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The 2021 Watch Purchasing Abstinence Club (WPAC).

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Hornet99
The 2021 Watch Purchasing Abstinence Club (WPAC).

Welcome to the 2021 Watch Purchasing Abstinence Club, otherwise known as WPAC. This is the 5th year of WPAC, which was started at the beginning of 2017 to try and get myself and some other addicts out of a crazy buying/flipping cycle with watches, we were buying for the sake of it rather than for the appreciation of the watch itself, constantly chasing the next, new shiny watch or searching endlessly, fixated on some watch; generally, IMHO, a rather unhealthy behaviour.

So, what is the point of WPAC? Well, the aim is to abstain from purchasing watches. But that's a bit blunt really, the abstinence is a tool or a method to break the cycle of buying/flipping and become a discerning consumer of horology. Learning to appreciate what you have, understand what works for you with watches and think rationally about purchases, rather than emotionally. Yes we still love watches, but as we all know we can be weak, so WPAC is a place to get help; here you can take solace from like minded people and get support and encouragement.

With those that stick around and make some commitment WPAC has been successful; for me it's certainly helped me break the buy/flip cycle and stop obsessing, so maybe it can help you.

For the WPAC regulars (including the lurkers) we all know the SOP for this, but here are the rules for 2021......

Ground rules:
  1. Abstain from buying any watches for the whole of 2021.
  2. Pre-orders, even if delivery is in 2022, still count as a purchase.
  3. Trades are not acceptable.
  4. New straps, parts and tools are acceptable (buying all the parts separately to make a watch is not!).
  5. Sales are okay but $$$ can not be reappointed to a new purchase.
  6. Watches given to you as a gift are acceptable but the one in one out rule applies (see rule 8).
  7. Purchasing for profit is allowed, but watches purchased to make a profit shouldn't be worn or find their way into your watchbox. If they do then it's back to the one in one out rule. And we don't want to see them!
  8. If you fall from grace and succumb to temptation then the one in one out rule applies (applies to pre-orders as well), e.g. one of the existing watches must be sold/gifted to make room.
  9. All members to post SOTC (with photo of all watches) and state their intentions for 2021. This needs to be your first post please! ALL watches you own should be included, no exceptions.
  10. Please participate in the thread
  11. Bashing* of any potential purchases is mandatory, but let's keep it funny. Nuclear level bashing is required for any actual purchases.
  12. Expect to be challenged by others if you're suggesting a purchase, whatever you personal goals/aims and expect to need to defend yourself.
  13. Any topic of conversation is acceptable and in fact welcomed.

* - bashing has become a divisive issue in previous threads and it needs to be made clear upfront that bashing (meaning finding faults with a potential purchase in any way possible) is perfectly acceptable behaviour here and is encouraged. If your fragile ego can't take a little bit of abuse at an inanimate object that you desire then you're either too sensitive or in the wrong place. Having said that we need to keep it within the bounds of reasonable behaviour…….

If you've got a different goal, but it's aligned with the spirit of WPAC then feel free to join in and tell us what you're intending. And let's be clear here, neither I or anyone else can stop you purchasing a watch, it's up to you. WPAC is more of a state of mind than strictly keeping to some rules. As Captain Barbossa said in Pirates of the Caribbean, "Aye, they be more like guidelines". This isn't a deadly serious thread it's intended to be fun and for those who really do want to try and abstain…….

.......and if you do have a slightly different goal just expect to be treated as if you are abstaining, I'm not going to be remembering every person's little permutation of the rules.

Good luck to everyone for 2021.
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jmariorebelo
mconlonx said:
One of the big issues I have with some watches is an unduly long L2L, especially on very reasonably sized watches. Looking at you, Hamilton KFM...

For instance, if we're talking Fliegers, the L2L on the Archimede 39 is a paltry 45.5, which may reflect the fact that a case-manufacturer really knows how to design a watch case...
Click to expand...
Ickler's defakto have many 40mm watches with L2L at 44mm. Archimede borrowed that case for their excellent 1950-3 (which I may very well get later in the year if certain things happen/don't happen).

As you say, some companies just know how to do stuff right.
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ryan850
I'm definitely in the bracelet camp. If the watch doesn't come with a quality bracelet, I'm not buying it (only reason Ive tried the halios was because I already had a ginault bracelet).

Second to steel is rubber. I've tried all types but the KFM compound or whatever is used by halios and nodus is my favorite by far. Pliable and nice to the touch. I like a closer fit on my wrist for both steel and rubber so I don't mind the feel. I have a fitted rubber on my monta OK that makes it the most comfortable watch for my preferences (nothing beats elastic obviously).

I'd put sailcloth as a 2b to rubber. But it has to be good quality. I have 2 straps from mrsailcloth because they were well reviewed and while the material is excellent strength, they are too firm. Would love to try an artem but not paying close to 100 for salcloth.

