ubiquitous Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 For me... I find myself constantly rushing out to check the mail box or door stop to see if anything's arrived for me; even if I know I haven't purchased anything in a very long while. I've been thinking about this for a long time, and I believe myself to be a compulsive buyer; this I came to the conclusion while my watch funds (which stay completely autonomous from all other funds and for a reason) came to a screeching halt. Guess those gen vintage dials and parts tend to add up. *sigh* For me... It seems to be more about the acquisition, as once I have a part that I've been searching for/paid for/waiting for in hand, I install it on whatever project I'm working on and before I know it, I'm off starting 3 or 4 other projects with parts in transit. Meanwhile, the part(s) just rec'd go slightly un-noticed (but maybe not necessarily unappreciated). Is that any way to treat a pet project? Or in terms of buying reps... Ever get excited about a new watch, purchase it, receive it, give it a quick once over glance and start looking at everything else that's new (and scheming on what will be the next buy)? Anybody else know what I'm talkin 'bout? I dunno... Maybe I'm just bummin... I think it's time to check myself in.... They have support groups for stuff like this, y'know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ztech Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 I think that you might be like a lot of WIS's in that you like the chase rather than the capture? I too tend to do a lot searching and lusting after a watch. When I get her in hand, it doesn't take much for me to start to look elsewhere for the next hunt. Even when I get a so-called grail watch, I'm never satisfied. That's why, for me, my grail watch list is always changing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotoman Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 well, i figured out a year or so ago, that i go into an obsessive state as a distraction from pain. I have a few medical conditions that flair up and when the pain is rocking, i find myself obsessing over watches looking at models over and over again, finding ways to buy them, checking the mailbox. now - its also funny, i to know i don't have anything coming in the mail, buti still check, - i guess just in case i get one by accident? i find when the pain goes away i am able to relax more, not be so manic. i didn't realize it for years. other than that - i dunno - there is an excitement in the chase, i enjoy looking at them, on the shelf and on the wrist. - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vlydog Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 Anybody else know what I'm talkin 'bout? I dunno... Maybe I'm just bummin... I am right there with you ubi As a matter of fact what you have just described has caused my wife and I to start keeping seperate bank accounts. This happened today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 When I began collecting reps, my daily activities often focused around my mailbox & my mailman's daily delivery schedule. I was like a kid on Christmas eve every day until my 'gift' finally arrived. It was rough, but the payoff usually made the discomfort of the long waits worthwhile. These days, I am often working on multiple projects simultaneously & while I love the thrill/exercise of the 'hunt' (now, mostly for gen parts), I tend to concentrate my building/collecting efforts on watches that have been targets for a long time (1 of the benefits of having a preference for vintage steel Rolex over modern whatever). So, for me, the problem is more often a fight over which watch in my existing collection sees wrist time (when not wearing either of my 2 beaters - DRSD or 6263) than of taking the current lineup for granted in favor of something new -- whether on-hand or in transit. While I have purchased only 1 new rep over the past year (chs GMTIIC), I have 4 vintage franken projects in various stages of completion & I am too neurotic about tracking parts to have any reason to check my mailbox on those extraneous days where no parts deliveries are scheduled or expected. Or, maybe, I have just been doing this too long to want to expend the energy required to check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BROM Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 I'm with you brother I have been at this for about nine months have bought about 40+ reps and kept about 13 of them. The funny thing is I wear the same ones all the time pretty much, always the same kind of watch. In reality i think I could get by with four watches at the most yet I search and buy more just to sell them shortly after???? It is an addiction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoJo35 Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 I think it's time to check myself in.... They have support groups for stuff like this, y'know... Hi Ubi, We have a support group meeting this coming Monday in NYC, come join us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snoxx Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Hey Ubi... well you re not the only one as I can see from this tread... But I definitely was thinking I had a problem of compulsive buying too... now I see I am not alone )) I buy any sort of things from major online sites adn try to find new things... always have books on the run from amazon which I never read, clothing online that I get very hyped up when I buy it but when received does nt really makes me go crazy..., I m even buying music cd s still on the avent of online music!