Watchfinder Recommendations
Flash forward to late 2006, and I have been working as a watch distributor and as a full-time watch dealer (two separate companies). I thought I knew a lot about watches before... and I did know a lot... but I know a lot more now. I have handled thousands of watches over the last two years. With this new knowledge about watches I want to revisit the Recommendations page. Here goes:
Watches Costing Under $1000:
** MarkII unbranded military hommage watches
** Seiko automatic dive watches and the new Sportura chronographs
** Citizen Calibre series watches are hand assembled and hand finished
It used to be easy to find good value and excellent quality co-existing in lots of watches from lots of brands for under $1000, even as late as 2003/2004. However, with the demise of the US Dollar, there really isn't much on the market under $1000 any more. The Seiko Sportura and the Citizen Calibre 2000 chrongraph are fantastic watches, both well under $1000 from our dealers
Watches costing between $1000 - $2500:
** Sinn -- most models fall into this price range
** Eberhard 8 Jours with cream colored enamel dial. A great everyday watch if you need to dress up a little or a lot
** Vintage solid gold chronographs -- you can buy a solid gold chronograph, in great condition, with a top-quality movement on the lower-end of this price range. Read this for more information
Like the under $1000 range, most of the quality watches in this range fled upmarket, and I can no longer recommend them as good values. The Sinn 356 chronograph stands out as a superb watch in this range. There are still abundant, quality watches for under $2500.
Watches costing between $2500 - $5000:
** RGM Classic -- hand rendered engine turned dials; the blue one is awesome! On a strap or bracelet, these are at the upper-end of this price range. But if you value something made by hand, then this is a great watch
** Rolex -- Submariner, GMT, Explorer II and especially Datejusts. I get asked all the time "If I am only going to buy one nice watch, what would you suggest?"... and my answer is always the same: "Buy a Datejust". Tons of dials, choice of bracelets and bezels add up to a basically customized watch that you can wear with a tux, a suit, jeans and a teeshirt, and even swim with it on. Watches just don't get more classic or versatile than a Datejust. As is if this weren't enough, they run accurately, can take loads of abuse and still look new, and Rolex has a wide and fairly priced service network
** Vintage Rolex Submariner reference 5513 -- the quintissential sports watch, which Rolex produced for 30 years. As of late 2006, these can still be purchased for around $3300. The older pieces will cost more, say $4000. However, the market value of these vintage Submariners has more than doubled over the past 3 years, and I believe will keep appreciating. Buy them because they are handsome, verstaile watches and excellent investments!
** Breitling Navitimers & Olympus -- I don't even know what the retail prices are for these watches, but you can get them in this range. The Olympus is a semi-perpetual calendar chronograph and is a special watch. It's predecessor, the Montbrillant 1461 is also a wonderful watch. Not haute horology, but very classic, sporty and versatile
** Girard Perregaux Ferrari series chronographs -- super nice cases, dials and straps add up to one heck of a nice watch. Our dealers have these in abundance and at deep discounts
** Maurice LaCroix Masterpiece -- this collection of mechanical watches from an otherwise forgettable brand is an excellent value. Most models are offered in stainless steel, gold and steel, and solid 18k rose or yellow gold. The Calendrier Retrograde is the most popular. I love the " Jour et Nuit"
Watches costing between $5,000 - $10,000:
** Nivrel skeletonized 5 minute repeater -- c'mon, a skeletonized repeater for under $10,000? It's no joke. Nivrel delivers big with this watch. I wore mine to a restuarant immediately after receiving it, and almost forget to eat.
** Blancpain Flyback Chronograph -- possibly the best chronograph available from a holistic perspective; built tough but elegant, endowed with a Piguet Caliber 1185 caliber, super-handsome, superb bracelet. Everything about this watch rocks
** Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph -- retail is above this price category, but this model is widely available for $7500 or so. The styling is not for everybody, but the fit and finish is incredible. This is another Piguet 1185 chrono
Watches costing between $10,000 - $20,000:
It's sad to say, but most interesting and excellent watches these days fall into this price range. That said, there are loads of great watches here:
** Audemars Piguet Royal Oak & Offshore Royal Oak Chronographs -- hell of a lot of money for a steel or titanium watch, but these are anything but ordinary watches
** Patek Philippe -- lots of models in this range, from gold Calatravas to some stainless steel models like the Jumbo Nautilus with power reserve and the discontinued reference 5085 on a unique bracelet
** A. Lange & Sohne -- The Lange One might be the most beautiful watch ever
** Ulysse Nardin -- Any of the perpetual calendars like the GMT +/- perpetual or the Acqua Perpetual. These are great watches horologically speaking and very handsome
Watches costing over $20,000:
A few years ago, I could never fathom spending so much money on a watch. However, in my life as a watch dealer, these are the watches that I sell. It's a new world for me, and I have rapidly come to understand that watches in this price range actually can make excellent investments. It's a lot like cars -- buy a Honda, and it's going to depreciate. Buy a Ferrari Enzo, and it's going to appreciate.
** Girard Perregaux Triple Bridge Tourbillon and/or any Opera series model. These may not appreciate, but you can buy them at such huge discounts that it doesn't matter. The triple bridge tourbillon in yellow or rose gold, on the matching bracelet, is the most beautiful watch that I have ever seen.
** Patek Philippe -- the complicated watches is where the action is, particularly the perpetual calendars and perpetual chronographs. The reference 3970 is a perpetual calendar and a chronograph. I recall in late 2003, these were selling in the high $40,000 range. Today, in late 2006, they have climbed over $100,000. The reference 3940 is a perpetual calendar, on the verge of being discontinued. Selling these days in the high $30,000 range to $50,000+ for the platinum, the 3940 will trade over $75,000 once Patek formally discontinues them. Forget the college fund; buy a 3940. Wear it for 18 years, sell it, and pay for Jr's tuition.
