplant all others?
Mine would be: 38mm, auto, Swiss (or German or English), simple stylish dial, acrylic, 18mm lugs, tritium lume, arabic numerals and/or batons printed not applied (little or no metal on the dial). Not too shiny, either -- no bling bracelets for me and low-glare is handy when stalking.
It also needs to be reliable and robust: decent WR (I fish, swim, wade), reliable shockproofing, insurance value in four not five figures and replaceable.
Possibly an Rolex 1016 then, or a Nomos or a Smiths W10 or an old Seamaster (ideally a 300). Well, I have the last two and they get a fair bit of wrist time. Can't afford the Rolex but it is a stone cold classic.
Anyway, I'm down to a single figure number of watches. Well done me!
I've got grails in the past. As others have said, they pale and then you want something else. Or else they are too rare / valuable to actually, you know, wear.
Which reminds me of this: "Money, it turned out, was exactly like sex, you thought of nothing else if you didn't have it and thought of other things if you did." (James Baldwin)
I did DJ + Omega chrono + Breitling SO + JLC Heraion + a few other cheaper for a 16610 Sub.
Don't regret it at all, alway been a grail. I may source a green bezel so I can change it up, but I can see it staying for a bit.
One challenge with selling off everything for a grail is that it sort of implies no attachment to your existing watches. Don't you have memories, life events, experiences etc that you associate with some of your current watches? If you do, just remember you can't buy those associations back once the original watches are gone.
I sell on watches quite regularly by the way, not suggesting all watches need to be laden with memories or that it's a bad idea to consolidate a number of watches into something special, but I certainly have a few I'd be not at all happy to part with even if it did unlock the path to a 'better' grail on paper.
The other challenge in my mind with consolidating all into one watch, presumably that's a lot of money in relative terms to the person - will you be able to practically enjoy it or will you forever be worried about it on your wrist?
In 2016 I sold every watch I owned to buy a platinum Daytona - nearly 6 years on I have no regrets.
What is the current collection? I think go for it, you only live once, and if you don’t like the grail sell it and buy your old watches back.
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I’ve thought about doing something like this before (not for a Daytona) but chickened out of it.
I like swapping out watches, choosing something that fits an occasion / what I’m wearing that day. Looking at the watch box and picking one of a few watches I really like is part of the fun of the hobby for me.
A few months ago, someone suggested ‘three and a G(shock)’ was the ideal number. I could definitely consolidate to that level (I’m not far out, in truth) but one watch, no matter how much I enjoyed it, wouldn’t keep me as satisfied as four of the equivalent value.
I’m trying to consolidate mine at the moment down to 3 or 4 main watches. I seem to have purchased for the sake of purchasing throughout the year and having just had a 58 bronze arrive at a dealer and deposit paid I need to get some funds sorted. The 58 will form part of my 3 or 4 main watches. I don’t wear my nicer watches at work as I do a manual job so a Turtle is my daily wearer which is great as the dial is big and my eyes are crap:)
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I recently sold almost all my small collection with the intention of "one" - a Rolex 16600.
I picked up the 16600 courtesy of a WTB here but can't bring myself to sell my Speedmaster Moonwatch. As above, there are days when the one is not suitable - for those days I wear the Speedy.
So it's "two" right now. Which has me questioning if the "one" is actually a 16600. And so the cycle continues....
Last edited by Scepticalist; 19th December 2021 at 10:19.
Variety is the spice of life. I personally like changing them up. Also don't think. watch exists for all occasions for me. I think if I chopped them all in for grail I would get bored. I bought what I thought was my grail watch in August and have just bought another watch a few days ago.
No I definitely wouldn’t. The idea really doesn’t appeal for a number of reasons, which others on this thread have already expressed i.e. I think I’d get bored, I like to change things up regularly and rarely wear the same watch two days running, variety is one of the things I really enjoy about this pastime.
If financial circumstances meant that I actually needed to liquidate most of my collection, then I’d probably aim to be left with at least two - which would not include my most expensive one even though I love it.
Simon
I really enjoy my daytona but wouldn't consolidate for one. Far less versatile compared to other SS sports rolex.
On the subject of grail - I just bought something grail level so I REALLY need to consolidate. Struggling to think what to sell however.
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About equal in terms of most worn. As I rotate my watches. So it's pretty high in terms of wrist time.
In answer to the OP, no - I prefer more than 1 watch in my arsenal.
In the OPs position, I wouldn’t consolidate.
I could make that move myself, however I would miss the variety of what I have, and the value of the Daytona would make me too nervous to wear it? Could you imagine the pain of a nasty drop or door ding, let alone the theft risk?
I’m not against consolidation though. I would always support converting some mid-priced watches to one Sports Rolex, although the massive increase in values compared those makes makes that trade difficult to execute in the current market.
You can still have diversification after consolidation without spending a fortune. This evening I’ve swapped my 14270 for a simple G10, and as far as the happiness stakes go, that isn’t a compromise.
Dave
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I got rid of all my beaters, entry level pieces, Seamaster and Aquatimer and I purchased a DJ41. I am very happy with my decision and am much happier have a lot less watches. However, I don’t think I could consolidate all my higher end pieces to fund a grail.
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It’s a strange one, I’ve often thought of doing this. But I don’t really have a grail that I would sell it all for. Sure I’d love a Lange, but would I sell the collection I’ve built up for one? Nope.
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2001 GMT Master 2, 2007 Explorer 2, 2018 Tudor GMT. Eterna Triple date, Zenith Espada plus a couple of other low value items.
