Organizing collection advice sought

[Galilea]

Hi, I joined the WRT orbit a few days ago and really like what I see because it seems many of you collect the same types of watches that I do, not just the ultra-fancy ones. I got the bulk package of courses here but I have not started it yet. I feel like I need to tame the chaos of my almost-too-many watches and I need to figure out the ones I want to practise my lessons on. Therefore, I have some questions:

1)  Is there software for watch collectors, or is it Excel and you make up your own? I haven't found any, and I am not great with Excel. The reason I want to get a system is that I don't want to keep handling the same watches repeatedly, to see what they are. Again, and then a few more times. 

2) Relating to which watches to use in my online learning, here, does it matter which ones I pick or does it turn out to be a non-issue? For instance, today I decided on starting with two beat up Wyler Incaflex watches (one a skeleton back, one a crazy volcano/domed looking back. That one is a Dynawind). Both are running. Do those ...Does it matter really?  

Thank you.

[GuyMontag]

I use the program 'Multi Collector Pro' to keep track of my collection. You can customize the templates to look the way you want and can edit templates to add fields you would like to track. For example, I added a "Drawer" field. I keep my watches in plastic parts containers and number the drawers. That lets me easily find a particular watch by looking at what drawer it is in within the program.  All of the fields are searchable which is very handy for quickly finding things. For example, if I get a watch that has a nice strap I will put "nice strap" in the description field and then later if I am looking for a strap to put on a watch I will search for "nice strap" and get a list of all of those watches. It's basically a database program and you can do normal database things with the data.

In the screenshot I have it sorted by "year" and I use that view a lot and I also sort by "drawer" a lot too, depending on what I am trying to do. You can sort on most any field, including caliber, # of jewels, date acquired, etc. You can also include web links (and local links to things like service sheets) and when you click on it, it will open the linked webpage/PDF. Handy for when doing research on a movement and you want to remember what website had the info on the watch in question.

When I first started using it I found a review that had a template the person customized which I used as a starting point and then customized it further.

 

[spectre6000]

That is an interesting bit of software! I like that it looks like it started out for watches (first example given, the name of the software, etc.), but was expanded to be agnostic to what it's managing. If I were a collector type, I'd be all over that. 

[Galilea]

Thank you!!! I am so late to reply because I lost my way back to this part of the forum, lol, but it looks great. Incidentally, we are both in the Bay Area. I am in Orinda.

Guy Montag, I have my watches as follows: I have official cases that hold 100 of the most complete running wrist watches,  or the current faves. Then I have several flat file type cabinets that were once for watch crystals. I have kept one such cab for crystals only but rarely use them, so am thinking about reclaiming that one.

Oh to jump right to it, I have many useful cabinets and bins and I have mostly just one type of thing to a drawer or bin  or bucket but nothing is completely anywhere. Lacking software to date, it has become overhwelming. I got the software this morning and Amazon is delivering ten of the suggested parts drawers today. I will try that system for the wrist watches. I suppose I will need to start with all the loose flats and bins of watches. I have something else in mind for pocket watches. It is a daunting task but one I approach with interest and enthusiam. I  believe that the alternative to getting a real system is far more painful than starting over correctly will be.

If you get a chance, may I see what one of the drawers looks like inside, with watches in? Do you organize by maker, by type, by year, by gender, or...? Do you have one or serveral watches per drawer? Finally do you store parts alongside watches they could fit, or is that seperate? On the wristwatches that is, because the pocket watches are different for me, they are more straight foward and I have sort of a sysytem there.

Again I thank you kindly, and will try to post a pic once further along.

[GuyMontag]

1 hour ago, Galilea said:

Thank you!!! I am so late to reply because I lost my way back to this part of the forum, lol, but it looks great. Incidentally, we are both in the Bay Area. I am in Orinda.

Guy Montag, I have my watches as follows: I have official cases that hold 100 of the most complete running wrist watches,  or the current faves. Then I have several flat file type cabinets that were once for watch crystals. I have kept one such cab for crystals only but rarely use them, so am thinking about reclaiming that one.

Oh to jump right to it, I have many useful cabinets and bins and I have mostly just one type of thing to a drawer or bin  or bucket but nothing is completely anywhere. Lacking software to date, it has become overhwelming. I got the software this morning and Amazon is delivering ten of the suggested parts drawers today. I will try that system for the wrist watches. I suppose I will need to start with all the loose flats and bins of watches. I have something else in mind for pocket watches. It is a daunting task but one I approach with interest and enthusiam. I  believe that the alternative to getting a real system is far more painful than starting over correctly will be.

If you get a chance, may I see what one of the drawers looks like inside, with watches in? Do you organize by maker, by type, by year, by gender, or...? Do you have one or serveral watches per drawer? Finally do you store parts alongside watches they could fit, or is that seperate? On the wristwatches that is, because the pocket watches are different for me, they are more straight foward and I have sort of a sysytem there.

Again I thank you kindly, and will try to post a pic once further along.

I don't organize the drawers at all, I just put an incoming watch into the first empty drawer. I let the program do the organization for me. If I want to see all of the watches by one company I click on that company and it only shows those watches. Then you can sort those watches any way you want, with year and drawer number being my two most used. I typically put one watch per drawer but I do have a few with multiple watches in them.

I don't generally keep parts in those drawers but I will sometimes store parts in a drawer if I get a watch in and I have parts on hand that I know it needs I will put the part(s) in the drawer with the watch so when I service it I will remember that I already have parts. But my parts are all kept in coin envelopes sorted alphabetically by caliber and kept in rows in dresser drawers. I acquired a large number of watches/movements/parts from a watchmakers estate and they came that way, all neatly organized and labelled for me. You could use the program to help with that though. It allows you to create multiple databases so you could have one for your watches and one for your parts if you wanted to keep them separate.

 

[Waggy]

23 hours ago, GuyMontag said:

I use the program 'Multi Collector Pro' to keep track of my collectio

I use Linux, is there anyone using software for Linux?

[GuyMontag]

They have a free version so you could try running it in Wine. Also, I haven't used it but I've heard Chrono24 has an online Watch Collection feature that you can upload your own photos. Not sure if you can do database things like asking it to show you only watches with  a date complication or things like that.

[diveboy]

I also use Multi Collector Pro and have several databases in it.

• wristwatches
• pocket watches
• unfinished/prototype watches