Firstly, I'd like to thank all the IHC members who recently welcomed me as the IHC Wristwatch Co-Moderator. I appreciated your comments very much, and I'll certainly try my very best to live up to your expectations in the future.

I would like at this time to solicit the help of
ALL OF YOU WHO ARE WRISTWATCH COLLECTORS !!

Having been an IHC member now for about six months, it appears to me that we need to significantly increase the number of discussion topics of both vintage and modern wristwatches on the website.

I think a good starting place would be for us to compile a list of IHC wristwatch collectors.
So WRISTWATCH COLLECTORS would you please identify yourselves along with your special areas of interest.

Hi Dave,

Add my name to your list of wristwatch collectors!

I collect any and all manufacturer of watches that appeal to me; a wide variety for sure. I don't like to stagnate by collecting one or two company names. Would be a little boring for me.

Okay, I'm sure there are plenty of wristwatch collectors who are members of Chapter 185. Let's here from you!

A good question Dave. I would like to see more particiation in our Wristwatch Discussion Topic Section as well as what members collect. I've noticed members will show or talk about a pocket watch here and there but really never discuss what they collect in particular.

Members?

Dave,

My collecting interests have changed over the years, my main interest was clocks, since joining the IHC shortly after its inception, my interest has wandered over to the watch area, both wrist and pocket. I now have a couple Accutrons, a couple of the Ball Watchess, a B W Raymond and some elderly Walthams and Elgins of the wrist variety. Also have picked up many pocket watches of various brands. Now I have to be able to fit buying clocks, wrist watches and pocket watches and various tools and books into my meager horology budget. I just buy what I can afford when I see it, although sometimes when something turns up I have exceed the budget a bit. Good to have you onboard at a co-moderator, I don't post much, I like to lurk, I figure I can learn more by reading posts by the learned group here, I like to listen more and talk less.

Curly

Hamilton wrist watches are my primary focus. I am particularly enamored with the early solid gold watches from the 1920's and 1930's. I also seek to develop a collection that has examples of the various styles and designs that span the history of the Hamilton Watch Company. My collection stands at about 30 watches, and I think my wife will tolerate perhaps 10 to 20 more.

The watches of the Illinois Watch Company also hold an interest, because of their remarkable beauty and stylish design, but also because of the Hamilton & Illinois shared history. I own very few Illinois watches.

Finally, being a resident of the Queen City: Cinicnnati Ohio, Gruen is of interest. From my 8th floor window at the Psychiatric Unit, I can see "Time Hill", which was once the Home of Gruen. (And for what it is worth, I have no idea why psychiatric units are often on the top floors of hospitals. I would think the first floor, or better still, basement, would make more sense).

I have clocks, pocket watches, and wrist watches. Most of my wrist watches are American made except that I have a weakness for Gruens, especially in rose gf cases.
I like the older movements with porcelain dials that were made for hunter cases and have been put in wrist cases--the inexpensive ones.
This year I have developed a fondness for Omega and have bought five of them, including one gf Seamaster 17j, windup, an 18K Constellation auto, and am waiting the deliverly of a chrono, 18K rose gold.

Although I really don't collect wristwatches, I do like them a lot. But, I have only 3.

http://www.mwt.net/~check/wrist.jpg

Larry

Although I have been a PW collector for over 35 years I have recently become interested in the earliest Waltham wristwatches, circa 1912 to 1925. See my VeryTiny Walthams thread.

I am also primarily a pocket watch collector, but I can not pass up a good deal on a wrist watch. If I like it and the price is right, I will buy it and wear it. For someone that denies being a ww collector, I have around 75 or 80 wristwatches in good running order that I wear. The rest (about 200) are parts movements in a big box. I will pick up anything Hamilton. They are not as plentiful at yardsales and fleamarkets as they used to be, but are still out there. I have around 30 Hamilton wristwatches. The rest are Elgin, Waltham, Bulova, Gruen, and Misc Swiss.

So--count me as interested.

Tom

Another part to the question: Counting Accutrons, but not quartz, how many ww's do you keep running all the time? For me 8 Accutrons and 10 others.

Dave,
There does not seem to be many wristwatch collectors in IHC. I have always thought this was the case and so far this post seems to be proving that fact. Well you can add one more to the list.
My collection is much smaller than it used to be unless you count the watches in my parts watch collection. I don’t specialize in any one maker I have an eclectic collection. I tend to keep the more unusual watches I come across. I don’t claim to be an expert in any one manufacturer I just enjoy certain models. I have Hamilton, Illinois, Longines, Elgin chrono’s alarms etc. It is funny that with all the watches I own that I consistently wear only a few of them.

Every morning, ...at 5:45 EST...I wake. At that magnificent hour, prior to the sunrise, and more importantly the son-rise or daughter-rise, I check Ebay, the IHC, and perhaps a dozen retail watch sites. Then, I run. While running, I make a decision about which Hamilton watch I will wear that day.

Each is the best example I have found to date. All are functioning.

The collection of 30 rests comfortably in a massive antique, fireproof safe. The collection is stored in 3 very attractive 18 X 12 inch glass top display cases, each holding 10 watches. Some are white gold, some are yellow/green. All but 1 are "manual wind". All are set to 10:12, except the one I wore yesterday, which stopped somewhere.