3a I love the look of leather but I the watches never really stay on leather for that long before I want to switch, and I have a drawer full of quality straps.

3b Elastic is similar to leather. Love the feel but just never really stay on it for very long.

4 nato/zulu are a distant last and it's not even close. Don't think I've kept a watch on a nato for longer than a couple days. Also has to be single pass or I'm not even touching it.
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Lee_K
Szechuan said:
Though experiment:
If you were able to turn over your whole watch collection now and get the money you purchased for it at least or more if the watches increased in price, would you do that? (No selling or anything you'd just have a guy come give you the money and take the watches)
Click to expand...
Absolutely. I'd go buy an Apple Watch again and maybe a G-Shock and be done with it all. I've enjoyed my time dabbling with watches, but I sense it's time to move onto other things.
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W
Szechuan said:
Though experiment:
If you were able to turn over your whole watch collection now and get the money you purchased for it at least or more if the watches increased in price, would you do that? (No selling or anything you'd just have a guy come give you the money and take the watches)

I think I would, and that's a sign I brought this stuff to far, but curious to what others would think.
Click to expand...
Yes. But then, I'd immediately repurchase some of them.

The real question to ponder is, "Why do I keep the watches I would not repurchase immediately?"
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jmariorebelo
Szechuan said:
Though experiment:
If you were able to turn over your whole watch collection now and get the money you purchased for it at least or more if the watches increased in price, would you do that? (No selling or anything you'd just have a guy come give you the money and take the watches)
Click to expand...
No, never.*

*being able to repurchase them kinda defeats the point of the question, so I'm taking that option out.

Weetabix said:
The real question to ponder is, "Why do I keep the watches I would not repurchase immediately?"
Click to expand...
Precisely this.
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C
LOL this thread!
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dpn
Introduction and Backstory

Hello everyone, I'm Dan and I have a problem buying watches. I've admired the resolve and community shown in previous years' WPAC threads, and I'm ready to make the public commitment myself. I thank everyone in advance for reading my story and any support y'all might be able to give me in times of need.

My situation is a little complicated, in that I have both a personal collection and a stable of watches that I'm customizing and selling for my business. The temptation to keep a watch I've built for my business has been strong, especially since the funding is a little murky; my wife trusts me to make business purchases without discussing them, and then I get tempted to keep what I've purchased for my business.

I'm not the type of person who resents or begrudges financial transparency and joint decision making with my wife. I'm actually including her watches in my SOTC because I absolutely love giving her gifts -- she grew up incredibly poor, and after 20 years of marriage we've reached a level of financial success and stability that makes it very, very tempting for me to buy her watches. She seldom buys herself anything fancy, and I love to surprise her with things that she would never have bought herself.

SOTC/Personal -- 7* Watches:
Product Analog watch Watch Glass White
Blue Product Glass Watch Colorfulness
Blue Product Watch Analog watch Glass
Analog watch Watch Watch accessory Glass Font
Watch Product Analog watch Glass Font
Clock Teal Colorfulness Turquoise Number
Watch Wrist Watch accessory Font Analog watch

  1. Rolex Ref 1002 34mm OP from 1963: This is a family piece purchased new by my father and given to me when I turned 18. It's recently serviced and running well. I don't wear it much, but I love it.
  2. ETA 6498-1 "Marine Watch": I built this watch myself in 2020. I could have done it cheaply, but wanted to make myself something extra nice and went with really high end components. As a result, this was was cheaper than it's closest retail equivalent (a Stowa Marine), but not by much. Because this was the first really nice watch I built myself, I will not sell it and plan on giving it to one of my daughters.
  3. Tudor Pelagos: I purchased this watch new in November 2020 to celebrate an amazing year in my career with significant professional growth and some major achievements. I paid retail for this watch at the AD, in part because I wanted to start "building the relationship" in the hope that I'd be able to get one of my real lifetime grail watches. My wife is really attached to this watch: She absolutely backed my purchase and helped me pick it out from a short list of watches I'd love. The temptation to flip this watch to fund a grail is high, even though I know my wife would be really, really disappointed and hurt if I did this. Also, for the record, I freaking love this watch. I've loved it so much that it has made me question whether I really actually want a Rolex Submariner.
  4. "Monochrome" Fordite-Dialed Modded Seiko SRPE69K1: I built this watch to showcase my custom fordite dials with the intention of selling it, but I fell in love with it. This is the watch I'm proudest of, and anticipate handing it down to one of my daughters.
  5. Seiko Black Monster SKX779: My wife bought this for our 10th anniversary back in 2011. It's very well worn and loved, and I'll never sell it.
  6. Gruen Pentagon Pocketwatch: I bought this watch in 2020 because I love how it looks and the brand backstory. I'm currently planning on repairing it myself. I could let this watch go.
  7. Xeric Regulator Automatic Dark Forest: I backed this watch on Kickstarter last year. This is exactly the type of impulse purchase I'm hoping to avoid in 2021; it was "just" $300 but those purchases definitely add up. I don't like this watch in person, and I already have it listed for sale in a couple places. Hoping to get all my money back, because the watch now costs $449. I don't really consider this watch part of my personal collection as I listed it for sale the same day I received it, and want to get it out of my house ASAP.
SOTC/Wife -- 2 Watches:
Blue Product Watch Analog watch Fashion accessory
Product Analog watch Watch Glass Watch accessory

