The 2022 Watch Purchasing Abstinence Club (WPAC).

mconlonx said:

I've heard a similar sentiment expressed by many, and I'll be honest - I just don't understand this. Another friend says most of his good watches are in storage in Austria - he doesn't have them because he doesn't need them, having retired from the business world.

Even when I was working from home 4/5 days of the week, I still wore different watches in rotation, still got a kick out of whatever WotD was on my wrist. Maybe this is why things did not appreciably slow down for me in 2021?

In any case, members have posted some really compelling smaller collections, which is the kind of inspiration for which I hang out at WPAC.

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teckel12 said:

The GO SeaQ in 39mm is amazing. I just wish their big date version wasn't so big :/. I'd just prefer a big date if getting a GO.

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Colmustard86 said:

Okay so was wanting to do this last year but did not. The past few years have been crazy in watch buying and selling. So here is a pic of the collection minus one of my skx007 which is at a watch maker so the one in the pic is my backup, and one cheap quartz watch that was a gift that I do not have a picture of, other than that its all here the good and bad lol.

My watch hobby goals this year is to only buy one and I may sell some that do not click with me. Maybe this will get me to focus on what I have and enjoy them or find them homes.

I am looking forward to this and have no idea what the one watch for the year will be. Here is the collection.
First picture are the divers/dive style

View attachment 16331239
Second pic is field watches View attachment 16331240
Third pic are dress watches View attachment 16331241
Fourth pic are aviation inspired watches View attachment 16331242
Fifth pic, Gshock and digitals View attachment 16331243
6th pic a wooden watch that was a gift View attachment 16331245
7th two pocket watches View attachment 16331246
8th a unworn glock 35th anniversary chrono View attachment 16331247
9th pic is my last one for 2021 and is currently in the mail system on its way to me. View attachment 16331248
10th pic are my sport watches, mainly bezeless woth good WR, the new Ball will be here, the two woth bezels here lack decent WR so they are casual watches. View attachment 16331249

Okay so yeah might have a problem, might not. Not sure but I want to slow down. This puts me at 46 total counting the two not here.
So help me keep to only getting one this year and maybe selling some of these. 🙂

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AMM1959 said:

I have been lurking on the 2021 WPAC thread for two months, and I'm happy to join this group!

I’ve never wanted a large collection, but I do like a rotation with some diversity (one diver, a dress watch, a versatile GADA, and something casual that is not a diver). I have had a long-held wish for either a Rolex OP, an Explorer 1, or an Omega SMP. Lastly, I’ve had a long-held wish to have two mechanical chronometers if I could. I am an astronomer, and love the historical linkage between astronomy, navigation, and precision timekeeping (John Harrison is a personal hero of sorts).
SOTC at the beginning of 2021:

• Seiko 5 Field-style (SNKK35J1)
• Oris Artelier Skeleton (my first “near luxury” model; a gift from my wife some years back)
• Seiko SARB 17 Alpinist
• Tudor P01 as my diver (pool diver that is...)

During the year I made a few trades and purchases and learned a surprising thing:

• I gave the SNKK35J1 to my son who now wears it as his daily
• I replaced the SNKK35J1 with a used Tudor Ranger at a very fair price in hope it would scratch my Explorer itch
• I bought an Oris BCPD 80th Anniversary Bronze, partly because I really loved it, partly because it reminded me of my mom’s service as a USAAF WAC, and partly to pander to my local Rolex AD just a bit (which, in retrospect, was pretty dumb.) Thankfully, I love the watch.
• I traded my Alpinist for a Glycine Airman Base 22 with a little cash in the deal. This was impulsive, but I did really like the 3-time zone functionality.

In September I learned on WUS that some years back AAFES opened online shopping to all honorably discharged veterans, AND that they have remarkable sales on Omegas. This set up an end-of year flurry of activity. I bought an Omega SMP 300m on the AAFES black Friday sale. At the price, I simply could not pass it up. On receipt of the watch, I was truly blown away. I love it.

So on Dec 1 I had six watches in hand, including two divers and two pilots, which felt like a bit much. I also had some sellers regret about the Alpinist because it had been my versatile GADA. And, like I said before, Omega. Wow. So, between Thanksgiving and Christmas I did a 3-for-1 set of transactions; the P01, Ranger and Airman (all of which I did really like) went out, and an Aqua Terra from my local AD (thankfully also discounted a bit) came in.

