Inside a Collector's Mind - The Psychology of Watch Collecting

From Anchoring and Loss Aversion to Confirmation Bias and Herding: Understanding the Mental Mechanics Behind Watch Collecting

When you ask someone why they collect watches, you’ll hear all sorts of rational explanations. “I appreciate the engineering,” “I am fascinated by the history,” or “I love the craftsmanship” come to mind. While these answers aren’t wrong, they’re about as complete as claiming you bought a Ferrari simply because you needed a car!

The truth is messier, more fascinating, and far more human. Our collecting habits are driven by a complex web of psychological forces - some obvious, and others lurking just beneath the surface. From the anchoring bias which causes a £100,000 watch to make a £30,000 piece seem “reasonable”, to the herding behaviour which has collectors suddenly craving watches they’d never even noticed before; these mental mechanics shape our hobby in ways that most people don’t even realise.

Why do some collectors refuse to sell watches they never wear? What makes others spend £80,000 on watches they don’t want just to get on a waiting list for one they do? Perhaps most intriguingly - why do we keep doing this even when we recognise these patterns in ourselves?

Join me as we dissect the psychology behind watch collecting, where you will discover the only thing more complicated than a perpetual calendar, is the reason we desperately need one!