# To Use Or Collect?



## ngdesign (Nov 5, 2009)

*Use or collect?*​
*Do you wear your vintage watch?*

Yes7498.67%Nope, Collection only11.33%


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## ngdesign (Nov 5, 2009)

Hi all

As a new collector i am a little curious, do you usually wear your vintage wristwatch or just keep them in a display box?


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## frogspawn (Jun 20, 2008)

Wear all mine in rotation - they are watches - bu**er use sat in a box.


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## futuristfan (Sep 13, 2009)

Wear all my vintage watches on a regular basis. Feel they deserve to be seen not just hidden away in the safe or watch boxes. :thumbsup:


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Definitely wear them although some rarely get out of the house


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## tomshep (Oct 2, 2008)

If they are not worn then they get culled. There is an expression in Watch circles, "safe queen". It describes a watch too precious to see the light of day. This really isn't that kind of forum. Some collectors hide their watches away because they are valuable investments. Round here, we like to show them off like classic cars which are for other people to look at and enjoy.


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## mart broad (May 24, 2005)

I wear all my watches,they are "living" things made for a purpose and thats not to be "safe queens" or watch winder fodder but of course i use quite a degree of selectivity as to where and when i wear them.


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## PhilM (Nov 5, 2004)

Wear it, otherwise buy something else!


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## Julian Latham (Jul 25, 2005)

Have the intention to wear all of them, but being a bit of a compulsive acquirer some don't get an outing very often. Don't usually wear the same watch for more than a couple of days at a time. Having paid to get them repaired/serviced it would be daft not to use them.

I am beginning to thin out some watches and dispose of some 'projects' before they get sent off for service/repair - saves a small fortune :yes: .


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## watchnutz (Jan 18, 2008)

Having a couple hundred some don't get worn very often but eventually they all do get their turn. I never wear the same watch more than one day at a time and often wear more than one a day depending on what is planned for the day.


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## andyclient (Aug 1, 2009)

Definitely wear them , no point having them otherwise imho

cheers

Andy


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## frogspawn (Jun 20, 2008)

tomshep said:


> If they are not worn then they get culled. There is an expression in Watch circles, "safe queen". It describes a watch too precious to see the light of day. This really isn't that kind of forum. Some collectors hide their watches away because they are valuable investments. Round here, we like to show them off like classic cars which are for other people to look at and enjoy.


Got to answer this one - classic cars are for driving - like classic watches are for wearing.


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## Agent orange (Feb 11, 2006)

I suppose I might be considered by some as an Omega collector but I do wear them all and try to rotate them so each get some wrist time. I don't believe in safe queens and the ones that don't get worn get flipped.

Cheers,

Gary


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## tomshep (Oct 2, 2008)

That Dino spyder is sheer automotive pornography. Always fancied the coupe myself but had to settle for the miniature version, a 128 3p with some rather non-standard mods (Superstrada motor and hybrid 5 speed built on a 128 bellhousing. 15,000 miles per clutch but I'd had the box down so many times in the development that it became a 40 minute job!)


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## ngdesign (Nov 5, 2009)

watchnutz said:


> Having a couple hundred some don't get worn very often but eventually they all do get their turn. I never wear the same watch more than one day at a time and often wear more than one a day depending on what is planned for the day.


 couple hundreds!

how long have you been collecting?

i always thought the vintages might be a little too fragile to take around.


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## zed4130 (Jun 25, 2009)

for me wearing, but then i only have a few, but i wear whatever ive got thats what there for, but i suppose it depends on your collection and there value,

paul


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## Jack G (Apr 7, 2008)

Beautiful car!!!!! A few years back I had a Ferrari 246GTS which I kept for 9 years but did only 800 miles! Too precious too drive.

When I started collecting watches in 1998 I ended up with a cupboard full of mint or NOS watches that I never used. Had a eureaka moment one day sold them all and now have just a few watches which have been restored to mint but I regularly wear them.

So wear gets my vote.


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## KevG (Dec 15, 2008)

Wear them all can't see the point of having them in boxes


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## itsguy (Nov 16, 2009)

The vintage ones definitely get worn, it's the newies that don't! Also, my rule is that new arrivals have to be worn for a week, or at least a few days, to... kind of... bond with them. Am I crazy? Otherwise they don't really feel like your watch yet. It also helps overcome the feeling that a grail is just too good to wear. If you don't even want to wear a watch for a week, maybe you didn't really want it that much in the first place! Helps overcome insane impulse purchases. A bit.


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## watchnutz (Jan 18, 2008)

ngdesign said:


> watchnutz said:
> 
> 
> > Having a couple hundred some don't get worn very often but eventually they all do get their turn. I never wear the same watch more than one day at a time and often wear more than one a day depending on what is planned for the day.
> ...


Only about 10 years but most are not expensive varieties and certainly no Rolex. I started with Timexes when you could pick up a hundred for 20 bucks and get several good ones from the lot. I moved on to electrics and hummers and have about 60 of each now. Auction prices have gone crazy in the past couple of years. BTW I am a 76 year old widower living alone so I guess that helps account for the size of the collection.

Today I'm wearing one of my earliest acquisitions, a 1958 Timex chrono. A friend just paid $100 for the same watch that I got for $2 a few short years ago.

Have a look at some of my collecting in the links attached to my signature.


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## ngdesign (Nov 5, 2009)

watchnutz said:


> ngdesign said:
> 
> 
> > watchnutz said:
> ...


Thats a quite impressive collection you got! (especially the mickey collection)

I also really like your "1965 214 mvmnt dual time zone RR Approved", such a strange looking watch with 2 hour hands.


