Reply With QuoteOriginally Posted by AmosMoses
No. It's utterly pointless owning watches that aren't worn. IMHO.
Really random post this, but wanting to hear if anyone else feels the same.
I spent years hunting down a Heuer 510.503 and ended up finding a really tidy one. Original bracelet, movement in great shape and a case which had 0 marks.
I now just can’t bring myself to wear it as often as I’d like for fear of scratching/ damaging. With the pewter coating marking so easily and being hard to repair I find myself wearing it less and less.
To put it into some context, I also have a 16600 Sea dweller which is beat to hell and I really enjoy the marks it’s wears.
I just seem to feel really guilty about beating up this rare Heuer.
Anyone else in the same position where you have a rare and good condition watch that you are too scared to wear?
No. It's utterly pointless owning watches that aren't worn. IMHO.
F.T.F.A.
I can totally see your logic OP, given the pewter coating - once marked, it would annoy my OCD. [Whereas normal steel won't trigger the same reaction; e.g. I happily wear £50k+ SS watches with no qualms about scratches.] That said, it does seem a shame to leave it unworn. Maybe keep for more special occasions? Maybe also depends on how easy / expensive it would be to restore the finish (say years down the line, assuming you decide to wear it regularly).
I can relate to this, albeit not with watches as I don't have any that are mint (any more!).
It depends on what you enjoy the most, the wearing of it or its minty freshness? If you have the cash available, you could buy a user version and keep this as a safe piece. Or sell this one and with the proceeds buy a a more clearly used example that you'll wear?
Totally understand. It looks to be a really nice watch and would be almost impossible to restore.
This
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Completely get it. I had this one. With hindsight wish I had worn it big time... Just too nice https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...hlight=Porsche
You're in the privileged position of being able to add your own patina, as you've done with your 16600.
I used to do similar with shoes. Then I found that after years of storage, glues and the general condition of the shoes would deteriorate after non use. So I've started wearing them more now and I like it more than just storing them.
Watches I own that aren’t worn get sold,life’s too short.
I wear my watches without a thought . To be honest after seeing micro welders like the watch polisher etc , I worry even less. I have seen examples of watches which have been horrifically damaged bought back too factory fresh.
Last edited by eagletower; 29th April 2022 at 09:24.
wear and enjoy , you worked hard to find and pay for something that gives you pleasure. it will give you more pleasure on the wrist than in the safe.
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If it's what you've wanted all these years then just wear it. Restoration if ever needed can be done.
Life's too short, wear it in good health
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I can relate to this, and I’ve sold at least one watch because I couldn’t enjoy it. I worried that I’d mark it and felt guilty and frustrated when I did. For me it made it pointless to even own the watch, because I personally don’t get any joy from a watch in a box.
Now I think I was being a bit of an idiot. Watches are made to be worn, and an unworn, perfect looking watch is a sad thing. It’s such a waste, and the watch would be happier with someone who’d wear it like it should be worn.
You now have the watch you wanted, so well done.
It's entirely up to you whether you wear it as a daily beater, only on occasions or even stashed away in a safe as an investment.
Just sit on it, it's only a matter of time before you eventually develop your own wearing pattern.
Just wear it carefully and gently surely
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I can relate to that ‘preservation’ way of thinking.
In extremis - you have the parachutist who’s main ‘chute doesn’t open……..
A flash can go through his mind where “If I pull the reserve, and it fails too - I will have nothing left”.
As above - use it and treat kindly.
Having the best example possible isn't always the right solution.
Vintage, covered with a fragile coating and in pristine order is a (rightly) unwearable combo.
Yours is simply too nice to wear, so don't.
Buy a beaten up one (as well, you know it makes sense) and wear that to death, knowing that the dings mean nothing to its pock-marked visage.
And keep the lovely one for when you want to look lovely.