  1. Rado Diamaster Diamonds: I purchased this for my wife for our 20th anniversary last June. My wife loves the moonphase and colors/design of this watch. I paid full retail for this watch online directly from Rado. This wasn't ideal, but was the only way I could find this specific model.
  2. Tudor Royal 28mm: I special ordered and paid for this in December '20 for my wife. Partly I wanted to buy my wife a more rugged and water resistant watch than her Rado, partly I wanted to buy her a Tudor that matches my Pelagos, but mostly it was a way of me to "build a relationship" with the AD. This watch hasn't arrived yet and is a surprise for my wife ... but she may kill me instead of thanking me. If she doesn't want to keep this watch, I'll flip it and hopefully recover most or all of my outlay.
SOTC/Business Watches -- 6 Watches

I currently have an inventory of half a dozen or so Seikos that I've customized. I genuinely like the SRPD watches I've modded, and the temptation is for me to keep them for myself instead of moving them out the door.

The Minor Temptations:

I really want a Rolex Explorer I, but there's no way I could get one new from an AD. The temptation is to build myself a Seiko-based homage with my business inventory. I also came very close to buying a 36mm Smiths Everest this morning. This is a real danger zone for me; I could really easily keep a $300 business watch or spend $150 in parts on myself, and those expenses add up!

The Major Threat:

One of my dream watches is a new 41mm Rolex Submariner Date. Sure, there a lot of other watches I like, but I'll never be in the position to afford them. The Rolex Submariner is really, really, expensive ... but "affordable" enough for me to theoretically purchase. I know it's a cliché to lust after a Rolex Submariner, but the design is classic/timeless and I want it as the "One Lifetime Watch" that I'd wear for the rest of my life. The fact that certain Rolex models tend to appreciate combined with the difference between MSRP and market price make it seem like a "value" purchase. My father has also worn his Rolex Ref. 1675 GMT-Master since 1978, which I find admirable and would love to emulate. I've already liquidated several of my watches and some high end camera gear to try to fund this watch. My local AD has been very receptive to my efforts to "build a relationship," and he told me a week or so ago to "get ready" for the call as my Submariner is "imminent." My wife and I got out of debt in 2020 (other than our accursed $100k plus in student loans), but we cannot yet afford to pay cash for this watch. I have permission to buy it, if I can immediately turn around and sell it for a profit. That's tempting, but I'd be contributing to the overall Rolex supply/demand mess. And I'm honestly concerned that if I buy this watch with the intent of selling it immediately, I'll fall in love with it and not be able to let it go. Even if I could let it go, I'll have done a pretty scummy thing.

My Pledge:

I commit to the rules of the WPAC, and resolve that I will not buy any watches in 2021, build myself a new watch, or convert any watches that I've purchased for my business into my personal collection. If I should succumb to temptation, I'll apply the One-In/One-Out rule.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to participating in this thread!

-- Dan
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A
ryan850 said:
I'm definitely in the bracelet camp. If the watch doesn't come with a quality bracelet, I'm not buying it (only reason Ive tried the halios was because I already had a ginault bracelet).

Second to steel is rubber. I've tried all types but the KFM compound or whatever is used by halios and nodus is my favorite by far. Pliable and nice to the touch. I like a closer fit on my wrist for both steel and rubber so I don't mind the feel. I have a fitted rubber on my monta OK that makes it the most comfortable watch for my preferences (nothing beats elastic obviously).

I'd put sailcloth as a 2b to rubber. But it has to be good quality. I have 2 straps from mrsailcloth because they were well reviewed and while the material is excellent strength, they are too firm. Would love to try an artem but not paying close to 100 for salcloth.

3a I love the look of leather but I the watches never really stay on leather for that long before I want to switch, and I have a drawer full of quality straps.

3b Elastic is similar to leather. Love the feel but just never really stay on it for very long.

