Watches

Bought way too many watches that I just liked, instead of waiting to find one or two that I love and getting those. Now I have an embarassing amount of (thankfully mostly cheap-ish homage) watches that I almost never wear, a handful of watches that I think are pretty cool, and honestly none that I put on and think „I love this thing“.

Seiko Sumo. I kept thinking it’d be cool to have a 44mm watch as a skinnier guy. I saved up for months to buy it. After a few wears, I decided it was way too big and went back to 38-40mm watches. Now it just sits in my watch case

Cheap so I don’t really care about the money but I was disappointed when the buckle tongue broke on my Swatch a week into owning it. I wouldn’t buy another Swatch.

Really - every watch I buy lol. Not regret per se, but there is always something with your new watch, and think, I could've gotten X with this money. It's a disease... but I love it

S L O W

Your preferences change. It’s costly to buy and sell so buy, take a break, maybe buy, maybe sell. Keep it intentional.

Be wary of used Citizen Eco Drive watches. Citizen discontinues movements quite regularly so you will find it hard to get it serviced 5 to 10 years down the road.

Bought 3 G-Shocks when I was a kid because my dad wears one and I thought they were cool. I still think they're cool but the resin degraded over 2 decades and it's not worth it to fix so 3 was definitely too many in hindsight. Kept 1 as a beater but no more.

Tissot PRX Quartz 40mm - Opinion wouldn't change if it was mechanical. I have a 7-inch wrist and even then, the Tissot just feels a bit too big for me. When I bought my Baume & Mercier it completely overtook the Tissot's role in my collection.

Hamilton Jazzmaster Open Heart - Got this when I was completely new to watches. It was a splurge buy where I was window shopping and just chose it because it looked cool. As time went on, I started to hate the open-heart design.

They're both great watches but unfortunately bought them too quickly and didn't spend enough time with them to realize my dislikes with them.

I don't work a desk job where I can wear my watches every day. So, what I realized is that I can never realistically have a 12+ watch collection. I learned that I need to be very selective of which watches I bring into my collection because some watches will end up getting little to no wrists time. And with limited wrist time it makes it even harder to really tell what you like/dislike about a watch.

A Daniel Wellington I bought when I was 17. I know, I know. The value of my local currency hadn't plummeted back then and I had about $100 to burn. Went on Amazon and bought the first thing I thought looked "classy". I didn't know it cost probably 5 dollars for them to manufacture and that it has the simplest most basic quartz movement in it. I didn't know the first thing about watches.

For the same amount of money, I've recently purchased a Vostok Komandirskie ref. 020607, which I'm more than happy with. It's my first mechanical watch.

orient mako 2. back then i thought automatic watches are the sheet. i barely wore it. hated the bracelet so i spent more money on a silicone strap and an aftermarket premium steel bracelet. still don't wear it, not sure if i can sell it. it's 6 years old now so i'm supposed to service it (even more money burnt).

i had to buy and sell like 20-25 watches to find the 2-3 that i stick to.

advice: don't rush buying a model. do your research beforehand, watch videos, read reviews, make sure you really want that watch and that it will suit your needs.

Hamilton Khaki Pilot Pioneer chronograph. Not really a regret, but I didn’t think I’d miss having a date complication that much. Rarely wear it.

I bought a pre-owned Citizen Attesa (titanium JDM-only radio solar quartz) for the ease of switching time zones when I travel.
Unfortunately it didn't come with any extra links for the bracelet and I can't find a replacement bracelet or links.
It needs 1 more link to really fit. I can wear it but it's a little too tight. Love the watch but I hardly wear it because of that.
Other than that my only regret is that I have like 10 watches and can only wear 1 at a time.

Citizen Eco Drive with a power indicator off eBay. The power indicator ended up not working and the metal strap is pretty dull

Pagani design moonwatch, bought through the official website and got a track and trace link 3 months later the link still shows they have not send my watch and don't reply to emails and don't have a phone number.

If you ever try to buy their watches go through AliExpress or something

Hamilton Khaki Field Auto - touted and well respected by enthusiasts, but it was a huge miss for me. Busy dial, very reflective glass, poor lume, polished bezel for a field watch, and the H-10 movement doesn't take well to being manually wound (which I learned the hard way and it took 9 weeks for swatch to warranty).

