Is Collecting Watches a Hobby for Snobs?
This question pops into my head every now and then, usually right after I’ve found a watch I love, only to look it up on Reddit or a forum and discover that, apparently, my new favorite piece is “absolute garbage,” according to Bob from Illinois (nothing personal if you’re actually a Bob from Illinois).
Like any hobby, there’s a social side to watch collecting. We humans can’t help it; we look for validation from others, even in the things we claim are “just for us.” Whether it’s to justify a purchase or feel like we belong, that social feedback loop is always there.
So, is watch collecting a hobby for snobs?
I wouldn’t say so.
Sure, there will always be that one person who only recognises certain brands as “real” watches and dismisses everything else as junk. And to be fair, there’s a kernel of truth in that mindset: watches are status symbols for a lot of people. But if you’re deep enough into the hobby, you start seeing beyond the big names. You notice the details, the stories, the quirks of microbrands that most people have never heard of. Meanwhile, the average person (you know, someone who doesn’t own 12 watches for no logical reason - guilty as charged) probably won’t get it. They’ll wear a fashion watch, no watch at all, or maybe just gravitate to the usual suspects if they have the cash: Rolex, Omega, Cartier… or, let’s be honest, mostly just Rolex.
So where am I going with this? To me, watch collecting is deeply personal and just a little bit insane. Who in their right mind buys multiple objects that all serve the exact same purpose: telling time? Why would anyone need more than one? You kind of have to be wired a certain way to appreciate this hobby.
But that’s also what makes it great. Watches are, in many ways, wearable art. We buy them because they make us feel something. They bring us joy. And that’s really the point.
It doesn’t matter what brand it is, how much it costs, or what some guy online thinks. Wear what you like and what makes you happy.
(Okay, maybe draw the line at fashion watches…eww. But otherwise, go buy that watch.)
