Do You Have a Watch Flipping Addiction?

[@JustBlueFish]

This clip is from a livestream episode hosted on the Watch Talk Live channel. If you're not already, go subscribe so you don't miss out on our future livestreams: kzbin.info/door/P-nYYPWhN1pA6NCWc9idqw

[@HugoLopez-vz5rj]

To combat the watch flipping addiction, i decided to only buy 1 watch a year. On my birthday. I window shop the whole year. My mouth salivates. My emotions beg me. My wife turns off my phone. So far, so good. 3 yrs in. By the time my birthday arrives, i pick the one that i looked at the most. Last year, i went w the Sinn 556a.

[@eyeheartsushi2212]

Hugo Lopez That’s a good strategy. I bought 2 almost back to back at the end of 2018. Bought one watch around my birthday in 2019, and one watch last month. I don’t plan to buy any more in 2020 but am considering selling one of the first two that I bought in 2018.

[@michaelriera6277]

Wow! I thought I was alone with a 1 per year purchase. I buy it on my birthday, wear it for 1 week then put it away until Christmas and gift it to myself again.

[@HugoLopez-vz5rj]

Word. I use to buy on impulse or on youtube reviews and, more often that not, i found myself flipping, usually at a loss.

[@michaelriera6277]

@@HugoLopez-vz5rj I don't think I ever made any money on a flip...always lose. Definitely hitting the brakes on the addiction.

[@bluenote5262]

Have been following you for a few months. Definitely one of the most valuable content out there.

[@glennpowell3444]

Its weird.When a watch suits me that's it. I don't bore of it. I have a mere 4 and that's a plenty. Flipping equals boredom within yourself? Cheers.

[@underachievingwatchcollect1878]

The hardest thing for me was learning what I really liked that also matched my lifestyle. I’m keeping about 10 watches and selling the rest-I don’t want to enter a 12 step program!!

[@JogieGlenMait16]

I'm not a flipper, just a hoarder.

[@chris.honeycutt]

A very relevant video. Good job, guys. I'm terrible about flipping watches. Even sentimental ones, I've later sold (and consequently bought back after guilt set in). My watchbox (nine slots) is currently full, and I realistically only wear five of the watches in it. Some of the ones I don't wear are cheaper quartz ones that end up just collecting dust and really aren't worth selling for much. That said, I've bought/sold/traded at least 30 watches in the last year and a half. Here's some lessons I learned: - Flipping is part of the fun. I've been able to try a variety of brands and this helped pin down what I like and what I don't like. - I've become much more picky about the watches I like. Unfortunately, this maturity comes at a cost, as some of the ones I really would like to have are outside of my budget. - I would have bought a smaller watchbox if I could back. Really would like to get my collection down to a solid four or five (in rotation maybe), rather than a nine or ten. - Steinharts hold their value the best out of the more affordable price bracket. Have bought and sold these (8 total) more than others and a few have become keepers. Overall, Steinhart is the best watch for the money, I've found. - Seikos do not hold their value. Are generally cheaper in quality than similar priced watches. They are the only ones I've lost considerable money on. - Oris is a very underrated brand. Very high quality for the pricepoint. - Tag Heuer, like Seiko, does not hold its value well at all. Quality for the price isn't there either. I owned two and sold both. - I have had two replicas and both were dead-on, high quality pieces. Had I not known they were reps, I would have been none the wise. One of the reps was for a Pelagos, a watch I briefly owned. And the rep was 95% spot-on, with only the clasp "snap" being a giveaway (real one is softer). In both cases of the reps, I ended up selling both after feeling... weird... about wearing them. The feeling of pride and accomplishment is a far undervalued aspect of watch collecting. Those are obviously missing when wearing a replica. - Habitual flipping doesn't make any money but doesn't lose much, if any, either. - I bought a Tudor S&G as a "mini-grail", i.e. one of the original watches I wanted when I first started collecting. This one is a true keeper and has maintained its rightful place in my collection. - I wish I had more personal discipline to have put all the money I've spent on "non-keeper" watches towards another nice luxury watch ($3000+). I could've, at least, had a second Tudor or maybe an Omega. Eventually looking at getting a Rolex when the opportunity and money come together.

[@eyeheartsushi2212]

Chris Honeycutt Thank you for your comment. Very interesting. I want to buy a Tudor Black Bay 79230R hopefully in a year or so.

[@heaven4892]

You won't be addicted to watch flipping if your watches depreciate as soon as you buy it :D

[@golfbuddy1969]

I have owned several watches over the years, but really only wear 3 or 4...so I’d rather have fewer of better quality, than more of lesser quality. That being said, my 2 most worn watches are a Submariner and an SKX.

[@eddyvega4534]

Went from 12 inexpensive watches to 2 and picking up my no date sub in 2 hours.

[@ssslovak47]

Quality over quantity. Always! I narrowed down my collection to 2 pieces only. I'm no longer collector but i will always be watch lover!

[@chi-towncalifornia5916]

Congrats on your new Sub!

[@izzythomas848]

Congrats to you. Enjoy...

[@xekret]

I called out The Watch Collecting Strategy on selling the Alpinist for profit and he got super defensive. All he had to say was “yeah, I did.”

[@hambone988ubet]

I have a blue alpinist and I REALLY like the blue dial! I get a lot of complements on that watch with a light brown leather strap, really sets off the dial!! Keeper....

