Fratello On Air: Enjoying Watch Collecting Without Buying More Of Them

Fratello On Air returns after a one-week break. In this episode, we're discussing a topic suggestion from one of our listeners and readers. It's a question that likely comes into most of our minds at some point along the way. Namely, how do we enjoy watch collecting without always thinking about the next acquisition? We share our thoughts.

Our listener, "Cleon.XIII," is responsible for this week's episode where we talk about watch collecting and how to find satisfaction without moving on to the next piece. It's a tough one, especially for one of our hosts! Regardless of this, we provide some of the tactics that either work for us or seem to work for others with more self-control! Enjoy it!

Handgelenks Kontrolle

We kick off our episode on watch collecting without always thinking of collecting more with a bit of banter. Shoes make their way to the list of topics. Mike recounts his recent trip to Florida where he spent some time with Eric Wind and Charlie Dunne of Wind Vintage. He also had the chance to attend a dinner with Josh Shapiro of J.N. Shapiro Watches which was fantastic. Balazs mentions some recent podcasts and TV shows that he has enjoyed during travel. As far as the Handglenks Kontrolle, Mike is wearing his Eterna 852. Balazs is enjoying his Seiko Skyliner 6100-8000.

Watch collecting without buying

For our main topic, we discuss the idea of appreciating the watch hobby without always having to be on the hunt for another watch. Each of us brought some suggestions and while some aren't perfectly free, they likely come in well below the cost of a new timepiece. In short, here are our suggestions:

• Research your vintage watches to try and uncover new information about them.
  • Some great sites are The Watch Library and the Library of Congress where it's easy to search old newspaper advertisements
• Throw on a watch that you haven't worn in a long time and stay with it for several days. It may remind you why you purchased it in the first place. Or, it may be time to sell it.
• Search for the perfect strap or bracelet to pair with your watch. These can be surprisingly inexpensive and the right pairing makes a huge difference.
• Grab your camera or your phone and spend time photographing your watches. There are loads of free tutorial articles and videos on photography and digital editing.
• Engage with the watch community online or, better yet, in person if you're near a larger city. It's great fun to speak with others who share the same passion.

We hope you enjoyed today's episode. If you have any topics for future shows, please feel free to let us know!