I suppose we’ve all seen the meme…
I’ve even seen some videos on it – I mean it is just a meme, so take it with a pinch of salt. There are others versions of it that basically have Seiko and the end as well, but hey, we cannot always be right 😉 (emojis, really? – Ed).
For a joke, I do find it relatively accurate, although the milestones will differ for most. I’m probably at stage 9 heading to 10. The question that always begs many, and I have seen it many times on many different forums: what do you do when you reach the “top of the mountain”? Where do I go now?
Alternatively, those searching for the advice to thin their collections out to 1, 3, 5, or whatever number of the month is en vogue… what do I do?
My answer to everyone is always… welcome to critical state collecting!
Critical state? It is clearly something I have borrowed from an engineering concept from my experiences as one who designs foundations for skyscrapers. Beyond the peak shear stress of a soil is a state whereby the substance will continue to deform but the stress will no longer increase. In practical terms, the critical state can be considered a failure condition for the soil: it is the point at which the soil cannot sustain any additional load without undergoing continuous deformation, in a manner similar to the behaviour of a fluid.
What?
Look at the stress/strain curve and then compare it to the meme curve – we are talking what happens between the peak (stage 7) to dead (end stage). The shape is similar, albeit the end point is not zero. Not death.
The rate of decline, I often hypothesise, beyond what ever peak you determine is the zenith (pun intended), will depend on a number of factors, and as such, your end point will vary depending on how much “strain” you apply, and what that does to you.
Critical state collecting.
I will give you an example: you really want a Rolex, always have, always will. We are not going to judge you, but let us assume for some personal reasons you want a popular Rolex model. You purchased a fake as a youngster, graduated to something like an Orient or Seiko, maybe got an Omega, Tudor, whatever… but at, say 50, you acquire your desired “grail” <groan> and you also have a small collection. It has become a hobby for you. Where do you go now? Do you say that you are at your peak, or does owning a Vacheron or Patek become your new peak? Are you done, but want no more watches – so do you sell all your watches and keep the Rolex as the “one”? Or one of three? So, you never buy another watch again – but you are a collector, no? Are you saying that you would never buy anything, even an
über-cool
SpongeBob
Spinnaker?
(Fuck no)
Hopefully you see what I am driving at?
There seems to be a point where watch people peak, and then there is the decline. Be it a contented decline with the “one”, or burning the world, or disappearing into the garden shed to build mods, the decline and how you handle it is this concept that I term, and offer up as, critical state watch collecting.
The model I propose is as follows:
- Realisation of a peak
- Desire
- Strain
- Critical state
Essentially the subject has to first determine what is their peak. If it is not where you are right now, then you are nowhere near critical state collecting. Realisation of a peak is the first step, and is determined by a number of factors, be it are you able to afford something “greater”, can you actually access it if you can afford it, can you wear it without being robbed (Richard Mille fans be aware), etc… You may have peaked through no fault of your own, but you have to realise where you stop, and only you can judge that. This is not a deep point by the way… we all have a point on the horizon we are (maybe unknowingly) aiming for. You may not even know it until it drops into your path.
Once you have your peak defined, you need to then determine your desire – what do I want to do next? Do you want to collect more because it is fun? Do you want to refine your collection? Do you want to never wear a watch again (seems odd, but probably valid)? This will determine how much…
Strain you apply. Be it emotional, financial, social, watch box space, patience of a partner, personal reflection etc… the amount of strain you can apply before you fully deform, i.e. you are DONE. What are your limits? What are you still willing to give this hobby? This will determine your…
Critical state.
This may be keeping all 100 of your watches and nothing changes.
This may be reducing your collection to 3.
The key thing though, and what I have always suggested, is that it keeps things interesting and fun for you, because that should be the main thing. These are supposed to bring joy.
I peaked many years ago when I purchased a Vacheron Constantin; I will not lie, that happened much sooner along the journey than anticipated and as such, really puts one on a different path. My modus operandi then shifted to buying vintage for a little as possible, seeing what you could get away with. When the vintage market got silly, it then shifted to Timex Limited Editions with fashion brands that are painfully relevant that I feel old just walking into any of the shops on a Saturday afternoon, bombarded with offensively bland deep house beats in a former warehouse that has mostly exposed brickwork and surfing memorabilia that one could be confused that they are in a Breitling boutique.
The point is, you set your own limits, and you kind of have to make your own fun. It seems daft to have to write this as a musing (or perhaps the joke here is too subtle), but I see so many people asking which watch to buy, or sell, that it feels almost leftfield to suggest that “whatever you want” as an answer.
Then again, if you are bored, or feel you have reached the end, ask yourself: have you really peaked?
If the answer is yes, are you ready to consider critical state watch collecting?
The Escapement Room 