4 nato/zulu are a distant last and it's not even close. Don't think I've kept a watch on a nato for longer than a couple days. Also has to be single pass or I'm not even touching it.
Click to expand...
Me too.
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jcombs1
Been away for a bit and just checking in. No new watches but did get a new strap for the GS and waiting on another. Stay strong men, I will check back in a few weeks.
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grifball
Great strap, and love that watch. I had one briefly last year and really enjoyed it.

On a separate note, man, y'all. I've been trying to do something new this year where I wear one of my watches for about a week before I switch to another one, and it's way harder than I expected.
I have five watches, so that means going a month without wearing a particular watch again.
Maybe it's just because I got three of the watches in December, but I keep wanting to wear other watches when it's not their turn. I'm curious to see how this continues through the year, because right now, it's making me rethink how much I really like some of these watches.

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badgerracer
dpn said:
Introduction and Backstory

Hello everyone, I'm Dan and I have a problem buying watches. I've admired the resolve and community shown in previous years' WPAC threads, and I'm ready to make the public commitment myself. I thank everyone in advance for reading my story and any support y'all might be able to give me in times of need.

My situation is a little complicated, in that I have both a personal collection and a stable of watches that I'm customizing and selling for my business. The temptation to keep a watch I've built for my business has been strong, especially since the funding is a little murky; my wife trusts me to make business purchases without discussing them, and then I get tempted to keep what I've purchased for my business.

I'm not the type of person who resents or begrudges financial transparency and joint decision making with my wife. I'm actually including her watches in my SOTC because I absolutely love giving her gifts -- she grew up incredibly poor, and after 20 years of marriage we've reached a level of financial success and stability that makes it very, very tempting for me to buy her watches. She seldom buys herself anything fancy, and I love to surprise her with things that she would never have bought herself.

SOTC/Personal -- 7* Watches:
View attachment 15661831 View attachment 15661830 View attachment 15661824 View attachment 15661826 View attachment 15661829 View attachment 15661832 View attachment 15661828
  1. Rolex Ref 1002 34mm OP from 1963: This is a family piece purchased new by my father and given to me when I turned 18. It's recently serviced and running well. I don't wear it much, but I love it.
  2. ETA 6498-1 "Marine Watch": I built this watch myself in 2020. I could have done it cheaply, but wanted to make myself something extra nice and went with really high end components. As a result, this was was cheaper than it's closest retail equivalent (a Stowa Marine), but not by much. Because this was the first really nice watch I built myself, I will not sell it and plan on giving it to one of my daughters.
  3. Tudor Pelagos: I purchased this watch new in November 2020 to celebrate an amazing year in my career with significant professional growth and some major achievements. I paid retail for this watch at the AD, in part because I wanted to start "building the relationship" in the hope that I'd be able to get one of my real lifetime grail watches. My wife is really attached to this watch: She absolutely backed my purchase and helped me pick it out from a short list of watches I'd love. The temptation to flip this watch to fund a grail is high, even though I know my wife would be really, really disappointed and hurt if I did this. Also, for the record, I freaking love this watch. I've loved it so much that it has made me question whether I really actually want a Rolex Submariner.
  4. "Monochrome" Fordite-Dialed Modded Seiko SRPE69K1: I built this watch to showcase my custom fordite dials with the intention of selling it, but I fell in love with it. This is the watch I'm proudest of, and anticipate handing it down to one of my daughters.
  5. Seiko Black Monster SKX779: My wife bought this for our 10th anniversary back in 2011. It's very well worn and loved, and I'll never sell it.
  6. Gruen Pentagon Pocketwatch: I bought this watch in 2020 because I love how it looks and the brand backstory. I'm currently planning on repairing it myself. I could let this watch go.
  7. Xeric Regulator Automatic Dark Forest: I backed this watch on Kickstarter last year. This is exactly the type of impulse purchase I'm hoping to avoid in 2021; it was "just" $300 but those purchases definitely add up. I don't like this watch in person, and I already have it listed for sale in a couple places. Hoping to get all my money back, because the watch now costs $449. I don't really consider this watch part of my personal collection as I listed it for sale the same day I received it, and want to get it out of my house ASAP.
SOTC/Wife -- 2 Watches:
View attachment 15661827 View attachment 15661823
  1. Rado Diamaster Diamonds: I purchased this for my wife for our 20th anniversary last June. My wife loves the moonphase and colors/design of this watch. I paid full retail for this watch online directly from Rado. This wasn't ideal, but was the only way I could find this specific model.
  2. Tudor Royal 28mm: I special ordered and paid for this in December '20 for my wife. Partly I wanted to buy my wife a more rugged and water resistant watch than her Rado, partly I wanted to buy her a Tudor that matches my Pelagos, but mostly it was a way of me to "build a relationship" with the AD. This watch hasn't arrived yet and is a surprise for my wife ... but she may kill me instead of thanking me. If she doesn't want to keep this watch, I'll flip it and hopefully recover most or all of my outlay.
SOTC/Business Watches -- 6 Watches

I currently have an inventory of half a dozen or so Seikos that I've customized. I genuinely like the SRPD watches I've modded, and the temptation is for me to keep them for myself instead of moving them out the door.

