Some unsolicited watch buying advice

If you are reading this blog, you may be thinking about your next watch purchase or more likely are starting up a watch collection. A member at a popular Rolex Forum advised that if you decide to collect watches that you should come up with some kind of theme, otherwise all you will have is "a bag full of watches." Collecting watches by brand, by function or collecting the different variants of the same watch as it has evolved over the years does make for a more interesting collection.

Might be a good place to start a watch collection...

One approach to a collection is to collect the iconic watches of a brand, by function, giving you a watch for any activity you may be thinking of engaging in. Getting a dual time watch from one brand, chronograph from another brand, a divers watch from a third brand and a dress watch from a fourth manufacturer might be a good way to go. A Rolex GMT Master II, Omega Speedmaster "Moonwatch", Panerai Luminor and an IWC Portifino will give you a nice collection which combine different traits of functions of a watch. One will keep track of multiple time zones useful when travelling, the other is a stop watch and can be worn during sporting events, the thirds can withstand pressures equivalent to 300 meters below sea level or more and the last sits nicely on your wrist for the most formal of occasions.   

Another is to collect by brand. A Rolex Datejust for work, a GMT Master II when going abroad, a Submariner to be worn on the yacht, a Daytona for the race track and an Explorer II for your next climb up Everest or visit to the Artic circle. Okay, you may not do all those things, few do, but you can wear the watch that expresses your mood for the day.  The businessman, the traveler, the driver, the diver and the explorer.  

My own personal favorite would be collecting the different variants of watches over the years. The submariner date is a good subject. You could start with the current model 116610 or the previous 16610 model. It should still be easy enough to find a 16610 in excellent condition at a good price. After that I would try to grab a Ref. 1680 or Ref. 16800 Submariner on opportunity. That gives you a very nice four watch combination. If you are looking to expand this collection, you can get a 16800 or 1680 models with the word COMEX on the dial. COMEX labeled watches indicate those made for the French Company which specialized in underwater operations.

If you are looking at starting up a collection, it may be good to set path and make targeted purchases as opposed to loosing value hawking watches later on as you rationalize your collection.