Retrospective: Tomas Reflects On His Watch-Collecting Decisions Of 2024

With our long-lasting Thursday vintage column rebranded, it would be criminal not to look back closely at my 2024 watch-collecting moves. Here are some highlights: my obsession with vintage Gallet chronographs goes on (with room for impulse purchases still there), and I invested more in research, lost motivation to share on social media, and struggled to sell.

I had to check my records this morning because I could not remember whether I had purchased any modern watches last year. Well, I was doubly surprised to find out that not only didn’t I buy any modern watches in 2024, but I also didn’t buy any in all of 2023! Since I bought my last modern watch in December 2022, my modern-watch fasting has gone on for 785 days today. By the way, can you guess what watch that was?

Fratello × Oris Divers Sixty-Five Limited Edition

About two weeks ago, one of my dear watch-collecting friends asked me and other fellow collectors in a closed group which of our watches got the most wrist time last year. I was reluctant to answer. I honestly wanted it to be a vintage watch, but it was not. During working days, I wore a vintage watch. Since I rotated many of them during the week, I didn’t wear any single one as much as the watch I wore on weekends. When I woke up on Saturdays, my wrist choice was often identical.

The most wrist time in 2024

There is no doubt I wore Fratello × Oris Divers Sixty-Five more than any other watch. The reason is simple. I spent most weekends reconstructing our weekend country house, and for that, I needed durable weaponry that didn’t mind being sunk in concrete if it was inevitable. As shown above, I showed this watch no mercy. Our house is close to the forest, with no street lamps around, and evenings and nights are super dark there. I have never used a lumed dial as often as I did last year. The dial legibility in the middle of the night is unbeatable. I just checked it, and there are still a few pieces available, meaning you still can get the only modern Oris Divers Sixty-Five without a small split on the hour hand.

My most rotated watches

When I was not sunken in concrete, sand, or clay, I was sporting my vintage Gallet collection. I can’t get enough of Gallet chronographs; I love them all. I like them so much that choosing a Gallet watch in the morning takes me longer than it does for my daughter to decide what to wear. If any of you have a five-year-old girl, you’ll know what I mean! But if I had to name my favorites, they would be the Multichron 12 Decimal, “Snow White,” and Multichron Calendar. What watch did you wear the most last year? Share with us in the comments.

My watch-collecting strategy from 2024 in numbers

In 2020, I added more than 120 watches to my collection. That number has shrunk every year since, and I only purchased 25 watches in 2024. What’s even more interesting is that out of that, only four watches didn’t have Gallet’s name on them. I have already introduced a very few outliers to you. The Dulux Curvimeter represents what I love about vintage watches and what keeps me digging at night — unusual complications and creative or bizarre usage that proves a watch doesn’t need to cost tens of thousands to be a unicorn. I hope to add a few more in 2025 too.

Selling Breitlings

I am happy to say that I didn’t invest more money in the watches I bought last year. The year before, I decided to consolidate my collection and deliver on my promise. How did I approach it? It all started with a friend asking if I could imagine letting go of one of my favorite Breitling watches. I could not. But then I realized I can’t have them all, can I? So since I narrowed my focus down to Gallet watches, I realized I don’t wear my Breitling pieces. And, well, once you let one go, it’s easier then. In total, six Breitling watches left me last year. I hunted them for years, but I am not sad. They were all replaced by Gallet chronographs that I rotate with a smile on my face.

Shipping a watch is a job on its own

Selling watches is not easy

Yeah, one note about selling: it isn’t easy. When I imagine all the work necessary to upload watches on any marketplace, I am already fed up with the idea. I also haven’t tried auction sites yet due to the same issue. I found it easier to offer some watches to a dealer I know. It comes at some cost, but it is much more convenient. Anyway, most of the watches went to fellow collectors who inquired randomly on Instagram or via email. And they often came back asking about some other watch of mine.

Lazy on Instagram

Speaking of social media, I have to admit I haven’t made much noise there in the last 12 months. You can count my posts on the fingers of your left hand. I took a break from it and realized I didn’t need it that much. What I did need was more information on Gallet. Since there isn’t much, I put hard cash into buying some unknown books and catalogs, hoping to collect more knowledge. Some investments paid off, and others did not.

Impulse buys

Five years ago, I made a lot of spontaneous purchases, but I’ve toned that down in the last few years. My Solix Regulator was the only wild acquisition I made last year. Not buying watches on a whim is good for keeping focus, but it kind of shuts the door to coming across something completely unexpected.

I will end this reflection on my watch-collecting decisions of 2024 on a very promising note: I am happy to say I can still shoot out into the dark. At the very end of last year, I checked one of the auction sites that I hadn’t visited for months. There was nothing but tons of rubbish. Although I saw no promising watches, I kept scrolling down. I kept doing it for so long until I spotted among all the €20 watches an elusive Heuer Skipper ref. 7764. It was there, on an original bracelet, with an original box. Stay tuned! Once I find the missing bezel for it, I will share it with you.