Dividing the Watch Collection into 3 Categories: The Diver Lume Torch Is King

Because moods change, I wanted to avoid creating a tier system. But then I realized I do indeed have a hierarchy. As far as I can see, it can be divided into three parts. My favorite category is the Diver Lume Torch. Below that, is what I'll call the Sport Tools, a perhaps a bit more fashion minded with chronos and less than traditional designs. Readability is not the priority here. Below that are what I call my Military Fashion Assessories, large, bold watches that don't champion great lume but make a bold statement. They are all homages to the oversized military watches of yesteryear.

Out of 13 watches, 8 are in the Diver Lume Torch category and that doesn't include my two Zillas, which many would put in that category as well. I didn't because the lume is not as strong as I'd like it to be.

Diver Lume Torches

1. Seiko Kinetic Diver SUN019

2. Seiko Tuna SBBN017

3. Seiko Sumo

4. Orient Saturation Diver

5. Benarus Moray Dart

6. Deep Blue Depthmaster

7. Seiko Black Monster SRP307

8. Benarus Megalodon (pre-ordered; isn't supposed to arrive until after 2015)

Sport Tools

9. EcoZilla on Suppa

10. EcoZilla original

11. Seiko FieldMaster SBL021

12. Citizen Promaster 2029

Military Fashion Assessories (all on leather strap)

13. Invicta Force Master Chrono 4831

 

Related articles

If I Had to Get My Manly Watch Collection Down to Three

Should I Get the Seiko Sumo or the Seiko Kinetic Diver SUN019?

If You Could Only Have One Watch in Your Collection: Seiko SUN019 Kinetic Tuna Diver

Let's Get a Real Bezel Measurement, Please, of the Seiko Tuna

Comments

[jonnybardo]

Interesting, even eccentric categorizations. Could not the Deep Blue also belong in the Sport Tool? It seems that there is, or could be, some overlap.

I won't comment on #3 being listed in your collection.

[herculodge]

overlap for sure. I hope the Sumo stays in the ranks.

[jonnybardo]

The thing I like about your categories is that by not being inherently, or only hierarchical, it allows you to own a Chotovelli or Invicta or Tauchmeister without it needing to compete with your higher quality watches. They are "for fun" watches, and don't need to be anything else.

For me, the only thing a watch needs to be is...worn. If a watch isn't being worn, I shouldn't own it.

[herculodge]

which is largely why I felt compelled to make this "system."

[Gary]

Finally, a quiet USB power supply for radios.

http://swling.com/blog/2014/11/dave-recommends-the-ccrane-witness-plus-ac-adapter/

[Angelo]

Jonny: But Jay Leno doesn't drive every one of the cars he owns. Collectors can own a piece and not necessarily use it in that way. That said, I wear almost every one of my watches---of course, some more than others. I agree with your observation though, that this categorization is healthy. The nice thing about owning more than one of something----owning a collection----is that every piece in the collection doesn't have to do everything to the fullest extent. Good analogy is the "third down specialist" pass rusher on an NFL team. Or the "change of pace" running back, who doesn't get nearly as many carries as the starter, but gets a chance every now and then.

[jonnybardo]

Angelo, I'm not stating rules that All Collectors Must Obey. As you know, I think there are different types of collectors. At the least you have more traditional collectors, which could be called "accumulators" - who like to buy more, add to their collection, but not really change or sell things off for the most part. Then you have "refiners," who see the collection as an aesthetic and seek to continually refine and evolve it. I started as the former and became the latter (by the way, I'm not suggesting one is superior to the other, but could simply be a matter of personality).

Leno could be an accumulator. Aside from the obvious different different in finances (Leno's net worth is $350 million), even if you scale things down, the equivalent of a $200K car to Leno is probably something like a $20 watch to me. If I was into $20 watches I might be more of an accumulator, but because my tastes have become more expensive, I don't have that luxury.

If I were magically inherit a few million dollars (which, unfortunately, isn't in the cards for me) I'd probably immediately gone on a watch buying binge, including a few $3-10K watches: a Breitling Chronomat, Omega Planet Ocean, Omega Speedmaster, maybe a Panerai, etc, as well as a dozen or so $1-3K watches. After feeling nauseous and perhaps engaging in shameful psychic self-flagellation, I'd probably look at my ballooned collection of a few dozen watches, buy a few more, and then gradually refine and sell it down to a more manageable size (oh yeah, and donate the proceeds to a more worthy cause than my own greed).

So even in cases of extreme wealth, I'd probably find myself wanting a collection in the 5-10ish range. It is just an aesthetic preference, one that "feels" right, feels psychologically hygienic (Although to be honest, I imagine that with that much money I'd be too lazy to sell off all of the watches and would end up with a collection in the 20s).

But back to reality, I currently own 14 watches. Of those 14, 5 are definite keepers, 5 are possible sales and 4 are probable sales. I'd like to refine the collection down to the 7-9 range. Again, that feels right. Plus, it gives me a bit of room to "accordion" up to 10-12, and then reduce again.

[Angelo]

Jonny: My goal is to sell off a few watches---I'm just having some trouble deciding which ones to sell off. Some of them might bring a few bucks in---and I'm not really wearing them that often---those might be on the block soon. But for the most part, the watches I own that are worth more than $100.00, I'm not really ready to part with, leaving me with too many watches. It's a quandary. I like your discipline and also that idea of moving down to 7-9, then up to 10-12, then back down again, always leaving you an opportunity to acquire a couple watches you really like and not feel like you're getting too much clutter in the collection. I wish I could do that, even on a higher quantity scale (i.e. 30-35 watches, moving up to 40-45, back down t0 30-35, etc.). I don't see that happening for me though. I'm able to slow down at times and also sell off a few at times----but over a long curve, the collection keeps growing. For me, the goal has become to slow the growth to something manageable. I'm sort of like the federal government I guess! I've given up at actually getting things under control and I'm working on trying not to be out of control.

[Gary]

ABTW: When You Wear A Watch, Who Do You Wear It For?

http://www.ablogtowatch.com/when-you-wear-watch-who-do-you-wear-it-for/