[@ElijsDima]

Best video by far. So many things ring a bell here.

[@edng30]

What a great discussion guys, really enjoyed it. I think a lot of us can identify with the novelty of acquiring a new piece and then quickly getting bored of it. Then off to the next piece lol

[@iosepho]

Thank you for this wonderful video. I have now only three Seikos and I love them. I think that will be my whole collection.

[@lawren5424]

You mention that 90% of the time you broke even when you sold watches that you initially purchased on ebay. Does that include seller's fees, shipping, and the taxes that ebay is now adding on?

[@badgerjeff6081]

This is a great discussion. I have acquired about 30+ watches and need to start selling some! Any recommendations on the best way to sell? Thanks!

[@JustBlueFish]

With more affordable watches I’ve sold on eBay of course, but there’s fees. I’ve also sold on the WatchUSeek forums and on the r/Watchexchange on Reddit.

[@badgerjeff6081]

@@JustBlueFish Thanks - much appreciated!

[@tynannida9642]

In an effort to cure myself of this I bought my last watch at full retail in an effort to keep myself from selling it because I would take a loss lol.

[@gid-vicious]

tynan nida assuming not a Rolex sport model 😀

[@supergee1070]

What did you buy

[@tynannida9642]

Super Gee re-bought a Seiko SPB077

[@tynannida9642]

G Seg I wish haha

[@masterg7895]

You know you're addicted when you start liking ugly watches. One watch- Max two watches is the wat to go.

[@Atlas_Max11]

Great topic! With the so-called shortages on certain brands, it's interesting to hear your opinion on scalpers "aka dealers " seeming to always the desired pieces in the secondary market.

[@cowboyswami2017]

Great Great topic, I really enjoyed the content ! ✌️😎

[@mwojciak]

I am a flipper. I lost a lot of money flipping watches. Like most of us I didn't know what I like and what suits me. So I stareted buying popular and highly respected watches, like submarines, explorers, speedmasters etc. But ended up always looking for something new, becouse there always was something I desliked. I tried to love those watches becouse of the hype. But eventually I learned what is really suited for me. Now I don't need to prove anything to anyone so I buy and keep what I love. All the flipping I did couldn't be avoided. I was the price to pay ;)

[@brianward1059]

Watch flippers are the beating heart of the used market, and eBay (in my opinion) is the best place to buy. With a little experience, a few pictures and a half decent description you should be cool!

[@Weakeyedominant]

Ebay is good for entry level luxury watches but anything over 2k is madness

[@MrRicpe]

Talking flipping watches without Jeffrey McMahon?

[@eyeheartsushi2212]

Marko Peric hahaha

[@MrRicpe]

@@eyeheartsushi2212 😁

[@eyeheartsushi2212]

Great commentary, gentlemen.

[@Dr.Sheffield]

Great vid and great guest ✌️peace

[@grandsicko8580]

No

[@Gregsheppo66]

Great observation that they’re not really flippers, they’re scalpers. These scumbags worship money & profit & have indeed ruined the hobby especially for the person who would like a couple Rolex sports watches. I would love a James Cameron & a Daytona but I refuse to fork out many times the retail to some shady scab who doesn’t give 2 shits about watches & just wants as much money as their greedy little hands can get. Who would’ve thought that our beloved watches would end up like Hermes handbags or some other unobtainable luxury crap.

[@82cooljimmy]

I have flipped sub and Daytona for 3 times 😂

[@i20rider556]

It kills me. All these new watch flipping mooks buying $5,000 watches and selling them for a $200 . When they should be buying pieces for $200 and flip for $5,000

[@halfghostut]

2:30 KZbin bullshit comment of the day

[@aznkamikazee]

Don’t wanna be this guy but I think one of the only ways to get the rare pieces is to buy whatever the AD has and flip it so when a rare piece comes; the AD will think about you. There’s just no other way of getting a Pepsi/Daytona without being some sort of celebrity, part time flipper, or a VIP customer (local AD says $100,000 spent in their store) nowadays.

[@dialanddram]

Just wait. Pepsis aren't rare. Hulks aren't rare. Batmans aren't rare. Daytonas aren't rare. They are all of them made in the tens of thousands per year. They are all of them available in the hundreds if you're willing to pay the stupid hype premiums. Increasingly, people aren't, which is why there are hundreds of them available. The current cycle of flipping 'hot' watches is unsustainable and prices are going to come back down to earth, probably sooner than later. Once the flipping margins evaporate, ADs won't be able to count on pre-selling every steel sports that comes in the door, and this nonsense will stop. Just wait. Be patient.

[@aznkamikazee]

@@dialanddram people said the same thing with the US housing market (last recession was 12 years ago) and then the developers stopped building as many. I’m sure there are hundreds of thousands of people still waiting. Not saying they won’t drop but it’ll be a while especially when the s&p500 hits new highs after the Coronavirus dies down

[@Youcantleavethisempty01]

I suggest the both of you not use the word "addiction" lightly as you two did here. Addiction is a life threatening brain disease that ruins lives. Although the scope of addiction can include behavioral issues such as eating disorders or gambling, the way the word was used in this context is click-baity which is a disservice to the seriousness of true addiction and only stigmatizes that population. Misuse of the word in this way is, at best, a lazy choice of words. At worst it's quite ignorant and shameful.

[@Profile659]

Ohh be quiet