We need to talk about the size of your watch collection

Tom Austin

The watch community is growing at an alarming rate, and alongside it, so are our watch collections. If you’re reading this, it’s unlikely you’re a one-watch person, and if you’re anything like me, to those on the outside, you probably look like you have a bit of a problem. Our hobby has grown exponentially over the last decade, with a major surge during the pandemic, a time when many of us suddenly had fewer life complications and more time to obsess. The watch bug bit a lot of people, hard, and despite everything now being back to normal, it seems there is no cure for this sickness.

I have owned multiple watches for as long as I can remember. At first, I didn’t consider myself a collector — I just liked watches. But somewhere in my mid-thirties, things started to shift. As with many of us, if you’re lucky, as you enter the early to middle stages of your life, priorities change, careers progress, and financial situations improve, meaning that the abundance of choice increases. Inevitably, you’re no longer content with the things that once gave you satisfaction, and off you go on the journey of searching for the next thing that will provide you with that warm feeling inside. This applies to most things, but with watches it’s especially prevalent, so as time progressed, I certainly achieved collector status, as I’m sure many of you have, too.

Collecting isn’t a product of modern culture; it’s something human beings have done for thousands of years. Evidence from the Stone Age has been uncovered of collections of items such as shaped stones and animal teeth. These objects were not used for survival or had a clear utilitarian purpose, but were stored simply for aesthetic or symbolic value. This tells us that collecting things is embedded in our human nature. So, for anyone who thinks we’re mad for owning so many watches, chances are they’ve got a drawer full of something else, and they’re just as mad as we are.

So while we know it’s fine and normal to collect watches in our horological circle, and one might say, “you can never own enough”, is there actually a problem rooted in owning too many watches? As psychologist and author Barry Schwartz once said, “Too many choices can overwhelm us and cause us not to choose at all”. Schwartz’s book, The Paradox of Choice, explores how the abundance of choice in modern society robs us of satisfaction. That notion resonated with me because despite having (let’s be honest here) multiple cases of watches, I still find myself reaching for the same couple of daily wearers. And yet, the itch for the next one never really goes away.

There once was a time when a wristwatch was a tool. It was a necessity for daily life, and in often challenging circumstances, these watches had to evolve to become reliable and dependable, because there was no other option at the time. But today, we can find the time everywhere, from the phones in our pocket, to the dashboard of our cars, or even the kitchen oven. Wristwatches couldn’t be further away from being a necessity today, and as such, are now more like items of jewellery and expression, plucking at our heartstrings as trinkets of desire. As collectors, we’re drawn to this distinction because, while each watch is built with a specific purpose in mind, we rarely use them for that purpose. We come up with all sorts of justifications for owning them, but the truth is simple: we just like them.

Schwartz points out another point in his book, that “wanting” and “liking” are served by very different systems in our brains. For example, a drug addict will desperately want their drugs, yet fail to display much pleasure once they actually get them. On a perhaps less destructive level, the same can be said for watch collecting, because while we may want or like a particular piece, the two don’t always have to go together. You can easily like a watch but not want to buy it – and in some cases, you may even want a watch to complete part of a collection, but you may have reservations over whether you truly like it, and yet you buy it anyway. Is this a sign that things have gone too far?

My own collection is made up of watches I adore, ones that I hold dear with sentimental value, ones I appreciate for their historical cachet, but also watches I just like the look of, but they rarely get any wrist time. Often, those were bought on a whim, perhaps they were a steal, or a purchase made after one too many Negronis on a Friday evening, but it’s safe to say that the feeling of chasing those watches probably outweighs the ownership experience. That’s not to say they’re bad watches, far from it, it just comes down to understanding your tastes better, and recognising that taking more time and care to curate your collection will likely result in a more enjoyable experience overall.

We’ve established that we all have too many watches, and that as humans, we can’t help it. We also know now that we definitely don’t need that next watch, but it’s ok to want it anyway. Collecting watches isn’t just about adding more — it’s about understanding what matters. As collections grow, it’s easy to lose sight of why we started in the first place. The excitement of the chase, the thrill of ownership, the connection to a story or design; those feelings can get diluted when the box gets too full.

That’s why there’s value in stepping back and reassessing. Letting go of pieces that no longer hold meaning can bring unexpected clarity. It makes room, both physically and mentally, for the watches you truly connect with. The ones that get worn. The ones that still feel special. A more focused collection doesn’t mean less passion; it means more intention. And that often leads to a deeper appreciation of what you already have. The urge to buy won’t disappear, but the reasons for doing so might become clearer… Because at some point, it stops being about owning as much as possible, and starts being about owning what actually matters.