The SOTC now is:

• Oris Artelier Skeleton
• Oris BCPD 80th Anniversary Bronze
• Omega SMP 300m
• Omega Aqua Terra

I now have pretty much everything I ever hoped for. A diver that was on my obtainable grail list, a dress watch, a beautiful GADA, and something casual but not a diver. Two are high quality chronometers, one is from my wife, and into the bargain they all have the same 20mm lug width. My 2022 objective is to avoid temptation and be happy with what feels like an amazing rotation to me. My biggest fear is that I may get an AD call about an available Rolex – in which case I am truly not sure what I would do, because I’ve learned that 4 is the right number for me.

Cheers!

View attachment 16331202

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AMM1959 said:

Thank you!

But, isn't this the thread I come to to NOT be enabled?

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badgerracer said:

I am officially in for 2022, and I have a feeling I am have better success than I did when I joined in 2020 and 2021. Maybe I am jinxing myself, but I feel like I am in a pretty good position with my collection overall.

Collection picks:

Tier list:

Almost certainly not going anywhere:
1) French skeleton watch - the watch that started it all which I bought on my honeymoon. I almost never wear it, but I will keep for sentimental reasons. Plus it wouldn’t be worth much anyway
2) G-Shock square - my go to travel/outdoors watch. It has gone with me to Peru, French Polynesia, and who knows where next. Plus again, it is pretty cheap where it is not worth reselling.
3&4) Rolex Explorer and Cartier Santos - I got both of these at the end of 2021 when I only intended to get one, but sometimes life is funny. I am still in the honeymoon period, so maybe my thoughts will change, but right now I can’t see myself parting with either of these

Unlikely to go anywhere
5) Casio baby-G Pokémon - it puts a smile on my face and isn’t worth enough to warrant selling. It doesn’t get worn much, but I enjoy having it around
6) The Citizen - a wonderful piece with a great movement and a stunning dial. Wearing the explorer makes this feel a little large, and it seems a bit redundant with the Santos and Explorer. Still I don’t see myself selling it. Plus my wife loves it
7) Oris 65 - I think this is the most comfortable watch in my collection, and I love the funky arabics
8) Ginault Ocean Rover with custom red bezel. I love that Ginault customized this for me, and it is my most worn ever watch ever.

Will get sold eventually
9) Archimede Outdoor Chronograph - I plan on getting a 3861 speedy eventually. I am still debating if I should sell it now to recoup some funds from getting the santos and explorer, or hold off until I am able to get the moonwatch. It is a fun watch, even if the thick slab sides makes it not get worn too often.

Sometimes I consider selling either the Oris or the Ginault to reduce redundancy, although I don’t think I will follow through with that. I don’t mind a bit of redundancy as you can tell from the rest of my collection. I saw some advanced pictures of the upcoming Ginault Silent Service and have also considered replacing the Ginault with a Ginault, but I’m not sure if I will do that. I love that my ocean rover is customized, so I can’t see myself selling it.

Anyways, that is my story and I am looking forward to another year of WPAC membership!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Hornet99 said:

Another one sold, so first of this year and that leave two left to sell.......

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Trias said:

Alright, so now that we're done with the SOTC formality, it's been long enough : it is TIME, for a multiquoting post.

Spoiler: STUBBADUB

Welcome back then, Stubbadub, glad to read you feel at peace with a rationalized 5 pieces collection. Don't hesitate to share some of your budhist experience when needed, as it is inevitable for some of us to be tempted to fiddle with their intial intentions as the year will unravel.

Spoiler: HORNET

I see your views have evolved regarding the Tudor. It has indeed been quite discussed, but, possibly as you may have felt like invading the thread with your reflections, you seemed to be wishing to contain those to a minimum last december.

If I may :

• Taking your time, even if it's about a full year to mature one's decision is a good move. In the end, most of us are here to break or avoid fueling the flipping cycle ; and IMO, the better the quality of the prior brainwork/thinking , the better the odds of the ensuing decision being a good one, and the lower the incentive to flip afterwards.
• You're not invading the thread with your dilemmas. You're wondering what are the best choices to end the frustrated purchases behavior. Even if it might (or not) conclude with a purchases, that's fully in line with the objectives of 2022 WPAC.

That unless you prefer us to develop our thoughts on grammar points.

Spoiler: JCOMBS

I'm quite impressed by the evolution of your collection. And I'm saying that without irony : it takes more efforts to curtail, or trim down a collection than just to keep hoarding them little by little. I also understand better what you said when you qualified watches of baubles/ mere jewelry, since such a drastic reduction indeed implies you have no affective connection to their horological particularities. You're now a one watch man, which in a way is a grail objective for some of us (and it's interesting it brought you to a similar choice than Usclassic).

Now, the fact you're considering a Speedmaster, and do wonder for an hypothetical continuation afterwards could highlight some ambivalence regarding that. Yet as I know you, you probably don't wish to discuss it.