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## watchnutz (Jan 18, 2008)

> I also really like your "1965 214 mvmnt dual time zone RR Approved", such a strange looking watch with 2 hour hands.


Those were made for the Canadian Pacific Railroad. This one has the second hour hand to the right so it was for the Western Division trainmen. They also had them with the second hour hand to the left. The time difference is fixed at one hour since they only operated in the two time zones and in reality it is all just one hand with one arm painted red. So it is a standard Accutron railroad with that different hour hand on it.


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## sangman2000 (Mar 30, 2008)

I have to agree 100% with what Tomshep says. I have several vintage watches and try to give them all wrist time. imho watches are not to be kept hidden from view, they are to be enjoyed. by all (That does not mean that we become negligent when it comes to matters of watch security) On saying that watches are to be enjoyed , and used how there owner wants.


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

I used to have a collection of vintage Glycine Airman watches which I didn't wear (at 36mm they were too small for me); now I only buy vintage watches I will wear.


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## tixntox (Jul 17, 2009)

I wear mine to suit my mood or my day but I do use them. I do take care not to work in my "better" watches though. My pocket watches tend to be for "oogling" though as they are not over practical. they do attract admiring glances and comments when checking them in restaurants etc!


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## samswatch (Dec 3, 2007)

Use no point just looking at it!

sam


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## luddite (Dec 11, 2009)

As has already been said a wristwatch is for wearing.

It isn't called a safewatch or a shelfwatch now is it? :dontgetit:

Also I find that my mechanical watches keep time differently when worn to sitting down.

Not wearing them is like sitting in a classic car going brrrm brrrrm. :to_become_senile:


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

I have one only vintage I don't wear - it is actually too fragile to wear, but it's the original bracelet that's fragile - if I ever see a better bracelte it will get swapped and worn like the rest. I'd rather not wear it than see it on the stone floor in the kitchen when the bracelet collapses - and it would be "when" and not "if" :yes:










and here it is! my "first" real watch, Timex from Dundee, Scotland factory bought with my own money! look thru yer junk boxes guys, if you've got one on this style bracelet, I'm always interested









Seasons Greetings to all! :cheers:


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## vikingaccountant (Dec 9, 2009)

Another vote for wearing, I am not a believer in platonic relationships.


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

mach 0.0013137 said:


> Definitely wear them


Just remembered that there are a few exceptions...


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

mach 0.0013137 said:


> mach 0.0013137 said:
> 
> 
> > Definitely wear them
> ...


Oh, NO there's not!

Oh YES there is - - -

You could always take up Pantomime Dame-ing Mac, plenty of demand at this time of year for guys dressed up as Dames - I'll be in full kilt mode next week myself for New Year - maybe that Aviation would go well with the Sporran and Nae Knickers - I'm such a tart :skirt:


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## streety (Jan 17, 2009)

I wear mine according to my mood. Like listening to music I suppose.


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## RobW (Jan 12, 2010)

What's the point of collecting vintage watches if you don't wear them? I only wear vintage, ranging from my 1926 Illinois to my early 70s Rado. A different one every day. Takes me about a month to go through the rotation.


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## dshilton63 (Jan 17, 2010)

I use a different watch each day.

I downloaded a number generator from the Net,and put in the amount of watches I have.

Hey presto! a different watch and airing.

It saves a lot of time,just like my wife what do I ware today?

Try it,saves any head scratching.

Cheers

Dave.


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## desk hog (Nov 21, 2009)

Preumably the number generator gives you a randon selection each day. Certainly takes the angst out of it for the more indecisive amongst us, (of which I am one). Some might remember the book "Diceman" where the central character lived by decisions dicated by the roll of a dice. Someone I once worked with used to choose a restaurant/pub for the evening in London by rolling a dice (to select number of bus to take, number of stops to wait before getting off etc). She told me she ate at some truly awful places!! As to the original question whether to wear or to collect? Wear and enjoy, otherwise its only stuff.


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## ong (Jul 31, 2008)

Mine all get worn at some point although some don't get out much and the more modern ones get worn at work. I tend to pick at random or the one feel hasn't had much wrist time recently. This is a good way of keeping the numbers down as the ones I realise I don't like any more get replaced. For instance right now its the turn of my Rolex Oysterdate Precision, but tomorrow may be the Tissot Seastar or one of my Eternas.

Thanks for the poll and good to see a majority of 'wearers'.

Ong


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## msq (Feb 18, 2010)

I think that maybe the only vintage watches that really don't get worn may be the likes of patek or an heirloom. I bet there are also a bunch of people who also have so many in the collection that some in the collection get very little wrist time.


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## iso50 (Feb 1, 2010)

Need to be worn. Wound or shaken ( automatic). Like little engines need to be used..


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## janicko (Jan 14, 2010)

voted yes  they are made to serve


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## sam. (Mar 24, 2010)

i wear all my watches,i wear what ever takes my fancy,there is no pattern to it,i only own 6 at the moment,so i don't have that much choice!,car boot sales starting soon though,so i should add to my total soon!


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## thinus (Mar 20, 2010)

I am one of those guys that also say where your vintage watch I have a cupple of omega's one is from the 1940's and I love to use it.


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## Pilot65 (Feb 2, 2009)

frogspawn said:


> Wear all mine in rotation - they are watches - bu**er use sat in a box.


+1 - totally agree with that one - i had a 1950 seamaster and used it pretty much every day for about 6 months till i sold it...

and regret selling it ever since


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