The Minor Temptations:

I really want a Rolex Explorer I, but there's no way I could get one new from an AD. The temptation is to build myself a Seiko-based homage with my business inventory. I also came very close to buying a 36mm Smiths Everest this morning. This is a real danger zone for me; I could really easily keep a $300 business watch or spend $150 in parts on myself, and those expenses add up!

The Major Threat:

One of my dream watches is a new 41mm Rolex Submariner Date. Sure, there a lot of other watches I like, but I'll never be in the position to afford them. The Rolex Submariner is really, really, expensive ... but "affordable" enough for me to theoretically purchase. I know it's a cliché to lust after a Rolex Submariner, but the design is classic/timeless and I want it as the "One Lifetime Watch" that I'd wear for the rest of my life. The fact that certain Rolex models tend to appreciate combined with the difference between MSRP and market price make it seem like a "value" purchase. My father has also worn his Rolex Ref. 1675 GMT-Master since 1978, which I find admirable and would love to emulate. I've already liquidated several of my watches and some high end camera gear to try to fund this watch. My local AD has been very receptive to my efforts to "build a relationship," and he told me a week or so ago to "get ready" for the call as my Submariner is "imminent." My wife and I got out of debt in 2020 (other than our accursed $100k plus in student loans), but we cannot yet afford to pay cash for this watch. I have permission to buy it, if I can immediately turn around and sell it for a profit. That's tempting, but I'd be contributing to the overall Rolex supply/demand mess. And I'm honestly concerned that if I buy this watch with the intent of selling it immediately, I'll fall in love with it and not be able to let it go. Even if I could let it go, I'll have done a pretty scummy thing.

My Pledge:

I commit to the rules of the WPAC, and resolve that I will not buy any watches in 2021, build myself a new watch, or convert any watches that I've purchased for my business into my personal collection. If I should succumb to temptation, I'll apply the One-In/One-Out rule.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to participating in this thread!

-- Dan
Click to expand...
Welcome Dan! Glad to have you join, hope we can help. Make sure you post a watch for a bash if you are feeling tempted, and the biggest thing is make sure you have a waiting period for any watch you are considering. Late last year I fell into the "this watch might sell out, so I need to buy it now".

On another note I feel you on the student loans. At our peak my wife and I had $180k together, and we have been working very hard to pay it off even though it feels like we have been putting our life on hold to do it. But we now think we should have it paid off around the end of the year which is a really exciting prospect.

As to the Rolex, I wouldn't blame you for making an instant profit, although it might hurt your relationship with that AD if you do eventually want to buy another one to keep when you are in a place to do so. Also keep in mind that a lot of the prices you see on chrono24 and whatnot are from secondhand dealers that have a lot more trust and feedback. You would still make a profit, but you wouldn't be getting the top dollar you may be thinking of. Just something to consider

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Spartan247
I have a give away contest thread going to send my two Casios to a new home and right now the there is a tie with 2 hours left. Please head over and vote to help break the tie between entry posts 5 and 9. Thank you!

Casio GAW / Photo Contest
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Casio GAW / Photo Contest

Time for a give away. I have been reducing my collection with a goal of 10 pieces so I've been getting rid of some of my lesser worn affordable watches. I am down to 12 pieces so I need your help to take these last 2 off my hands to reach my goal. First the watches. Casio W217H and B650...
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dpn
badgerracer said:
As to the Rolex, I wouldn't blame you for making an instant profit, although it might hurt your relationship with that AD if you do eventually want to buy another one to keep when you are in a place to do so. Also keep in mind that a lot of the prices you see on chrono24 and whatnot are from secondhand dealers that have a lot more trust and feedback. You would still make a profit, but you wouldn't be getting the top dollar you may be thinking of. Just something to consider
Click to expand...
Really excellent points. Thank you.
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Hornet99
dpn said:
Introduction and Backstory

Hello everyone, I'm Dan and I have a problem buying watches. I've admired the resolve and community shown in previous years' WPAC threads, and I'm ready to make the public commitment myself. I thank everyone in advance for reading my story and any support y'all might be able to give me in times of need.

My situation is a little complicated, in that I have both a personal collection and a stable of watches that I'm customizing and selling for my business. The temptation to keep a watch I've built for my business has been strong, especially since the funding is a little murky; my wife trusts me to make business purchases without discussing them, and then I get tempted to keep what I've purchased for my business.

