The changing face of watch collecting

For many collectors, myself included, the journey into watches was never straightforward. It started with curiosity, a casual buy here and there, often with pieces that in hindsight we might call “junk”. But those early mistakes were the lessons.

These here are what I call "bintage watches" (AI Generated Image)

Hoarding Seikos, chasing obscure references, and finally narrowing into something more personal - like my eventual focus on Omega Constellations - was part of the fun. The process itself created passion.

The chase, the discovery, the learning curve, the thrill of finding something unexpected - all of this gave the hobby texture.

Today’s Landscape: Big Fish First

But things are different now. More and more, I see new collectors skipping over this “discovery phase.” Instead of wandering through the world of affordable divers, quirky chronographs, or forgotten dress watches, they zero in on the endgame piece—the Rolex Daytona, the Royal Oak, the Speedmaster “grail.”

Search results for "super rolex patek audemar" on Google.

Their version of collecting seems less like a slow walk and more like a beeline straight to the prize. It’s like the “final boss” has become the starting line.

Why the Shift?

There are several reasons why behaviour in the hobby has changed:

The Internet Has Flattened Knowledge

Information that once took years of poring through magazines, watch fairs, or old catalogues is now available in seconds. Instagram, YouTube, forums, and auction sites have reduced the mystery. What was once discovered slowly is now scrolled through in an evening.

The Social Media Effect

Collecting today often plays out in public. A watch on the wrist isn’t just a personal joy - it’s content. That creates pressure to acquire the pieces that get likes and recognition, rather than the pieces that quietly build a personal story.

Market Pressures

With rising values, the perception is that certain watches are “investments” and that skipping straight to them is more sensible. Why waste money on smaller pieces when the grails are appreciating faster?

Cultural Impatience

Collecting has always been about time, but ironically, modern culture is less patient. We want results now. And in watches, where the end result is often equated with prestige, there’s little appetite for slow discovery.

What’s Lost in Skipping the Journey

When collectors bypass the meandering, mistake-ridden road, they miss something crucial - the growth of taste. Without trying and failing, without buying the odd piece that later gathers dust and is impossible to sell off, it’s hard to develop a genuine sense of what resonates.

The journey itself, not the endpoint, was what kept many of us enthralled. It turned a purchase into a story. It gave meaning to ownership.

A Hobby vs. A Transaction

At its heart, there is no "best watch". It’s about the stories, the evolution of our own tastes, and the friendships and discoveries along the way. If we chase only the apex, the rarest of the rare, then collecting becomes just another form of consumerism. A transaction. And that’s a loss - for the hobby and for ourselves.

I don’t judge anyone who goes straight for the grail - everyone’s free to enjoy watches as they wish. But I can’t help feeling that the journey matters. The missteps, the surprises, the unexpected detours - these are what make collecting a hobby worth keeping, not just another status marker.