Spoiler: LEE_K

Nice collection, Lee, quite diverse, with a good variety in roles and ranges ; with nice luxury analog watches coexisting with digital shock-resistant units ; highly water resistant ones with others barely. It's obvious you're fond of divers-like bezels and of lumed non numerals indexes as well (hence the Tudor and Omega preference ? ), but you still have a good diversity in dial colors, straps and even complications.

As for your objective, we share a very similar one. If I may, whether there's a purchase once the year has elapsed or not, it's an ambitious one. Yet I can tell there is satisfaction in managing to fulfill it, so it's well worth the try.

Spoiler: MILES WILSON

First, compliments on this SOTC and write-up ; it sees you are a watch enthusiast, and the sentimental value and memories your associate with some of your watches (the Deep Blue Alpha Marine for example) do highlight it.
Now, either one or two watches for the year seems quite reasonable objectives. Best wishes to attain those, and welcome around ! 😃

Spoiler: CORTMAN

There seems to be some uncoveded dial space available on the inner part of the 12H-3H quadrant. Wonder if the designers are aware of it ? 😌

Jokes aside, your 2022 objectives indeed seem like a rather moderate restraint. But better aim for something moderate and meet them, than state something too ambitious and keep failing. Not to mention you'll lend us a hand here meanwhile.

Spoiler: EZY

Saludos, Ezy,

About your reflections, I think that when rationalizing a collection, considering the watches per utility, particularities and sentimental value is one of the way to spot overlaps. You seem to have a lot of Casio digital alarms beaters for example, maybe just one is necessary ? Which could lead you to wear one of the sentimental ones (aren't watches made to be worn after all ?), and possibly give, sell or possibly even recycle some of those who never get wrist time. Recycling or giving to a charity would be what I would do for the "not worth selling" Casios personally, as they would be more useful that way than in a drawer.

Yet, rationalizing a collection is an interesting mind exercise. Welcome around for 2022, hombre ! 🕺😃

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Hornet99 said:

On the subject of watch review videos (or online press) is there anyone that people trust to give an objective view? We'd discussed here before about how most if not all reviews seem to be gushing and that lead to Lee suggesting that they are not wanting to bite the hand that feeds. I tend to watch reviews with the sound muted, I just want to see the watch not hear someone blabbering on.

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AMM1959 said:

Aaargh!!

It is January 3rd. Two days ago I joined this group, posted my SOTC and said,



And this afternoon, after 18+ months on "the waiting list" that I became convinced didn't really exist, I got a call from my local Rolex AD. They are holding a new Explorer 36 for me that came in today. 😶

Truly I am beyond conflicted. You can't make this stuff up. Cosmic test of will, anyone?

My left brain (and one of our WPAC brethren who will remain nameless) is telling me it would be silly not to simply pick it up and flip it.

My wife thinks I should just get on with it. "You'll be buying one for less that it will be worth next week? And it's a Rolex? Why is there a question? It's not like you're buying a third Seiko 5..."

And there's a whole bunch of back and forth rationalization going through my head. Pick it up and keep it. (Don't buy it and keep it! A Rolex is theft bait! LOL) Turn a quick buck...?

One in one out? That's OK, right!!? I could sell an Oris to stay at 4. But that's not exactly a fiscal wash.

Mind you, no, I would not be going into hock to buy it, and the mortgage is in fact paid off...

OK - let the bashing (and hopefully some actual usefull feedback) begin.

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mconlonx said:

It's funny...

Conjecture about Rolex is just so much armchair speculation on my end.

I can't afford one, even at MSRP. I don't particularly want one. So I wouldn't be on an AD list for one.

And even if I could afford one, I'd probably be looking at other watches - I don't particularly care for Submariners, would opt for a GO SeaQ instead; forget OP/DJ/E1, a Cartier Santos Medium would get the nod if I had $6k burning a hole in my pocket. I.e. watches I could get right now, rather than waiting more than a year for when/if I get The Call.

---------------------------

WPAC conundrum: You bought into a pre-order to the tune of two watches, $50/ea, at pre-order pricing, full price to be invoiced at fulfillment, when watches are in stock and ready to ship. Do you:

a) Ignore the invoice, forfeit your $100 deposit, "$100 is small price to pay to maintain my WPAC dignity!" and not have to deal with headache of flipping.
b) Pay out on the invoice, know that you will be tempted to keep at least one, but if you follow through with sale of both, you stand to make money selling at current retail vs. preorder pricing?