I'm not the type of person who resents or begrudges financial transparency and joint decision making with my wife. I'm actually including her watches in my SOTC because I absolutely love giving her gifts -- she grew up incredibly poor, and after 20 years of marriage we've reached a level of financial success and stability that makes it very, very tempting for me to buy her watches. She seldom buys herself anything fancy, and I love to surprise her with things that she would never have bought herself.

SOTC/Personal -- 7* Watches:
View attachment 15661831 View attachment 15661830 View attachment 15661824 View attachment 15661826 View attachment 15661829 View attachment 15661832 View attachment 15661828
  1. Rolex Ref 1002 34mm OP from 1963: This is a family piece purchased new by my father and given to me when I turned 18. It's recently serviced and running well. I don't wear it much, but I love it.
  2. ETA 6498-1 "Marine Watch": I built this watch myself in 2020. I could have done it cheaply, but wanted to make myself something extra nice and went with really high end components. As a result, this was was cheaper than it's closest retail equivalent (a Stowa Marine), but not by much. Because this was the first really nice watch I built myself, I will not sell it and plan on giving it to one of my daughters.
  3. Tudor Pelagos: I purchased this watch new in November 2020 to celebrate an amazing year in my career with significant professional growth and some major achievements. I paid retail for this watch at the AD, in part because I wanted to start "building the relationship" in the hope that I'd be able to get one of my real lifetime grail watches. My wife is really attached to this watch: She absolutely backed my purchase and helped me pick it out from a short list of watches I'd love. The temptation to flip this watch to fund a grail is high, even though I know my wife would be really, really disappointed and hurt if I did this. Also, for the record, I freaking love this watch. I've loved it so much that it has made me question whether I really actually want a Rolex Submariner.
  4. "Monochrome" Fordite-Dialed Modded Seiko SRPE69K1: I built this watch to showcase my custom fordite dials with the intention of selling it, but I fell in love with it. This is the watch I'm proudest of, and anticipate handing it down to one of my daughters.
  5. Seiko Black Monster SKX779: My wife bought this for our 10th anniversary back in 2011. It's very well worn and loved, and I'll never sell it.
  6. Gruen Pentagon Pocketwatch: I bought this watch in 2020 because I love how it looks and the brand backstory. I'm currently planning on repairing it myself. I could let this watch go.
  7. Xeric Regulator Automatic Dark Forest: I backed this watch on Kickstarter last year. This is exactly the type of impulse purchase I'm hoping to avoid in 2021; it was "just" $300 but those purchases definitely add up. I don't like this watch in person, and I already have it listed for sale in a couple places. Hoping to get all my money back, because the watch now costs $449. I don't really consider this watch part of my personal collection as I listed it for sale the same day I received it, and want to get it out of my house ASAP.
SOTC/Wife -- 2 Watches:
View attachment 15661827 View attachment 15661823
  1. Rado Diamaster Diamonds: I purchased this for my wife for our 20th anniversary last June. My wife loves the moonphase and colors/design of this watch. I paid full retail for this watch online directly from Rado. This wasn't ideal, but was the only way I could find this specific model.
  2. Tudor Royal 28mm: I special ordered and paid for this in December '20 for my wife. Partly I wanted to buy my wife a more rugged and water resistant watch than her Rado, partly I wanted to buy her a Tudor that matches my Pelagos, but mostly it was a way of me to "build a relationship" with the AD. This watch hasn't arrived yet and is a surprise for my wife ... but she may kill me instead of thanking me. If she doesn't want to keep this watch, I'll flip it and hopefully recover most or all of my outlay.
SOTC/Business Watches -- 6 Watches

I currently have an inventory of half a dozen or so Seikos that I've customized. I genuinely like the SRPD watches I've modded, and the temptation is for me to keep them for myself instead of moving them out the door.

The Minor Temptations:

I really want a Rolex Explorer I, but there's no way I could get one new from an AD. The temptation is to build myself a Seiko-based homage with my business inventory. I also came very close to buying a 36mm Smiths Everest this morning. This is a real danger zone for me; I could really easily keep a $300 business watch or spend $150 in parts on myself, and those expenses add up!

The Major Threat:

One of my dream watches is a new 41mm Rolex Submariner Date. Sure, there a lot of other watches I like, but I'll never be in the position to afford them. The Rolex Submariner is really, really, expensive ... but "affordable" enough for me to theoretically purchase. I know it's a cliché to lust after a Rolex Submariner, but the design is classic/timeless and I want it as the "One Lifetime Watch" that I'd wear for the rest of my life. The fact that certain Rolex models tend to appreciate combined with the difference between MSRP and market price make it seem like a "value" purchase. My father has also worn his Rolex Ref. 1675 GMT-Master since 1978, which I find admirable and would love to emulate. I've already liquidated several of my watches and some high end camera gear to try to fund this watch. My local AD has been very receptive to my efforts to "build a relationship," and he told me a week or so ago to "get ready" for the call as my Submariner is "imminent." My wife and I got out of debt in 2020 (other than our accursed $100k plus in student loans), but we cannot yet afford to pay cash for this watch. I have permission to buy it, if I can immediately turn around and sell it for a profit. That's tempting, but I'd be contributing to the overall Rolex supply/demand mess. And I'm honestly concerned that if I buy this watch with the intent of selling it immediately, I'll fall in love with it and not be able to let it go. Even if I could let it go, I'll have done a pretty scummy thing.