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brook0 Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Totally with you Ubi, It is not a bad thing is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2poor4real1z Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Well try this on. Up until about two years ago I was into Whats called FE Boats. Fast Electric radio controlled boats. R/C Boat is a super small niche in the R/C world and Electric is even smaller. We are not talking about toys here, these boats we scratch build get into excess of 100mph. We have a circuit that we travel every year and so forth. You think reps are expensive... Anyway, I was having the same problem as you described. I would have four builds going at any one time. Always looking to get some freakin' awesome part. At the time I made about $34000 a year and that last year in the hobby I spent over $16000 in parts. It got real bad, but it was like that for most of the guys. It has something to do with hobbies not reps IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 I am embarrased to state how many watches I own up to now.. .. but in reality I love them all... in cycles.. and yes I often womder about the "anticipation" .. it is very addictive.. in some respects it calms me in the crazy business that I'm in ... and I am the same as far as when the "Hunt" is over and the anticipation of the "arrival" is over.. I'm already looking for my next "prey" to stalk.. for example I jus ordered Nato and Zulu straps .. about a dozen of them..(buffet).. hey, they were at a good price what can I say.. and after reading your post on the Euromariner.. well .. guess what.. the One project that is elluding me is the 1655.. because it has to be "right" and I have already gone above and beyond what is considered "sane" for that one.. it's like knowing when to leave the card game...at times I fail miserably.. Nice to know the Watch Ward is full of the same mind set... or is that a good thing ?... figure I should get as much now .. cause if I settle down again.. Mrs. Lani will not be as generous.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubiquitous Posted August 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Just in the short amount of time since I posted this, there's quite a few responses, and yes- They all seem to echo the same! This leads me to believe that: 1) We're MEN! It's all about the thrill of the hunt, and once the 'prey' is obtained, it's time to move on, yes? 2) This seems to plague us in terms of a hobbyist's perspective. I suppose that if one were to pose the same inquiry on a car/watch/phone/model/RC/etc forum, the results would likely be similar. 3) It seems to be a common issue amongst us; I don't feel quite so crazy anymore 4) If I added up everything I spent for the past 4 years, I'd have an eye opening experience! Still interested in seeing what folks think on this topic... It's kind of fun! Errr... It also helps me feel a little mroe sane! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbieG Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Yeah I was right there not too long ago. And I was doing all this with genuine watches to boot most recently which got insanely expensive. I would just take a liking to something and just buy it especially when traveling. It was through all this that I finally decided what I wanted my collection to be about and sold off about half of them initially. I bought them all right so the losses were uneventful. Now I have a new rule that I really have to let something incubate in my mind for at least three months before pulling the trigger to insure that I really will wear it and it qualifies as something needing a permanent place in my collection. I went from thirty watches to fifteen, then to twelve and now eleven soon to be ten. Ultimately the core collection will be at 8 or so "everyday" type watches and then I'm leaving room for some exceptional ones that will maybe trickle in at the rate of no more than one per year. All in all though, even if I decided to go off again and just buy all my leftover grails tomorrow that I don't already have, I'm betting I wouldn't buy but three or four more pieces. If I can't complete a rotation and love them all so much I couldn't live with skipping any one's turn, I won't own it. It just got to the point where for both reps and gens I didn't even know why I owned them anymore after the third day. So sure I definitely have the tendency but I'm just not going to allow myself ever to have an "addiction" collection again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ztech Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Diagnosis: every MAN needs a vice! Just imgaine if we didn't have these so called "vices" to occupy us. We might already faced WWIII. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siesta181 Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Haha... Posted the same question about a month back. Glad to know its not just me. I have this sense of emptiness when all I have ordered arrived and off I go to the web to order more. Back then someone replied calling it consumerism. I thinks its addiction. Don't think it has anything to do with the watch. It will be applicable to any hobby. Just that our hobby is rep collecting. I suppose, its about the chase. Shares some similarities when chasing a girl (disclaimer, in our youner and less mature days of coz, we are more mature now) The chase, the anticipation and .....