Whether you own one watch or a dozen, the watch storage ideas in this list will help you safely store, organize and display your favorite timepieces.
Best of all, you won’t need to embrace a hyper-organized, minimalist aesthetic to get the most out of these watch storage solutions. There are options suitable for traveling, showing off your favorite watches and keeping all of your accessories in one convenient location.
While this list is by no means a comprehensive treatment of the subject, it will give you a head start on deciding which type of watch storage is right for you.
Here are some cool and practical way to store your watches…
Boxes for storing and organizing your watches are available in a wide variety of sizes, shapes and materials. They’re a simple, convenient solution — but often run a bit on the bulky side, and can take up valuable real estate on top of your dresser.
The biggest benefit of choosing a box for storing your watches is how well they can display your whole collection. Choose a glass-topped box like this 12-compartment model from Glenor Co to show off your watch collection in refined style.
A compact and versatile solution to your storage needs, watch rolls come in two main styles.
Most commonly, you can find them with hard case inserts; Wolf makes a beautiful 3-compartment solid case watch roll in this style. They’re more durable, but the stiff cases take up more space in your luggage if you’re using them for travel storage.
On the more affordable side, you’ll find rustic waxed canvas or leather roll-up bags like this one from Hide & Drink. If you only have a few watches in your collection, this type of watch roll is a perfect all-in-one storage solution for home and travel use.
Offering immediate access to your most-worn watches, a watch rack may make an excellent addition to your morning routine.
Sometimes advertised and sold as “jewelry racks” — like this inexpensive option from Ikee Designs — we like using racks as an in-between storage space for everyday carry timepieces.
Since your watches’ weight can be left hanging from their bands, however, this style of storage doesn’t make the best long-term solution.
Single-watch travel pouches make it easy to carry a backup while you’re on a trip. Because they offer extra protection and take up a minimum of space in your bag, watch pouches make a fine addition to any man’s gym bag, too.
We’re big fans of this soft and natural nubuck leather pouch from ZWATCH. It’s handsome enough to earn a place in your vacation luggage, yet rugged enough for everyday use as well.
Practical and appropriate for quickly storing and organizing your watch, wallet, keys, glasses and phone, valet trays are a rounded solution to short-term storage of everyday items.
In our opinion, Londo produces one of the best-looking, functional and highest quality valet trays for daily use.
Storing all of your bands, buckles, screws and spring bars might be the biggest organizational challenge that comes with collecting watches.
For up to 20 of your watch bands at a time, it’s hard to find a better storage solution than Optima’s zippered folio-style case. Lightweight and super thin, it zips up and stores away easily in a closet or suitcase.
If you’re going to collect and store more than a few watches, do yourself a big favor and pick up a plastic jewelry box organizer.
The dividers can be moved and rearranged to accommodate whatever you need to store, and the clear plastic case makes it easy to see what you have inside. They’ll keep your small accessory storage from getting out of hand.
Now that you’ve acquainted yourself with the varieties of watch storage solutions available today, you may be wondering how to find the best one for yourself. In that case, we recommend considering the following four key points to determine what type of watch storage is right for you:
Ask yourself: How many watches do you need to store? Then — because this hobby can be so addicting — be sure to choose a storage solution that gives you room to grow.
How much wear and tear is acceptable for your watches? Hard case options offer the best durability and protection, while soft cases or hanging racks can still leave your watches prone to minor damage and wear.
Will you be taking your watches to work, the gym or on vacation? If so, you’ll need a soft case watch roll or pouch, as hard case storage solutions will be clunky and unpleasant to travel with.
How important is it to you to show off your watches? Glass-top watch boxes or open watch stands will let you display your collection in its full glory.
While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to watch storage for every situation, you’re still fully capable of choosing a storage solution that’s appropriate to your lifestyle.
We hope this list has given you a good start on ideas for storing and displaying your watch collection — please drop us a line if you have any questions or great watch storage ideas we could include in the next edition of this article.
For small collections, it may be tempting to just put them away in a drawer, but there are some good reasons why this should be avoided. Things that are just tossed in a drawer tend to get forgotten and sometimes lost. They may even become damaged from other items in the drawer or box. This is particularly true if you go into the drawer or box often for other items. Leaving watches on a shelf isn't a good idea either. A good case will protect your watch collection from dust and other incidents. The last thing you want is to damage your collection from carelessly storing them.