There is some sentimental attachment to the Rolex GMT that I would find difficult to overcome.
Tbh, I probably won't do the deed. But it has crossed my mind a few times and I just wondered if others had considered doing the same.
Was thinking of chopping in two grails to me for the red Sub on SC which is an ultigrail but I know I would regret letting go my two even though the watch that replaced them would be epic
The only answer is earn enough money to pay for them all I suppose but then your in a situation of looking at watches worth hideous money...
I agree with most on here, 1 watch wouldn’t be enough for me. I will at some point consolidate to 3 or 4 with one of those the “grail” but o can’t afford to just yet and enjoy the variety too much.
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I guess it’s all relative but consolidating to a single grail will most likely mean a watch of very high value meaning there may be some “discomfort” wearing the watch on a regular basis which ultimately seems self defeating.
I think better to have a few more modest watches that get regular and worry free use.
My current collection includes 6 or 8 Omegas, 4 or 5 Heuers, a couple of Panerai, a couple of Tudor, plus a whole bunch of random stuff. Possibly the majority of the random stuff could go without much thought but I must be honest, there’s currently no ‘grail’ watch anymore.
I think this is where I am...currently thinning out a lot of my Seikos and lower end watches and have settled on a Sinn Damasko and Hamilton level of watches.
All great watches at a price point I'm comfortable to wear 95% of the time. ......dress and G shocks for the other 5%
Funnily enough this came up the other day in a conversation with a friend. Never been a grail type, actually quite the opposite: love a variety of watches & get bored with most quite quickly. But it has been a fun game to play around with the thought what the exit watch would be if i was to wake up one morning and decided to sell off my entire collection for the "one and only". There are only two grails i could think of: a vintage 3646 Panerai, or a Milsub. Since they're now both in 6 figures, quickly ditched the idea and slept well that night
I think it depends on what you get out of the hobby in the first place. If you love the “thrill of the chase” then you may well find that the acquisition of a grail watch is nowhere near as enjoyable as pursuing it…
Personally I really love the variety - over the years my collection has expanded to encompass an enormous range of styles and features, and I love being able to look it over and decide what to wear on a given day. On Saturday I wore a plastic G-shock square for gardening and mechanical chores. Yesterday I wore my GS Snowflake because I wanted something small and splendid. Today it’s a Darth Tuna because I’m just in that sort of mood. They couldn’t be more different, and I think I’d miss each one if I didn’t have the option.
Some 911s are more expensive than a Lambo though!
Nice idea in theory but difficult to translate into practice.
I now have 3 grails, because when you think you've got all you need something else always turns up.
Completely agree, this is me too. I like variety and being able to pick something different, even if some don’t get worn so much.
I think a lot underestimate the thrill of the chase too, it’s always exciting buying new things. I tend to go through flurries of buying things, but that hasn’t happened for a little while. Only thing I would probably by right now would be a Smith’s Caribbean.
Given I bought my first house this year, I had kind of decided that more expensive pieces would have to be funded by selling what I have, but I don’t know what I would buy if that were the case! I think I’m content with my collection, at least for now! 😁
I have attempted this a couple of times over the years. What actually happens is I regret moving on other watches after the honeymoon period is over, then in short order the collection grows again and usually more money gets burnt :-)
Plus there's the small issue that my grail watch tends to change every other month. At the moment it's a CHNR, sometimes it's an Omega GSOTM, often it's just any GMT Master II and if I'm feeling particularly enthusiastic it's a green dial Nautilus.
I possibly would if
1) My grail stayed fixed for any significant amount of time
2) My collection was actually worth anything approaching the cost of something that I'd consider a grail
3) Those fleeting grails had any sort of daily usability - they usually consist of HH gewgaws such as the UN Moonstruck world time which is not only wildly impractical but also so far outside of my price range that it's not even a consideration.
Instead I will look for off the beaten track alternatives, that are homologically interesting but are usually overlooked by the crowd and therefore don't cost the earth. I also have a skewed sense of 'good looking' so that can help.
Very interesting thread, and a concept I have considered on many occasions.
At the moment, I have SMP Mark II and a good moon watch homage that I have a vintage style bracelet on.
I also have a Tag Heuer F1 Pro acquired from new, a Breitling Aerospace, and an SKX009.
I love being able to switch around them, but I find myself going back to either the Mark II or the moon watch homage most.
The Mark II gets worn mostly, but if there is a damp, dirty or dodgy job to be done, I'll put on the homage.
This has led me to think why not chop the lot and just get a vintage SMP.
One of the things I like about the Mark II is the higher depth rating (100m), but I'd not use it for more than swimming/snorkeling.
I just wonder if I got a 145.022 would it satisfy all desires?
I love the chunky tool nature of the SKX, and the specific design of the Aerospace Ti, and have a bit of an attachment to the F1, but that all tends to slide for the Mark II.
The lot would easily add up to a good early 70s Speedie, but there wouldn't be much change from it.
I'm still considering.
Unfortunatley I believe the grail does not exist.
My rational is a watch for the gym, watch for work, watch for dinners etc.
Plus my grail would change over the years.
Ha, completely agree. I wore the same watches for the same reasons over pretty much the same days! Although I wouldn't consider the Snowflake particularly small, I have a 9F for that...
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I’m the same. I relish having the choice of a bunch of watches that I really like, following years of refining a collection. I don’t have watches that I could replace by simply going out on the High St. and frankly there’s very few new watches that I’d have any desire to own.
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