'Value' watches - bought too many because they were a great watch at a great deal. Found myself just churning through them.

Overly 'fun' and striking dials - owned a few Zelos pieces that were well made for the price and I was drawn by the striking dials. Great honeymoon period but I eventually got bored and sold them.

Chronographs and GMTs - i kept buying them to check the boxes, but found them too thick, too busy, and/or found myself not using the complication

Tbh, I don't truly 'regret' many purchases as in most cases I was able to sell them and recoup most of my funds, but I do appreciate your eagerness to learn from others' mistakes. The one thing I'd say is that there's a ton of value in going in person and trying watches on the wrist. It's very different than staring at macro photos and scrutinizing spec sheets. You'll find yourself liking otherwise boring watches (BB58), finding some pieces youd otherwise love not feel quite right (seamaster), and find the exceptions to your previous learnings (I adore the sbga413 Shunbun despite it arguably falling into that fun and striking dial comment above).

Enjoy and best of luck!

I almost bought a Tudor Black Bay Pro when it came out, but finances just weren't quite right for it. So I looked at a few different GMT's instead, and bought a Seiko Sharp Edge GMT. Great watch, true GMT and wonderful finishing, but I just didn't bond with it. I didn't like wearing it, didn't want to wear it, and when I sold it, I lost like $400 compared to what I had paid. I suppose the lesson would be buy the watch you actually want, not the runner up, but hilariously I never ended up with the Tudor, and now that I have the Mido Ocean Star GMT, I don't feel like I need that Tudor at all. So really it's just that the Seiko wasn't the right watch for me.

Hamilton Khaki Field automatic- it was my first luxury watch and i was dead set on getting it but i ignored the way the lugs overhang my 5.5in wrists and the strap had to have two extra holes punched in which looked ugly because the oem strap had oblong holes and my leather puncher was circular. I wish I did some more research cuz I ended up selling that watch and replacing it with a hamilton Khaki aviation pioneer mechanical and I wear that one really frequently

Novelty watches. I think the going term on this sub is "fashion watches", but to me novelty makes more sense.

Anyway, most of these I don't actually enjoy owning. I think it's because in your hands they are waaaaay less quality than the advertising makes them look.

Prime example is the kojima productions watch they released last year. I loved the look online, but actually wearing it, winding it, does not feel good at all. It's pretty low quality, even for a miyota movement. Also, I learned from this watch I hate not having a second hand. 600 in the world but it's not something I think matters at all.

Another example is Mr Jones watches. The rotor makes a funny jingle jangle noise and it just feels and looks way more cheap than you'd think.

I learned that many people could appreciate these, but I don't like them at all. I just need to stick to pilot/field/dive watches and things that I seem to personally enjoy more. I need a watch to feel high quality to enjoy it.

Movado bold, first watch, pretty but bad bang for buck, bought when ignorant. Seiko Cotura SSG022, beautiful, cool, but too big and paid too much, they go on sale all the time for hundreds less, I also don’t wear it enough now that I have other watches I feel are of similar purpose that I like to wear way more. Not that I don’t still really like it but I wear my Omega AT, PRX, and even relax way more. I have a dress watch that I wear way less, but I don’t dress up much so no ragerts.

Almost any watch with an integrated strap. In many cases you can't find replacement straps, rendering them unusable.

I "regret" most of the microbrand watches I've bought. They're cool but I only just liked most of them, and you can't sell them for anything close to what you purchased them for. I'm more of a "save up for one big purchase a year" kind of guy now and I'm much happier. Last year it was an Oris pointer date, this year a Nomos Club Campus, next year something else. You end up building a much nicer collection that way.

My chronographs, cause I have no use for them at all.

Orient Symphony. Absolutely nothing wrong with the watch. Still works great. Bought it at a time when I couldn’t afford much and thought I needed a dress watch. I don’t think I ever wore it to dress up.

I’ve since bought nicer dress watches, and actually use them for dress up. And the Orient just sits in my watch box.

Mont Blanc 1858. A drunk purchase while on layover at DFW airport flying home from Vegas.