(fill blanks here)... Of coz in our younger, less mature days, needless to say. Cheers Siesta181 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OiRogers Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Yep... I know where your coming from Ubi. The Hunt/Chase is so much more rewarding to me than the actual possession... I've had this issue in more than one hobby/pursuit. I don't think that we're crazy at all... we just need to learn/use/exercise self control... I noticed a reference above to another member requiring seperate bank accounts... that to me would be a signal of a problem. I keep my spending in check... I never drop any more on my hobbies than I can easily afford... if the budget gets tight, I buckle down. And Yes, I'm honestly afraid to even begin thinking about how much I've spent over the past several years... if you were to combine that with my other hobbies and passions, I'm pretty certain I could be parking my Ferrari in the 9 car-port of my 19000s.f. mansion and take a flight on my private jet with my supermodel wife. Eeek... I became Jetmid for a second there. Scary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drop Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Yep, for me it's the thrill of the hunt combined with a semi-demented quest for perfection where perfection is, as I'm fully aware, not possible. Good times! I have about 4 projects in process and actually just two weeks ago made a resolution to finish them up. In the meantime I've bought another project watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephane Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Hi Ubi, We have a support group meeting this coming Monday in NYC, come join us Hello everybody, My name is Stephane. I'm a watch-holic, hips... I guess I'll feel better after that Diagnosis: every MAN needs a vice! Just imgaine if we didn't have these so called "vices" to occupy us. We might already faced WWIII. Agreed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubiquitous Posted August 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Hi Ubi, We have a support group meeting this coming Monday in NYC, come join us JoJo... Wish I could. Sounds like it's going to be a great time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolfire Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Well, at least we all know we are not alone... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ztech Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Well, at least we all know we are not alone... Amen brother... amen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceberg1459 Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 you are seriously addict, i guess i am also...but im slowly getting it over. i lowered my collection 6 reps 1 gen, then i sold the gen(tag cal 36),it was just sitting in watchbox because of reps ..then i sold 2 bought 1 got 5 left.... my goal is to sell all of them and get a nice slim, lightweight gen which i can always wear it and not to think about other watches. its extremely hard almost impossible like quiting smoking but at least my watchbox got 6 slots and theres noway im buying another box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fauxlex Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 (edited) Personally, It's a little of both for me. I love expecting a watch in the mail. The knowledge there is some good fortune coming soon, it gives me something to look forward to. I recently purchased a SFSO from Ruby and had it sent registered airmail instead of EMS. Not only was it free, but I can anticipate the arrival a little longer. That said, I also enjoy the watches I order. Maybe because they are reps, I feel like I got one over on someone, whether it be the OEMs, the "suckers" that actually pay over $3000 for the real thing, or just the general population that think it's real(though I wouldn't lie if someone asked). As fun as it is to hunt for new "prey", I think I have my list pretty well worked out, so in the end, for me it's all about the watches, because when I look down at my arm and see a beautiful timepiece, no matter what the brand, or how much it cost, it always brings a smile to my face. Edited August 20, 2008 by fauxlex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubu Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Welcome to WAD....watch addiction disorder: Symptoms A. An obsessive desire to fill that empty cushion in the watch box and on the winder. B. Watcharivemailomania....the desire to track an EMS number and attack the mailman, and then to suffer through the privilege of cutting oneself trying to remove the packaging tape. C. The new acquisition sharing.....Posting pics and getting approval and reinforcement from the forum. D. $$$$$ .....spend it. That's why we work so hard. And the fireworks with your wife. D. a) The feeling of getting a bargain. Look at all the money I saved. E. And lastly the true appreciation of owning a unique piece of art in all its glorious forms which can be accessed many times per day. The tick to-ck, tick to-ck with all its detailed little marvels. Yes, welcome to the wonderful and glorious world of WAD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 R - I think it also come in phases. Perfect example is that I have purchased the asian GMT IIc. When I was exchanging the emails with the collector, it was all very excited for me (can't wait to see the answers, and the pricing). Then I made the purchase. It's been over 2 weeks, and collector told me that the customs were doing some checking in and there, therefore the shipper had delayed shipping the package til this week. And my whole attitude the whole time, has been "Meh" even the emotion of waiting for a package arrive at my doorstep had waned. And it didn't really feel like as it once was. And the stranger thing is that, this is the first watch I bought for close to 1 year I think, and the excitement was still somewhat subdued. I looked at the AP Roo, thought perhaps I should gather funds to buy that, and that has waned too! But I think in our hobby, it just come and goes. Depending on the supply side to see if they can make us feel like drooling kids I guess......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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