Projects.

For us collectors, buying a quality watch is a pleasure and a privilege.

That said, even if it's been on your hit list for a while and you can admire it for its beauty, it can still be difficult to form a bond. Sometimes it just doesn't quite feel like it's yours.

To some, this may sound like a silly thing to say, but I have experienced it myself a few times.

Finding something which hasn't seen the light of day for years however, perhaps damaged or broken, and then being able to give it a new lease of life, can make for a much more exciting prospect.

A project watch, I find, can be a direct pathway to forming that bond. Instead of buying something that is ‘ready to go’, a project watch is going to need some involvement from you, after the initial purchase. This can be taken one step further if you choose to do the necessary work yourself.

From just a basic clean-up job, or a poor runner needing a service, right the way up to a full on restoration, this additional process really can help to create that special bond.

Not only is it a hugely satisfying task, breathing life into something which might otherwise remain neglected, but as a by-product, it could potentially add value. A bonus is always nice.

I am only really touching the surface here, with a broad overview of my thoughts and experiences, having taken on quite a number of projects in various forms.

I strongly encourage you to think carefully about your limitations, but to just go down this rabbit hole and give it a go.

Good luck!