Sometimes the decision has to do with the color of the watch.

Othertimes it is dependent on the color of the band.

Still other times it has to do with the nature of the day.

Usually is a function of my mood.

Always, the process lifts my mood, bolsters my spirits, and helps me understand that all I really have is time.

I began seriously collecting pocket watches seven or eight years ago. Since, I've segwayed to wristwatches and must confess I am enjoying my wristwatch collection these days more than my pocket watch collection.

I too, plan, coordinate color band with what I'm wearing, and look forward to which wristwatch I will be wearing for the day! And, for me, it's a little easier to wear a wristwatch than a pocket watch. It's also a little less costly purchasing wristwatches rather than pocket watches. This way I get to purchase more wristwatches!

I would be surprised to learn most members exclusively collect pocket watches. My bet is on a combination wristwatch/pocket watch collection by members. And remember, three or more wristwatches in your collection IS a collection! We can only find out if you participate in this and other threads.
What do you say guys?

Let's do a poll!

Dave, would you like to get a poll rolling?

Wristwatch collectors, pocket watch collectors, combination of both!

Stephanie,
I think a poll would be great idea. I think we have more "Wristwatch Collectors" in the IHC than we imagine. I would be very surpised if our IHC Pocket Watch Collectors carry pocket watches exclusively on a daily basis to tell the time. I think there may well be a lot of "closet wristwatch collectors " who don't want to admit to it yet in public.

So using Stephanie's definition of a collection being three or more, can we please see some response to the following "multi choice" question:-

How many wristwatches do you own:- (a) THREE (b) between FOUR and TEN,(c) more than TEN ??

NOTE:- In case you haven't figured it out yet we're trying to grow & expand the interest level in Wristwatches within the IHC, and thereby help the IHC to grow. If you look at the daily auctions on EBAY, at any given time there may be around 70K Wristwatches and around 6K Pocket Watches. The percentage of our current interest level in wristwatches within the IHC seems to be quite the reverse. !!

Clocks are the bulk of my collection, and have been exclusively until IHC came along and corruption followed.

I now have about a dozen good vintage wrist watches, and about that many good pocket watches. I am definitely new to watch collecting and am having fun with both wrist and pocket varieties.

Hello All, My main interest is Clocks, I have 14 in our Lounge, others elsewhere but not the bathroom ,Yet. To try and not make the same mistakes that I made in collecting clocks, I decided to stick to a type or theme. So I collect Military watches only.I only have 5, one is a Hamilton. Boring Arn'nt I. Ged.

I mainly collect early Hamilton wristwatches from the 1920s and early 1930s. My collection of Hamiltons numbers around 75.

I also collect Art Deco Gruens and Elgins from the same time period, espcially enamel bezel watches.

...like others, I came to watches as someone who collected, repaired and restored clocks...have been 'diverted' to watches at this point in my life and am fascinated by these 'micro-machines' both pocket and, to a growing extent, wristies (like the military wws altho' I currently wear anything Hamilton/Illinois)...now while I still keep my 'hand in' at clocks (sometimes wishing I had three), I find myself now looking at auctions/sales (live & on-line) searching primarily for watches...even 'retooling' for watches has been an adventure and a good deal of fun (not to speak of the expense) for me...more than anything I credit IHC 185 for helping me develop and refine my interest in horology, both for clocks and now watches...thanks

While my main interest is in railway pocket watches, I have acquired 15 wristwatches, most of which are railway grade. I have three Hamilton electrics, an Elgin B. W. Raymond, five Bulova Accutrons and Accuquartz, two Ball Automatics, one Gruen, one Seiko retirement watch, and a Universal Geneve wristwatche. I would like to put together a collection of all the Canadian Pacific Railway approved wristwatches from the 1970s.

Larry Buchan

My collection includes mostly wristwatches, although I am far more attached to my pocket watches. My older wristwatches include Hamilton, Gruen, Accutron, Bulova and even some Benrus. I also like unusual Swiss stuff that isn't popular with most collectors like Vulcain, Zentra (which was owned by Hamilton in Switzerland), and Sherro. It is intersting to see the ebauche marks on the plates of these watches. Some of these less popular brands have some great movements. I recently added a woman's Ulysse Nardin. I also have a couple of new Swiss pieces. I hope we see a lot more wristwatch info here.

I was once a serious Hamilton pocket watch collector and have a few hundred Hammies. I have recently become much more interested in the complicated wristwatches of the 30's to the 50's. Here is a fine Patek Philippe I recently acquired. I have a couple hundred wristwatches and still looking for a nice vintage minute repeater.

I found this 2004 line of postings about wristwatch collectors, and thought I might as well add to it. My primary focus is Hamilton, I have about 100 of them, including 5 Venturas (including one 14K white gold) and 4 Pacers (including one 14k yellow gold). My most valuable wristwatch is a Franck Muller Sunset in 18k rose gold with a brilliant blue dial. I usually wear all of my watches and my choice depends on the style or color of the day. Most of them are purchased on eBay. All of my electrics have been restored by the master, Rene Rondeau in Corte Madera, CA. I have been collecting now for 15 years.