My Pledge:

I commit to the rules of the WPAC, and resolve that I will not buy any watches in 2021, build myself a new watch, or convert any watches that I've purchased for my business into my personal collection. If I should succumb to temptation, I'll apply the One-In/One-Out rule.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to participating in this thread!

-- Dan
Click to expand...
Welcome to WPAC Dan! You get the award for the most thorough WPAC introductory post ??

......one question I have is whether your watch modding business is just a side interest or your main work? I'm assuming the former.

And are all bets off if the sub call comes?
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Ezy101
Hi

"My father has also worn his Rolex Ref. 1675 GMT-Master since 1978, which I find admirable and would love to emulate." I wish that was me.

Imho , if that is a doable goal for you, work for it the same way you work for getting rid of your student loan .

The Srpd are part of a bussines scheme, if you move on keep one as a memento if you wish but keep focus on your objective , in the end the sense of achievement would be incredible.


And after that.... Never come back.

Cheers
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Hornet99
grifball said:
Great strap, and love that watch. I had one briefly last year and really enjoyed it.

On a separate note, man, y'all. I've been trying to do something new this year where I wear one of my watches for about a week before I switch to another one, and it's way harder than I expected.
I have five watches, so that means going a month without wearing a particular watch again.
Maybe it's just because I got three of the watches in December, but I keep wanting to wear other watches when it's not their turn. I'm curious to see how this continues through the year, because right now, it's making me rethink how much I really like some of these watches.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk
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Wearing them for even longer (try a month....) can lead to a greater appreciation of that watch and then you get the bonus of the next watch you wear feeling all new......
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mjwatch
Welcome Dan @dpn. Nice collection. Love that Fordite dial.
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Wimads
dpn said:
Introduction and Backstory

Hello everyone, I'm Dan and I have a problem buying watches. I've admired the resolve and community shown in previous years' WPAC threads, and I'm ready to make the public commitment myself. I thank everyone in advance for reading my story and any support y'all might be able to give me in times of need.

My situation is a little complicated, in that I have both a personal collection and a stable of watches that I'm customizing and selling for my business. The temptation to keep a watch I've built for my business has been strong, especially since the funding is a little murky; my wife trusts me to make business purchases without discussing them, and then I get tempted to keep what I've purchased for my business.

I'm not the type of person who resents or begrudges financial transparency and joint decision making with my wife. I'm actually including her watches in my SOTC because I absolutely love giving her gifts -- she grew up incredibly poor, and after 20 years of marriage we've reached a level of financial success and stability that makes it very, very tempting for me to buy her watches. She seldom buys herself anything fancy, and I love to surprise her with things that she would never have bought herself.

