Collecting watches is - or at least should be - a matter of taste. The first rule is, always buy what you like. However, a wise collector should also know his budget, and try to make the most out of it. We’re happy to help with that, and so, without further ado, here are five picks from our inventory that we believe deliver great value in their respective price ranges.
Under $1000: Momentum x WMT Mirage Watch
We’re taking home field on this one, that’s true. But the Momentum X WMT Mirage (you can find it here) is a collaboration we are deeply proud of.
From the case and bracelet down to the dial and hands, the watch delivers a combination of details that we adore. It is designed to be a perfect daily watch: the automatic movement, stainless steel case and Oyster-inspired bracelet place it in the realm of sports watches, but the deep black glossy dial and the versatile 36mm size will have you covered even at a black tie event.
Finally, the Alpha hands, Eastern Arabic applied numerals and Arabic calendar discs draw from some of the rarest timepieces we have been lucky enough to trade.
$1000 to $10000: Rolex Datejust 1601 NOS
Picking only one watch for this range was no easy task: plenty of wonderful timekeepers deliver impressive value at this price point, from timeless classics to niche models. But given our sweet spot for Rolex, we chose this one.
Not only is it a 1601 Datejust - the quintessential everyday Rolex - but it also comes in like-NOS conditions, something absolutely impressive for a timepiece of its age. It still bears the original sticker on the case back!
Furthermore, the Jubilee bracelet, besides being unsized, shows no stretch from age. With this timeless Datejust, you get the rare chance of being the first owner of a watch made in 1970! Buy it here.
$10000 to $50000: Cartier Tortue Monopoussoir Yellow Gold
A collector’s journey can be driven by many factors. Some will look at the design, others will value the mechanical side above everything else.
This watch, believe it or not, is guaranteed to leave both satisfied. When Cartier set out to reissue a then-obscure historical model for its “Collection Privée” - the Tortue Monopoussoir, they needed a movement of the utmost quality.
Who did they look to? The beating heart of this gem is a collective opus, bringing the signatures of François-Paul Journe, Vianney Halter and Denis Flageollet, and is somehow cheaper than a time-only watch from either of them.
Quite the steal, right? Check this beauty and buy it here.
$50000 to $100000: Rolex Submariner 1680/8 Tropical Dial
Some things look like they could never make sense… until they do. Take, for instance, a sports watch designed for professional diving, and now picture it in solid yellow gold.
That’s absurd, right? Honestly though, absurd is possibly the last word we’d use to describe the Rolex Submariner 1680/8. A bold statement piece, that’s for sure, but one so appealing that’s impossible to argue with.
The black dial has gracefully aged to a warm brown tone, that pairs perfectly with the blue bezel and auric shine of the case and bracelet. Check it out on our online shop here.
Above $100000: Patek Philippe 3970EP
As we enter the six figures range, you likely know what to expect: highly complicated watches from some of the best Maisons on the planet. Could we let you down? Of course not! So here’s our final pick for this selection: a Patek Philippe 3970EP with black diamond-set dial.
In the already exclusive realm of perpetual calendar chronographs, this example stands out thanks to the platinum case, the precious stones adorning the dial and the screw-down caseback, making it étanche - or waterproof - as the E in the reference points out: the extract from the archives confirms the extremely rare configuration.
