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When the issue of vintage watches and watch collecting comes up, different collectors seem to have very different ideas of how and what to by and what to do with their pieces. Generally, IMHO, there seem to be 5 very broad categories of collectors:
1. The Purist: This is a collector who will not do anything to a vintage piece. Keep it original, untouched, and find them in the best possible condition is the mantra here. At best give them a service and leave it at that.
2. The Restorer: This is a collector who will restore a vintage piece to new condition using as many original parts as possible. This type of collector loves vintage pieces, but wants them to look new as the day they came out of the factory. The have no problems with refinishing cases, waiting months (or years) for that perfect condition part, or braking up less than perfect examples in order to salvage replacement parts.
3. The Wearer: This is a collector who prefers to bring vintage pieces back to usable (but not necessarily original) condition. They have no problem with using after market replacement parts, even if it means replacing and extensive number of original parts in the process, so long as the final products looks good and is wearable. Originality is just not as important.
4. The Modder: This is a collector who prefers his own styling sensibilities to those of the original designers. This type of collector often likes a piece but is bothered by one or several design elements and is compelled to "correct" them, by altering the original design to suit his tastes. Modders are rarely bothered by the originality of parts and some even commission specially design parts in order to create those original looks they seek (often with amazing or questionable results).
5. The Buyer: These are collectors who can't be bothered with the restoration or modification process. To this type of collector having a watch be in "turn-key" wearable condition form the moment it arrives, is paramount. Because of this, collections created by these types of collectors are often composed of contemporary pieces and may include occasional vintage pieces that were purchased already fully restored.
Of course most people fall somewhere in the gray area between all 5 categories. But I'm guessing that most also tend to favor one collecting type over the others a bit more. I for one consider myself more of a restorer most of the time, followed perhaps by being a modder, but will dabble in all the others from time to time.
So where do you see your self in these categories and why?
1. The Purist: This is a collector who will not do anything to a vintage piece. Keep it original, untouched, and find them in the best possible condition is the mantra here. At best give them a service and leave it at that.
2. The Restorer: This is a collector who will restore a vintage piece to new condition using as many original parts as possible. This type of collector loves vintage pieces, but wants them to look new as the day they came out of the factory. The have no problems with refinishing cases, waiting months (or years) for that perfect condition part, or braking up less than perfect examples in order to salvage replacement parts.
3. The Wearer: This is a collector who prefers to bring vintage pieces back to usable (but not necessarily original) condition. They have no problem with using after market replacement parts, even if it means replacing and extensive number of original parts in the process, so long as the final products looks good and is wearable. Originality is just not as important.
4. The Modder: This is a collector who prefers his own styling sensibilities to those of the original designers. This type of collector often likes a piece but is bothered by one or several design elements and is compelled to "correct" them, by altering the original design to suit his tastes. Modders are rarely bothered by the originality of parts and some even commission specially design parts in order to create those original looks they seek (often with amazing or questionable results).
5. The Buyer: These are collectors who can't be bothered with the restoration or modification process. To this type of collector having a watch be in "turn-key" wearable condition form the moment it arrives, is paramount. Because of this, collections created by these types of collectors are often composed of contemporary pieces and may include occasional vintage pieces that were purchased already fully restored.
Of course most people fall somewhere in the gray area between all 5 categories. But I'm guessing that most also tend to favor one collecting type over the others a bit more. I for one consider myself more of a restorer most of the time, followed perhaps by being a modder, but will dabble in all the others from time to time.
So where do you see your self in these categories and why?
