The Horological Appeal: Why Collect Watches?

People will collect endless amounts of things, from things considered worthless to ones that are worth millions. It’s understandable – it’s a human tendency to want to collect and accumulate items. But mention the word watches – and it might be baffling for many people to understand why other people collect watches.

You might ask: why do people have so much love for horology? What makes watches so lovable that they are worth collecting? People are not more than an arm’s length from a cellphone with clocks. The 2020s are a prime time for starting new hobby of collecting horological pieces, with more and more people developing a new fondness for watches.

In this article, we’ll talk about the horological appeal of watch collection!

Variety

When you’re collecting something, that means you have access to a treasure trove of different things. The variety of watches, the different textures and features – and, of course, the rich history of watches – are some of the things you’ll encounter when you build your own collection.

Variety in the collection is great because when you get it, there’s a feeling of novelty. To some, collecting – the act itself – is a way to please the inner child, as you have something completely your own that you can wear and play with. There’s more than one watch out here that you can find joy in – and that’s why we collect!

Learning

Another great thing you can get from collecting pieces like a Seiko 5 unit is learning! Many of these watches are visually appealing or have had quite the history! The passion for collection is also what fuels collectors to learn more about the units, their history, and their importance – and this further heightens their knowledge and appreciation of the pieces that they encounter.

Some collectors are drawn by their nostalgia, and the act of collecting the items helps them evoke these feelings more and relive past moments. For example, growing up, Rolex was always aspirational to me, so it was inevitable that when I grew up, I got my own Rolex models and Vintage Seiko for those who associated it with their childhood.

Kinship

When people get more knowledge, they want to share that with others who are like-minded – and have a community. Thanks to the digital age, the transference of information has become so accessible. Makeup brands gather their communities on various social media platforms, building relationships with them thanks to their social media and content marketing.

Whether from a chatroom, forum or even SNS, communities organically sprout from the desire to connect with others about their love for watches or a certain piece.  Seiko has a forum where fans and fellow watch lovers can exchange information and chat about their watches.

Therapeutic Benefits

There are also therapeutic benefits for watch collection. When we get a new watch, we get this rush of dopamine and the novelty of having something new. Just like other people have an itch to get new makeup after buying some already, some people also get a kick-off wanting another piece of watch in a few days because of a need for dopamine.

Watch collecting can also have therapeutic benefits, despite what many might think. The release of dopamine that we get when we buy a new watch is so amazing but addictive that, at times, we find ourselves craving another new watch within weeks of just buying one and, in some extreme cases, in just a few days. Finding the watch we want and finally getting it gives us a rush that nothing else will. But then, after wearing it a few times, we sometimes need to get another dopamine kick.

The Thrill

Lastly, there’s a thrill in chasing certain watches and limited edition releases. These rarities only make them more desirable to the watch collector. Pursuing a rare watch species can turn into a “quest”; that’s how rare some of these pieces can be.

Wrapping Up

Watches, surprisingly, hold their own charm. Their designs have a lot of character and a rich history, too. Some of them are rare, making finding them turn into a “quest” for enthusiastic collectors. It’s a fun hobby that is worth exploring and starting. Happy collecting!

Read More: How an Online Degree Can Accelerate Your Career Growth.