do keepers exist anymore?

Renato, Moonphase, Master Horologe, Automatic

Within the watch hobby, building a collection is accomplished by amassing a group of watches called keepers. Keepers are watches that aren't flipped, or sold, soon after being acquired. But in reality, is there truly such things as keepers?

The word "keeper" usually denotes that an item is being kept forever, or at least for a very long time. But in the world of watches, where timepieces are purchased, traded, and sold with feverish frequency throughout the various watch forums, the term keeper could mean that a timepiece isn't being sold or traded, at that particular moment.

Gone are the days that timepieces within collections hold an intrinsic value, to be kept, and passed-down throughout generations. Newly minted additions to collections, are fare game, to be traded or flipped, as the next coveted timepiece crosses the watch collectors' radar.

Perhaps, timepieces that have a more sentimental value, given as a gift to mark a significant work or life milestone, or one that is passed-down from a deceased relative, may be the only watches to accurately hold the moniker of "keeper".

Other then the sentimental value that a timepiece may hold, as the old saying goes, everybody's got a price. And at some point, someone is likely to meet your price to have you part with various timepieces within your current collection, many of which you thought were keepers.