Although previous sale of this brand and model have indicated that it should be no problem flipping for full retail between preorder release and follow-up general release, there is always a greater than zero chance you may lose money on the deal, potentially even more than the deposit value.

What say WPAC?

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Wimads said:

Thats nonsense. With preorders you can still wait for the inevitable catch and release listings on the secondary market. There may be a few instances where the secondary price is higher, but the majority will take a hit, so you save a few bucks as well (in case you still want it after all those months waiting).

Your current situation would have been avoided, if you had just waited for some other FOMO junkie to catch and release their pre-order.

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AMM1959 said:

Yes, @Hornet99. Right you are sir.

A couple of days ago I stirred up a lot more of a tempest in a teapot than intended. And today I decided.

Here's the surprise in all of this, BTW. I asked my AD if they would please give me 2 days to reflect on the decision, and they graciously agreed. I didn't see that coming either.

I didn't really reflect too much on the bashing, or the "I hate Rolex for reason X" posts. (BTW, I really like both mercedes AND cathedral hands, so there! LOL). I also didn't spend much time thinking about the enabling posts. I did think a little bit about how having a watch appreciate in value for a change (even if only for the short term) would be nice. But that can change, and we all should know that.

Mostly I reflected (and discussed with my wife) the question of whether I felt some need for this thing, or if I simply thought it would add a bit of additional enjoyment to my impending retirement. That is, would I "like" to have both of my "grails" (achieveable grails mind you, the Patek with the planisphere dial is never happening, LOL) or, would one be superfluous, like one glass of fine wine too many.

Today I brought home my new E36.

Some of you will be happy for me. Some of you think I have bad taste. I think one of you believes my next stop is detox or a slippery slope to heroin, LOL. And all of that is OK. (Well, not the heroin bit. Please be assured that's not happening).

A few of you will be pleased to know that the bracelet has been sized, and the watch was worn on my way home. It will also be worn tomorrow, and if I am lucky on many days in the future.

We do not have to agree on everything. I love the fact that this thread has a bunch of well intended and honorable participants who actually care. Good on all of you.

I'm going to take my time deciding which of my others will be departing, and how. Possibly a sale. More likely a gift. Either way I'll take some time to see which one is getting used the least, and at some point it will be back to 4.

Thanks again to all of you who chimed in about my dilemma, no matter what you had to say!

I wish all of you good health, good fortune, and the strength to keep your personnal challenges in check.

I'll post a pic tomorrow.

Cheers

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Lee_K said:

Everything that MC and Hornet have already said, but I will add this: the clasp of the bracelet is guided by ceramic ball bearings and closes with a definitive click, like closing the car door of a Mercedes Benz. It is definitive, weighty, and precise. The bezel rotation has a notable detent when it reaches 12, so you can feel it in the dark. The printing on the dial is crisper than any watch I've ever owned. The tactile feedback from the winding of the MT56xx movements is sublime, just silky smooth. It's even better than the co-axial movements in my Omegas.

As I posted previously, these are all incremental improvements over affordable watches. Like anything else in the consumer products world, these come with diminishing marginal returns: you pay more money to get these admittedly subtle differences.

In no way would I ever tell anyone else that a Tudor is the only watch one should strive for. That is just nonsense. But I can say from direct personal experience that I have come to deeply respect the brand and the product though ownership of now three of their excellent watches. They have stopped cold my yearning for other watches in the same categories (diver, GMT).

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georgefl74 said:

Different things to different people. I get it why people would gravitate towards the more expensive watch that satisfies all these little perceived needs (no one needs a bezel that is 'buttery smooth'-it just needs to stay in its place when you set it before diving. Turn a bezel with diving gloves on, you won't feel a thing). But you get a lot of compulsiveness in this hobby as with any other hobby really. It's a choice whether you'll get more compulsive and end up paying a fortune to get rid of all possible quirks or less compulsive and enjoy it more.

I don't like Tudors. They feel like German WWII tanks that got so over engineered that they couldn't move around. They are watches for the Uber compulsive enthusiast that won't get excited about anything else anymore. Mehr power, mehr cannon, mehr everything!

I can literally see the design team talking to one another: Der Kommandant! We have ran out of color combinations that won't offend anyone for ze Black Bayz! -Ah Nein! Quickly make it Gold. Or Bronze. Or Zilver! Zey are valuable elements no? Everyone will like them! Or else!

The only Tudor I would wear is the silver Black Bay. Cause it's flawed. By accident. IMHO it's the only collectible one. The P01 on the other hand is their philosophy to the extreme. It's flawed because their philosophy is flawed. You can't have perfection. Period.

apologies for all the racial stereotyping to our German friends - I was going for Teutonic rather than plain German. Mostly.



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