I won't buy PVD wtches for this reason. Had a Ball Diver TMT which I loved, but marks to the PVD really annoyed me. Swirlies on steel or Ti don't bother me in the same way for some reason.
Maybe just keep it for low risk environments?
Last edited by gunner; 29th April 2022 at 09:38.
OPs watch looks to have a beadblasted finish, this can be refinished with the right equipment.
I would wear the watch carefully, accepting that it may need refinishing one day.
The grey PVD coating may be more a problem though? I agree it is possible to refinish the watch when required but it takes time, money and effort finding the right person to do the job. There is always the risk something goes wrong i.e.the colour of the new PVD is not quite right.
OP it’s a cracking watch, I would keep as a high days and holidays watch (and find a more battered example for day to day as suggested by Sweets)
Hadn’t realised it was PVD, that does make a difference. I would never own a PVD- coated watch for the same reason.
Absolutely in the same boat with a number of my watches. I know it’s daft and it ruins the enjoyment but I guess we all have our hang ups. I should sell anything I’m not wearing but I can’t bear to part with them.
Thanks for the feedback all, nice to here peoples thoughts.
Funny old hobby this isnt it, you spend all that time hunting down the perfect example and then you're too much of a pansy to wear it
I really do like to wear my watches, but with this one being so clean I'm not getting the full enjoyment from it. Maybe I should sell on and buy something I'll get more wear from.
I have the same feeling. That is until I get the first scratch or ding. After the initial annoyance I feel much better about wearing it to its fullest as any additional scrapes and bumps I know are fine as if I ever spend the money to get it tidied up again then they’ll all get sorted together.
I’ve not yet felt the need to though, as I think that’s there’s nothing better than handing down a watch through the generations with some character. Shows that they’ve been well worn and loved
That’s a very true summary. In the end I sold off anything that I considered “<precious”> and I can honestly say that enjoy watches that cost less than £500 so much more.
Funny old hobby this isnt it, you spend all that time hunting down the perfect example and then you're too much of a pansy to wear it
Guess it depends how much money you have and your own personal values etc.
Last edited by TheGent; 29th April 2022 at 10:36.
No point having it if its not being used, same as stickered safe watches….pointless.
So sell it to me and Ill abuse it
RIAC
I've also found this with the rising values of some watches. I'm now more conscious of wearing certain watches depending on where I'm going whereas before, when the value wasn't so high, it was no problem. Probably stupid to think that way. I should just think of the price I paid rather than the current value.
its a fine looking piece but as others state you should wear it unless its meant as an investment - you could hide it away on your wrist with protection such as with one of these
https://www.watchstrapstyle.co.uk/pr...trap-with-cap/
Hiding your light under a bushel but at least you could wear it and mitigate the fear of damage.
Keith
Last edited by huytonman; 29th April 2022 at 12:14.
I don't agree with some of the rhetoric that you shouldn't own a watch if you don't wear it.
Collectors collect things they're passionate about. That doesn't mean they can't focus on preserving them. Nor does it mean they have to be used as a tool - plenty (majority?) of things people collect serve no purpose beyond being looked at - e.g. coins, stamps, cards etc. Should the chap who owns the Beyer museum in Zurich be breaking out those historic watches from their glass cases for regular wear?
Similarly in todays market a lot of people buy new watches as investments with no intention to wear them. It's not inherently wrong, people don't have to be passionate about watches in order to see them as a potential investment option.
Not to mention how many people here own watches from their childhood or passed down by family members etc that they never wear but nevertheless get enjoyment out of owning?
So to the OP I would say do what you're comfortable with. If that's wearing it, go for it and have fun. If that's owning but not wearing it, or occasionally wearing it, that's equally OK.
I can understand you not wearing it, those plated Heuers do wear badly and look horrible IMO.
Just wear it around the house to take pictures of.
Cheers,
Neil.
