Making A Case For Catch-And-Release Watch Collecting

I was recently watching a video on the excellent 5 Watt World guitar channel on YouTube. Host Keith Williams discussed catch-and-release guitar collecting as a way to enjoy the hobby. This makes a lot of sense for guitars as each has a different feel and sound, triggering different playing. You could even argue that you become a better player as you move from one guitar to the next. It got me wondering, does this approach to enjoying a hobby work for watches as well?

Then, I realized that catch-and-release behavior is indeed quite common in the watch world but under a different name — flipping. It gets a bad rap, and its perpetrators are often cynically referred to as “serial flippers.” The term comes with an undertone of someone trying to make a quick buck by buying and selling watches. This, however, isn’t what Williams refers to with his catch-and-release principle. In this article, I would like to explore the merits behind that approach for our shared passion, watches.

What is catch-and-release collecting?

At its simplest, “catch-and-release” means collecting without the prior determination to hold. This approach centers around trying different things and developing one’s palate. You aren’t simply amassing or building a collection. Instead, you take a fluid approach in which watches come and go.

It does not mean you have to release everything you catch. As you go, you might develop a closer bond with certain watches, triggering you to hold on to them. Many enthusiasts already take this approach, with designated “keepers” within a fluid collection.

However, what I am describing today takes it one step further. This style of collecting is about actively expanding your experience beyond the familiar. In guitar terms, imagine being a metal player and actively seeking out a jazz guitar. You may already know that the thing lies far outside your playing field, but you might learn a thing or two.

Expanding outside your comfort zone

Catch-and-release watch collecting could entail actively seeking out unknown experiences in a similar manner. Consider the following: maybe you have a €10,000 budget for a new watch. Instead of trying to find the perfect watch, just get something iconic that is outside your comfort zone. Maybe that is a Cartier Tank, for instance. Wear it intensively for half a year, then trade it in for an Omega Speedmaster. Again, spend a few months with it, then trade it in for a Rolex Submariner. If you are fairly clever, you can do this without evaporating too much budget along the way.

So, why choose icons? Well, because those watches have amassed a loyal following. This means there must be some sort of shared experience that gets people excited about them. Furthermore, they are easy to properly research, and they tend to be easier to trade. As you gain experience and sharpen your nose, you can move on to more obscure watches.

The whole idea is to consciously expose yourself to an experience you wouldn’t have had if you set out to find your perfect next watch. By truly living with a watch every day for a few months, you gain a much deeper appreciation for what it is.

How I apply catch-and-release collecting ideas

I never set out to be a catch-and-release collector. However, I have turned into one. When I started collecting watches, I felt that I was building a collection. Now, though, I treat my watches more as experiences that might pass. I used to focus strongly on finding the next keeper. Now I try not to label any watch as unsellable. In fact, the approach crosses hobby lines. I might now sell a watch if a holiday with the family is more appealing to me at that time.

My approach with guitars is different. As I want the hobby to be about playing, not about the stuff, I set myself a limit of four guitars. I can have two acoustics, two electrics, and one amp. If I want something else, something has to go. Having found my ideal electric guitar, I am now contemplating what to pair it with to maximally broaden my experience. My first electric is a keeper, so that leaves me one spot that I will fill with a catch-and-release approach.

Don’t get me wrong; I do love the idea of heirloom watches (and guitars). However, to me, that feeling gets lost as the numbers go up. Ten keepers no longer feel like personal heirlooms. One or two truly special highlights in an otherwise fluid collection do.

How to try the catch-and-release mindset

Maybe none of this is news to you. Maybe you have always had a small core collection of keepers within a fluid, larger collection. However, I doubt whether many enthusiasts truly have that experimenting mindset, that “all right, let’s see what the fuss is all about” philosophy. In short, the trick is not to find your next perfect watch; rather, it is to find a new experience.

I am consciously taking this approach with my next electric guitar. I intend to catch and then release several in a bid to find the perfect companion to my Stratocaster. Those will include some offerings far outside my comfort zone. A quick try in a music store simply isn’t enough to truly experience living with it.

Have you taken this approach in watch collecting? Please do share your experience in the comments section below!