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Collecting Ceramic watches

I have received many emails about collecting ceramic watches.How does one begin? Should a collection contain all watches of the same basic complication (e.g. chronographs),or should the watches be of a diverse nature?

First I would like to offer some rules:

1) Buy what you like.

Collectors who start off buying what they perceive to be collectible ceramic watches usually end up regretting their choices and hating their collections.

2) Don't be a brand snob.

If you like a $200 ceramic watch from a brand no-one ever heard of, and it fits with your collection's theme, buy it. Even if it doesn't fit into your scheme for collecting, maybe you need to modify your mission statement.

With the rules out of the way, consider the following:

Are you drawn to a particular type of ceramic watch?

I'm a bit of a speed freak. For me, going from 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds is a thrill second to none; well maybe second to one thing (... watch collecting-what did you have in mind?)... But I digress. Measuring ridiculously small periods of time is therefore something that fascinates me, and so the chronograph was a natural first step. Fly back chronographs are even more specialized, and that gave me a collecting niche.

Maybe you're attracted to a certain type of ceramic watches

Mmmm... white ceramic watch... That's a good collection starter. I have an extensive collection of rare metals and finishes-ceramic watches , palladium, tantalum, platinum, titanium-you get the idea.

Maybe dials are your speed of your ceramic watch.

Take for instance Brogue's gorgeous use of Guilloche on their cacique line of watches. Stunning! Lange & Sohne have unique and quite magnificent dial layouts.Or one of my favorite sub-collections-skeleton zed dials. Nearly all manufacturers make these skeleton zed dials allowing one to see the movement in action. Some skeletons should be put in museums-they are that beautiful and worthy of being called art.

So that's my view

A collection starts with a single ceramic watch... No scratch that...A collection starts with the intention to collect. You require no watch at all. Start with an idea. Buy your first unique ceramic watch. Take it from there. Price is not important.Buy what you like.Buy what you can afford. Enjoy the experience!