I class myself as a collector and on that basis I’m happy to own watches that very rarely get worn. Being able to service and refinish my watches is a distinct advantage but I can’t work miracles if a watch gets a serious ding. I have a few that I’m less precious about and they’re the ones that get most use. Ironically, if I’ve put lots of work into restoring a watch I end up hardly wearing it if its one that us difficult to refinish, I have a couple of Omegas in this category and it does seem a bit silly to barely use them.
I don’t own PVD coated watches, mainly because I don’t like them, but the durability aspect would always put me off.
In my experience there is a world of difference between older PVD coatings and the modern ones.
Unfortunately the coatings on the the Heuer’s, Orfina etc. chronos of this era have a habit of chipping / flaking (there is a stunning green PVD Heuer on SC that has this issue on the edges but god it’s lovely)
Modern PVD tends to be pretty hard wearing, I have a black gmt SUN tuna that is treated appallingly, the shroud is dented, the insert is smashed but there is no removal of the PVD coating, others I own have burnished to a dark grey colour that I think looks great. That said modern coatings can scratch as I know to my pain, the first time I wore my brand new black tuna marinemaster I whacked it and it left a mall scratch on the shroud at 12
I would not get rid of the watch, just be very careful where you wear it, if you do mark it, well at least you won’t be as worried next time.
My brother had a black coated Tag Heuer chrono in the early 90’s - all the coating flaked off the bracelet first, then the case. And it looked dreadful - it was more like black paint than a proper coating tbh. He had it beadblasted at service when it was only a few years old and still has it I believe. By contrast I have a nearly 10 year old G shock with an ion coated bracelet and the clasp is still a deep black with no silver showing through. Based on my brothers experience I’d be very careful with it!
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Last edited by RobDad; 29th April 2022 at 16:30.
The Heuer is lovely. I baby all my watches, even those with hardened cases!
The collector in me would always keep it, and enjoy it for what it is, but I would maintain an increased awareness of it on the wrist. This isn’t any different from a couple of Rolex watches back from RSC, I’m certainly not carefree or careless with them!
Not a believer in every ding or scar is a memory
Keep it, but enjoy it, carefully
Dave
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I’d wear and enjoy. Does not mean use it as your beater.
Some people collect to own which is different to collect to wear.
I like to wear my watches but some like to collect for ownerships sake.
That’s lovely. I’d have pride in the ownership and wear it on special occasions.
Going by some of the comments I think most of the forum must be truck mechanics with no sleeves!
I wear and enjoy all my watches and rarely (touch wood) do they come into contact with anything other than my wrist or watch box, I just don’t get how people bash up a lump of steel on their own wrist, when I’m working on the house or cars I’m not going to wear an expensive watch - why would you?
Lovely watch OP, just wear and enjoy it but be sensible about it..
Op I get where you're coming from,
In the last year I've bought a couple of watches that are "to me at least" a bit special, both of which I haven't yet worn - though in mitigation I usually reserve watches for holidays and T-shirts, and currently living in a house we're renovating does focus the mind on potential scratch hazards.
Last edited by number2; 1st May 2022 at 07:41.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Duplicate posting
Last edited by number2; 1st May 2022 at 11:03.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Most sensible post on the subject that I've read in a long time. I've got no time for people deriding those who buy watches as investments, nor for suggestions that expensive watches shouldn't be treated with due care and attention. There's nothing clever in bashing them up when it's completely avoidable (that's what G-shocks are for).
However you enjoy your watches, why keep one which you no longer enjoy?
Your reluctance to part with a long sought and cherished watch from such a well-regarded manufacturer is understandable.
Perhaps consider that to reject one model is not to reject the brand and all that it represents to you. If anything, doing so makes you a more discerning collector.
Well said.
I have recently sold the watches that I’m scared to wear. Some like yours were also Heuers. Seemed pointless to me to keep them. I don’t understand buying a watch that I really like and then keeping all the stickers on or putting it in a safe all week and taking a picture of it every Friday and then putting it away again. Everyone to their own I suppose.
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