Watches Costing Under $1000:
** MarkII unbranded military hommage watches
** Seiko automatic dive watches and the new Sportura chronographs
** Citizen Calibre series watches are hand assembled and hand finished
It used to be easy to find good value and excellent quality co-existing in lots of watches from lots of brands for under $1000, even as late as 2003/2004. However, with the demise of the US Dollar, there really isn't much on the market under $1000 any more. The Seiko Sportura and the Citizen Calibre 2000 chrongraph are fantastic watches, both well under $1000 from our dealers
Watches costing between $1000 - $2500:
** Sinn -- most models fall into this price range
** Eberhard 8 Jours with cream colored enamel dial. A great everyday watch if you need to dress up a little or a lot
** Vintage solid gold chronographs -- you can buy a solid gold chronograph, in great condition, with a top-quality movement on the lower-end of this price range. Read this for more information
Like the under $1000 range, most of the quality watches in this range fled upmarket, and I can no longer recommend them as good values. The Sinn 356 chronograph stands out as a superb watch in this range. There are still abundant, quality watches for under $2500.
Watches costing between $2500 - $5000:
** RGM Classic -- hand rendered engine turned dials; the blue one is awesome! On a strap or bracelet, these are at the upper-end of this price range. But if you value something made by hand, then this is a great watch
** Rolex -- Submariner, GMT, Explorer II and especially Datejusts. I get asked all the time "If I am only going to buy one nice watch, what would you suggest?"... and my answer is always the same: "Buy a Datejust". Tons of dials, choice of bracelets and bezels add up to a basically customized watch that you can wear with a tux, a suit, jeans and a teeshirt, and even swim with it on. Watches just don't get more classic or versatile than a Datejust. As is if this weren't enough, they run accurately, can take loads of abuse and still look new, and Rolex has a wide and fairly priced service network
** Vintage Rolex Submariner reference 5513 -- the quintissential sports watch, which Rolex produced for 30 years. As of late 2006, these can still be purchased for around $3300. The older pieces will cost more, say $4000. However, the market value of these vintage Submariners has more than doubled over the past 3 years, and I believe will keep appreciating. Buy them because they are handsome, verstaile watches and excellent investments!
** Breitling Navitimers & Olympus -- I don't even know what the retail prices are for these watches, but you can get them in this range. The Olympus is a semi-perpetual calendar chronograph and is a special watch. It's predecessor, the Montbrillant 1461 is also a wonderful watch. Not haute horology, but very classic, sporty and versatile
** Girard Perregaux Ferrari series chronographs -- super nice cases, dials and straps add up to one heck of a nice watch. Our dealers have these in abundance and at deep discounts
** Maurice LaCroix Masterpiece -- this collection of mechanical watches from an otherwise forgettable brand is an excellent value. Most models are offered in stainless steel, gold and steel, and solid 18k rose or yellow gold. The Calendrier Retrograde is the most popular. I love the " Jour et Nuit"
Watches costing between $5,000 - $10,000:
** Nivrel skeletonized 5 minute repeater -- c'mon, a skeletonized repeater for under $10,000? It's no joke. Nivrel delivers big with this watch. I wore mine to a restuarant immediately after receiving it, and almost forget to eat.
** Blancpain Flyback Chronograph -- possibly the best chronograph available from a holistic perspective; built tough but elegant, endowed with a Piguet Caliber 1185 caliber, super-handsome, superb bracelet. Everything about this watch rocks
** Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph -- retail is above this price category, but this model is widely available for $7500 or so. The styling is not for everybody, but the fit and finish is incredible. This is another Piguet 1185 chrono
Watches costing between $10,000 - $20,000:
It's sad to say, but most interesting and excellent watches these days fall into this price range. That said, there are loads of great watches here:
** Audemars Piguet Royal Oak & Offshore Royal Oak Chronographs -- hell of a lot of money for a steel or titanium watch, but these are anything but ordinary watches
** Patek Philippe -- lots of models in this range, from gold Calatravas to some stainless steel models like the Jumbo Nautilus with power reserve and the discontinued reference 5085 on a unique bracelet
** A. Lange & Sohne -- The Lange One might be the most beautiful watch ever
** Ulysse Nardin -- Any of the perpetual calendars like the GMT +/- perpetual or the Acqua Perpetual. These are great watches horologically speaking and very handsome
Watches costing over $20,000:
A few years ago, I could never fathom spending so much money on a watch. However, in my life as a watch dealer, these are the watches that I sell. It's a new world for me, and I have rapidly come to understand that watches in this price range actually can make excellent investments. It's a lot like cars -- buy a Honda, and it's going to depreciate. Buy a Ferrari Enzo, and it's going to appreciate.
** Girard Perregaux Triple Bridge Tourbillon and/or any Opera series model. These may not appreciate, but you can buy them at such huge discounts that it doesn't matter. The triple bridge tourbillon in yellow or rose gold, on the matching bracelet, is the most beautiful watch that I have ever seen.
** Patek Philippe -- the complicated watches is where the action is, particularly the perpetual calendars and perpetual chronographs. The reference 3970 is a perpetual calendar and a chronograph. I recall in late 2003, these were selling in the high $40,000 range. Today, in late 2006, they have climbed over $100,000. The reference 3940 is a perpetual calendar, on the verge of being discontinued. Selling these days in the high $30,000 range to $50,000+ for the platinum, the 3940 will trade over $75,000 once Patek formally discontinues them. Forget the college fund; buy a 3940. Wear it for 18 years, sell it, and pay for Jr's tuition.