It’s a handsome watch. Case finishing is beautiful. Black sunburst dial.

I didn’t bond with it because it doesn’t really match my lifestyle I guess. It has no screw down crown and no running second hand.

Other than finishing quality, it’s just sort of a boring watch and definitely wasn’t a good value at the price I paid. Lesson learned. I should have just gone to my gate and taken a nap.

My Archimede pilot. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great watch but I wish I had saved up to get what I really wanted at that time.

I don't really regret it but the guilt of WANTING everything is very hard to resist, especially browsing through the Grey Market and AD.

I got a very nice dive watch in a size way too big for my wrist. At least I got a good deal.

Every watch I own except for my Hamilton Khaki field and the G shock 5610u

2 different answers here:

1.) cheap-ish watches such as seikos, micro brands, etc, just to try to scratch an itch, meanwhile in the end I lost money trying to sell these watches and could’ve saved the money and bought a nice watch I really wanted (obviously there will be cheap watches you want as well, I’m talking impulse buying here)

2.) I don’t really regret any nicer watch purchases I’ve made, part of the hobby that makes it fun for me is working within my budget and buying/selling/trading pieces to find what I like and what I don’t. Ive been surprised to find I didn’t like some watches on wrist that I loved in pictures, and Vice versa. You’ll always have regrets along the way and never really be satisfied, it’s a part of this hobby, so just enjoy it!:)

Maxi case sub. I hated the proportions on it.

I've found that sticking to my rule of "if it doesn't make your heart flutter when you try it on, don't buy it" has kept me from many regrets. That said, I did buy a modded Seiko monster years ago that never felt quite right.

Not calling the brand out by name but it was a microbrand GMT and for all intents and purposes it was a quality watch. The sentiment of the regret is that I bought it to “round out my collection” because I didn’t have a gmt. Turns out I don’t have a real use for one and the concept of building a collection by watch type for the hell of it makes no sense. Buy what makes sense for you and what you like

I regret my Oris big crown pointer date. I’ve worn it maybe 5 times since I bought it almost 2 years ago. I wish I had that money back. I have four watches that I love. A Rolex submariner, a Rolex date, a Marathon arctic GSAR, and a mechanical Hamilton field watch. The first two I inherited, and I purchased the latter two.

I caught the watch buying bug and also picked up a Ball watch, a Longines, and the Oris. I managed to sell the Longines, for a significant loss. I still occasionally wear the Ball, but I truly regret the Oris. It looks old fashioned and I find the dial hard to read.

I wished I’d listened when people said be careful about getting sucked in and buying too many watches.

Beware my tale. I suspect our numbers are legion.

Similar to what others have said, don't get many cheaper ones. Save for the one you like the most.

Saying that, the G-shock "Casioak" everybody seems to love. I couldn't even read the digital layout and it kept losing an hour inexplicably so I sold it.

Citizen Satellite Wave, just didn't like it pretty much as soon as I got it home. It was a good reliable watch just kinda felt cheesy so I didn't wear it, I sold that on too.

There's been others over the years, but I have a small collection of watches I really like and/or have a story

I purchased a bulova precisionist chronograph when I was in highschool. Was my first real watch. To this day I still find myself rarely wearing simply because of the size. 46MM case and heavier than the backpack I wore to school! But I still love the look of it like a batman looking watch.

Probably buying too quickly. I would say you should have a watch on your radar for at least a couple months before buying. Secondarily, pay attention to size!!

Bought a Casio gshock once. Gave it away.

Basically all of the cheaper ones, the San Martins etc.

Nothing wrong with them, they just didn't provide me the joy.

And, multiple "cheap" watches aren't actually cheap when you add them up. So what you have is 6 or 10 low end watches, when you could have two or three quality ones.

Not so much regret as a lesson learned. Similar stage to yourself, picked up an orient bambino on Jomashop. Saw “good value” on a Tissot visodate heritage quartz and, incentivized by the shipping costs, bought that too. It wasn’t terribly expensive, and looks unlike anything else I already had, but it didn’t give the same fuzzy feeling as putting on the Orient which I had researched and was emotionally invested. An important lesson in being more discerning.