SOTC/Personal -- 7* Watches:
View attachment 15661831 View attachment 15661830 View attachment 15661824 View attachment 15661826 View attachment 15661829 View attachment 15661832 View attachment 15661828
  1. Rolex Ref 1002 34mm OP from 1963: This is a family piece purchased new by my father and given to me when I turned 18. It's recently serviced and running well. I don't wear it much, but I love it.
  2. ETA 6498-1 "Marine Watch": I built this watch myself in 2020. I could have done it cheaply, but wanted to make myself something extra nice and went with really high end components. As a result, this was was cheaper than it's closest retail equivalent (a Stowa Marine), but not by much. Because this was the first really nice watch I built myself, I will not sell it and plan on giving it to one of my daughters.
  3. Tudor Pelagos: I purchased this watch new in November 2020 to celebrate an amazing year in my career with significant professional growth and some major achievements. I paid retail for this watch at the AD, in part because I wanted to start "building the relationship" in the hope that I'd be able to get one of my real lifetime grail watches. My wife is really attached to this watch: She absolutely backed my purchase and helped me pick it out from a short list of watches I'd love. The temptation to flip this watch to fund a grail is high, even though I know my wife would be really, really disappointed and hurt if I did this. Also, for the record, I freaking love this watch. I've loved it so much that it has made me question whether I really actually want a Rolex Submariner.
  4. "Monochrome" Fordite-Dialed Modded Seiko SRPE69K1: I built this watch to showcase my custom fordite dials with the intention of selling it, but I fell in love with it. This is the watch I'm proudest of, and anticipate handing it down to one of my daughters.
  5. Seiko Black Monster SKX779: My wife bought this for our 10th anniversary back in 2011. It's very well worn and loved, and I'll never sell it.
  6. Gruen Pentagon Pocketwatch: I bought this watch in 2020 because I love how it looks and the brand backstory. I'm currently planning on repairing it myself. I could let this watch go.
  7. Xeric Regulator Automatic Dark Forest: I backed this watch on Kickstarter last year. This is exactly the type of impulse purchase I'm hoping to avoid in 2021; it was "just" $300 but those purchases definitely add up. I don't like this watch in person, and I already have it listed for sale in a couple places. Hoping to get all my money back, because the watch now costs $449. I don't really consider this watch part of my personal collection as I listed it for sale the same day I received it, and want to get it out of my house ASAP.
SOTC/Wife -- 2 Watches:
View attachment 15661827 View attachment 15661823
  1. Rado Diamaster Diamonds: I purchased this for my wife for our 20th anniversary last June. My wife loves the moonphase and colors/design of this watch. I paid full retail for this watch online directly from Rado. This wasn't ideal, but was the only way I could find this specific model.
  2. Tudor Royal 28mm: I special ordered and paid for this in December '20 for my wife. Partly I wanted to buy my wife a more rugged and water resistant watch than her Rado, partly I wanted to buy her a Tudor that matches my Pelagos, but mostly it was a way of me to "build a relationship" with the AD. This watch hasn't arrived yet and is a surprise for my wife ... but she may kill me instead of thanking me. If she doesn't want to keep this watch, I'll flip it and hopefully recover most or all of my outlay.
SOTC/Business Watches -- 6 Watches

I currently have an inventory of half a dozen or so Seikos that I've customized. I genuinely like the SRPD watches I've modded, and the temptation is for me to keep them for myself instead of moving them out the door.

The Minor Temptations:

I really want a Rolex Explorer I, but there's no way I could get one new from an AD. The temptation is to build myself a Seiko-based homage with my business inventory. I also came very close to buying a 36mm Smiths Everest this morning. This is a real danger zone for me; I could really easily keep a $300 business watch or spend $150 in parts on myself, and those expenses add up!

The Major Threat:

One of my dream watches is a new 41mm Rolex Submariner Date. Sure, there a lot of other watches I like, but I'll never be in the position to afford them. The Rolex Submariner is really, really, expensive ... but "affordable" enough for me to theoretically purchase. I know it's a cliché to lust after a Rolex Submariner, but the design is classic/timeless and I want it as the "One Lifetime Watch" that I'd wear for the rest of my life. The fact that certain Rolex models tend to appreciate combined with the difference between MSRP and market price make it seem like a "value" purchase. My father has also worn his Rolex Ref. 1675 GMT-Master since 1978, which I find admirable and would love to emulate. I've already liquidated several of my watches and some high end camera gear to try to fund this watch. My local AD has been very receptive to my efforts to "build a relationship," and he told me a week or so ago to "get ready" for the call as my Submariner is "imminent." My wife and I got out of debt in 2020 (other than our accursed $100k plus in student loans), but we cannot yet afford to pay cash for this watch. I have permission to buy it, if I can immediately turn around and sell it for a profit. That's tempting, but I'd be contributing to the overall Rolex supply/demand mess. And I'm honestly concerned that if I buy this watch with the intent of selling it immediately, I'll fall in love with it and not be able to let it go. Even if I could let it go, I'll have done a pretty scummy thing.

My Pledge:

I commit to the rules of the WPAC, and resolve that I will not buy any watches in 2021, build myself a new watch, or convert any watches that I've purchased for my business into my personal collection. If I should succumb to temptation, I'll apply the One-In/One-Out rule.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to participating in this thread!

-- Dan
Click to expand...
Welcome Dan! You've got a great varied collection, which deserves to be appreciated rather than negated by the thrill of new watch purchases.

For gaining control over impulsive buys, time is your best friend! Make it a point to wait one month minimum before making any purchase, from the moment you would have normally have pulled the trigger. In 9 out of 10 cases, your desire for it will have waned by that time. And if not there is always WPAC to give it a good bashing ;)
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sticky
Wimads said:
Yup.. definitely lockdown effect...
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Could also be that more of use recognise a good thread when we see one.
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grifball
Hornet99 said:
Wearing them for even longer (try a month....) can lead to a greater appreciation of that watch and then you get the bonus of the next watch you wear feeling all new......
Click to expand...
For most of last year, I only had two watches, so I spent most of the year just wearing one. Maybe I'll increase the wear time after a few cycles of this, but I can't imagine taking a watch I just bought in December and not wearing it at all for four months while cycling through the others.

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