Hi here, for the context I’ve fallen into watches about 2 years ago thanks (or not) to a friend of mine. I currently have “low-end” watches for the most part (quartz, solar quartz, mechanical, automatic), which I do like to wear. However I’m thinking about investing in another piece. I have several options in mind but the price would be almost as high as my whole set put together. Money is not the problem here as I won’t be in the red after this purchase, but rather the purchase itself. I’m in this sub since a few week only, and I often see great collections full of Omega, Oris, Rolex, GS and so on that makes me feel, if not poor, at least cautious.
So, here come the questions I’m wondering:
- How do you guys convince yourself that it’s a good idea to put 1k€+ in a watch?
- Financially speaking, do you have a thumb rule (according to your net monthly income for example) about what cost seems reasonable when you fall for your new watch?
Feel free to share your watch journey :)
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My rule is 10%
You have 10% of your annual net income to throw at shit and giggles. Can’t go broke over it, always have a significant portion of your income left for unexpected stuff. Makes it also really easy to decide if you can afford a watch or not. Want to buy a 10k watch better make 100k a year after taxes otherwise it’s just a poor financial decision.
What you do with the money is up to you. Games, cars, watches. It doesn’t matter but remember to not go over the budget
Someone will always have a more expensive watch than you, a more expensive car than you, more expensive clothes than you, more expensive house than you.
It’s your decision to let that make you feel poor or not.
You were happy with your watches until you saw someone had something more expensive. Nip this in the bud now, dude, or you are going to be miserable for the rest of your life because there will always be something more expensive out there.
“You can’t have everything. Where would you put it?”
- Stephen Wright
Well, I understand your point but I’m considering buying a more expensive one not because I’ve seen people buying more expensive watches, just because I’m learning a bit about watch ecosystem/art and start to appreciate it.
I don’t care about someone having 12 speedies in a box, it’s their choice so good for them if they are happy with and can afford it. That won’t make me buy 12 rolex because I’d feel more distinguished or whatever people would feel about it.
It’s like photography, I don’t need a fancy lens to start with, I just figure out what are the possibilities with time and with the knowledge I gather over time. Just that it’s on a much bigger scale concerning watches considering the huge offer.
It’s a terrible idea, but YOLO.
- See it in person then sleep on it. If after a few weeks to months you still want it and can afford it, go for it.
- My personal rule is no more than 1/3 of my disposable income (money after taxes/expenses) into watches.
For me, I refuse to save for a watch. If it costs more than I can easily spare in between paychecks, then it’s too expensive for me. At my current pay, that’s like $1000 watch once a year or so. I suppose when and if I make a lot more, I’ll spend more on watches. But for me, needing to save for something so unnecessary is just impossible.
I only buy second hand and only if I believe the watch is underpriced.
A good reason to buy an expensive watch:
- you really like the watch and looking at it or playing with it makes you very happy
Bad reasons to buy an expensive watch:
- show off your richess (not only is it dickish, it also actually doesn’t make you happy)
- investing (there are far better ways to invest money)
- impressing others (the vast majority of people won’t even notice that you’re wearing a watch, and even if they did, they couldn’t tell the difference between a JLC with a meteorite dial and a $50 Diesel watch).