Collectible Watches For Those In The Know

In the waning months of 2017, Tudor announced to the world a new addition to the Heritage Black Bay line, a green bezel version. The catch was that you could only buy it at Harrods in London. Since then, there has been a waitlist at the famous luxury retailer for this special edition. Because this watch can only physically be purchased new in London, many around the world have to wait for a pre-owned one to hit the market in order to have a chance to get one. For one lucky chap, the wait is over.

This Planet Ocean is part of a series of watches Omega has done in collaboration with the GoodPlanet Foundation – an NGO that raises awareness of environmental issues. The blue dial with matching blue bezel is accented with the orange GMT hand and orange numerals on the bezel. On top of the winning color combo, you get a Co-Axial movement, GMT function, and more water resistance than you will ever need.

No one designs watches like Cartier. No matter the shape, size, or decade, a watch from the brand will always somehow look like a Cartier from a distance, but also look distinct from all other watches in their catalog. The Ballon Bleu is the closest to a traditional round watch they make, but with an unusual crown guard that takes a bite out of the dial. The result is something that is both sporty and elegant for sophisticated daily wear. To give this watch the attention it truly deserves, give Hodinkee’s recent Week on the Wrist about this watch a quick view.

Two watches for the price of one. Not many watches have used a flip case, and none have stood the test of time like the Reverso. While originally the back side of the watch was simply a steel caseback that protected the watch during sporting activities, JLC eventually decided more could be done with the real estate. This Reverso has one side in white with blue markers, a moonphase, and a date wheel. That is all you would ever need from your watch and the reverse side in blue with a guilloché dial has a second watch face that can track a completely different time and has a day/night indicator to complete the watch. Either side would make for a good companion on the wrist.

On a list of the most undervalued and underappreciated watchmakers, Glashütte Original would most certainly be near the top. They make their own movements, cases, dials, heck, even the screwdrivers used to put the watch together are made in-house. On top of all that, the end product is an impressive bit of kit. The SeaQ has what you would want from a dive watch, 300m of water resistance, a uni-directional bezel, and enough lume to make it easy to read in any light condition. The hands and numerals are straight from the Spezimatic Type RP TS 200 (a dive watch Glashütte made in the 1960s when it was behind the Iron Curtain and produced original parts and designs themselves). The cherry on top of this watch is the big date window with two date wheels working in perfect unison side-by-side, the best date window in Germany.

This is the biggest value proposition on the market. This watch case is 39mm of solid 18k gold, which alone would make the $7,200 price tag feel like a deal. Now add that it’s a chronograph and you’re really in luck, not many chronographs in gold can be found for under $10k. It is also a complete calendar, giving you the day, date, month, and moonphase in each of the sub-dials and it’s a perpetual calendar. Not many watchmakers put these complications together, and if they do, they’re probably from a brand like Patek Philippe, and its 5270 that has the same complications – though not automatic winding like the IWC – and costs $182,150 at retail. This Da Vinci may not be internally finished to the level of a Patek, but it will cost you less than the sales tax on the 5270. This isn’t a no-name microbrand, this is IWC. The legendary watchmaker Kurt Klaus who designed this movement is the same person who helped design the first A. Lange & Söhne movements. This is a crown jewel of a collection for less than the price of a Datejust.

To find your dream watch, go to Crown and Caliber.