Becoming an avid watch collector

How do you become a watch collector, and when is the best time to sell your watch?

If you love watches then watch collecting can be an engaging and rewarding hobby. Whether your preferences are for premium high-end timepieces or a broad range of more affordable watches, there is room for every taste and preference in the world of watch collecting.
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But how do you actually start becoming a watch collector?

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Getting Started as a watch collector

The first step of becoming a watch collector is to identify what kind of watches you like. For example, certain people only collect Rolex watches because they favour that brand, while others collect divers' watches from a broad range of different makers.
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Think about what kind of watches you like, and use your preferences as the baseline for your collection.

what do you want to do with your watches?

It sounds obvious, but people collect watches for different reasons. Some watch collectors merely accumulate the watches they like to wear on a regular basis, while others invest in pieces they have no intention of wearing purely for the sake of their collector provenance and rarity. Others may split their collection into two parts - "wearing" watches in one, and their investment pieces in another. Which is right for you?

how much space have you got for your watches?

To collect watches you will need a safe place to put them, and this should be a consideration before you even start. Consider investing in a dedicated watch box to keep your watches safe and give you an idea of how many spaces you can fill. If you're going to be investing in automatic watches, you should also consider investing in an automatic winder to keep your watches in reliable working condition even when you're not wearing them.

How much can you actually afford to spend?

Budgeting is very important in watch collecting, and you should only spend or invest what you can comfortably afford to. This depends on your circumstances. It doesn't matter whether your watches cost two figures or five, what matters is you're spending safely within your means. This will apply throughout your time as a watch collector, so it's an important skill to learn as early as possible - self control allows you to enjoy your watches more.

aim for versatility in your collecting habits

Something else to consider is having a varied collection. There are those who may prefer to have a specific collection purely of Rolex Oysters, for example. But generally, if you're just getting started as a watch collector you should aim to have individual watches that each serve their own purpose and have their own style. So mix up the colour palette, have a blend of leather, steel, and suede straps, and a variety of watch face shapes and sizes.

How do you know when you should sell your watches

A key part of the collection process is selling - otherwise you're a watch accumulator, not collector. Knowing when and how to sell your watch is important. As for when, a good habit after a certain number of watches is to resolve that if you want to buy a new watch, you have to sell one of your old ones first to make room. This prevents your collection growing too large for you to manage. It might also be helpful if you have a premium watch to keep an eye on the marketplace and periodically check the prices - if the watches are selling for more than you paid for them, and you're not too attached, it's a good time to sell.

Something else to consider is who you sell it with. When deciding to sell your Rolex watches, for example, you should always choose a premium watch dealer if you're looking for the best prices and a quick, easy sale. For that, contact Mark Worthington Jewellers for a fast quote on your premium watch.