Just before the new year, I thought I had a brilliant and completely unique article idea (spoiler alert: I didn’t).  I’ve long grappled with the blurred lines between consumerism and watch enthusiasm. Why not write a New Year’s resolution article about purchasing fewer watches in 2024, I thought? Before I could pitch my idea, Zach Kazan had a pitch of his own: a group editorial on the topic of watch related New Year’s resolutions.

So, I condensed my ramblings to a couple paragraphs about using a purchasing hiatus to end the cycle of fueling my enthusiasm with a steady stream of new purchases. I sent in my contribution, popped the Champagne, and gave myself a pat on the back for being so brave and original. Imagine my surprise when nearly every resolution in the group editorial focused on consolidating or cutting back on purchases. 

Reading back over the editorial now, I can’t help but feel a bit cliche. Griffin noted how he’d made a resolution similar to mine last year, but lasted only until March- a pace I recently matched with a Bulova Precision I picked up for 50 bucks. Sure $50 is about as cheap as a watch can be, but still disqualified me from any hopes of resolution success. In fact, my relatively small collection looks nothing like it did the day I wrote that resolution. In just two short months I: sold a watch, bought a watch, built a watch, and traded one watch for another. My hopes of collecting deliberately in 2024 are off to a rocky start.

The entire Selling Points series has focused on identifying aspects of watches that don’t mesh with my personal approach to enthusiasm. I’ve covered everything from in-house movements to quartz snobbery, but have so far failed to discuss one glaringly large topic at the center of the hobby, the thing that literally sells me (and all of us): consumerism. Love it or hate it, consuming is a necessary part of collecting. But reflecting on my not-so-original resolution, it’s clear many enthusiasts genuinely want to purchase and own fewer watches. 

Why We Buy

Most people buy a watch for the simple reason of wanting one (with an emphasis on ONE). Maybe their old one died and they thought a dead battery meant a dead watch (yes, that used to be me). Or maybe wearing an Apple Watch sparked a horological interest and a new watch purchase will scratch that itch.

But watch enthusiasts aren’t like most people. We already own a watch, probably multiple. Yet, we continue to buy more. Like, all the time. We have our own purchase cadences, but it’s probably not hard for you to name a friend that has an NWA (new watch announcement) at shocking intervals. 

Unlike the average consumer, I’ve noticed watch enthusiasts tend to purchase watches for two reasons. The first is excitement. The dopamine rush of spending money, hearing the mail truck, and feeling elated with something shiny and new can’t be ignored. And frankly, I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. I’m here because watches bring me joy. If a new purchase is within your financial means and brings you joy, buy away. The Selling Points series is largely about celebrating things that we find personal enjoyment in, and I’m certainly not here to stifle anyone’s fun.

The second reason enthusiasts keep buying watches is because we are curious. We want to experience a new movement, case shape, brand or colorway. And once we’ve satisfied our curiosity, a fellow enthusiast is usually happy to take the watch off our hands and to go through the same process. But selling watches can be a pain, and as the flip-for-profit trend grows, I’m taking an increasingly large loss each time I sell a watch. In short, satisfying curiosity through a constant cycle of buying and selling isn’t as fun as it used to be.

Finding the Balance Between Enthusiasm and Consumerism

Acknowledging the desire to consume is often rooted in curiosity, any solution to buying fewer watches should focus on finding opportunities to experience watches without actually purchasing them. I’m aware that a “how to avoid purchasing watches” list is a guaranteed way to summon the ire of a certain Subreddit dedicated to poking fun at the industry. But, jokes aside, learning to enjoy watches without feeling compelled to purchase every new release would genuinely improve the enthusiast experience for many collectors. So, fully prepared for circles and jerks and any barbs this may send my way, here is a list of 5 ways to draw the line between consumerism and enthusiasm.

Go to a meetup

Seriously, find one, stuff your pockets full of watches or just wear the one on your wrist, and go. Beyond the community aspect that meetups bring, they also provide the opportunity to experience dozens of watches in a single night, free of charge. I’ve lost count of the number of times I was dead set on purchasing a watch, only to realize I could satisfy my curiosity simply by rolling it around in my hands for a few minutes and asking questions. Don’t know if you have a local meetup? After checking for a RedBar group, ask around. Between Slack groups, Instagram, WatchCrunch and various forums, it’s never been easier to connect online before meeting in person.

Normalize short term trades 

With the network you’ve built from those online and in person groups, start trading! Sometimes it takes more than a few minutes at a meetup to truly experience a watch, but that doesn’t mean purchasing is your only option. If you know me, consider this an open invitation to borrow my watches.

Visit your local retailer

For too long, I harbored an unnecessary aversion toward going into a watch store when I wasn’t planning on making a purchase. I didn’t want to waste anyone’s time, and felt like an imposter standing in front of cases full of watches I had zero intention of buying. Looking back, what a ridiculous way to feel. Of course I’m allowed to go look at the watches – that’s how stores work. Maybe don’t accept the complementary beer, but browsing guilt free is a wonderful tool to satisfy curiosity.

Hit up a watch fair 

If you love microbrands, you know they can’t be found in the glass case next to the Tissots at your local mall. But it isn’t impossible to experience these watches without buying them. Find a cheap hotel for the price of a couple Invictas (that’s a unit of measurement, right?) and attend a watch show like Windup or District Time. It would take years of buying and selling to individually experience every microbrand out there. These public events provide the opportunity to condense that curiosity into a single weekend.

Finally, step five is to buy the damn watch. If you’ve exhausted opportunities to experience the watch without ownership, and have determined it will be at home in your collection, just do it. There is nothing wrong with buying watches. It’s fun, it feels good, and it’s a necessary part of watch enthusiasm. But, it doesn’t have to be the only way to experience enthusiasm. 

Final Thoughts

I’m going to hold off on making any further resolutions when it comes to future collecting plans. But it’s good to have goals, and I’m still excited about the idea of buying less in 2024. Armed with a list of ways to satisfy my curiosity without making purchases, I’m looking forward to fostering my recent quartz obsession by browsing the quartz options at a retailer near me, and by spending a bit too much time asking questions about your Brew Metric at the next meetup. And if you’re curious about what is on my wrist while I’m blabbing away, just ask to borrow it.