022: All In Good Time: 10 Under 10K
YOU NEED A WATCH FOR UNDER 10 Gs
I thought this list would be relatively easy. $10,000 is a lot of money, and there’s no shortage of fantastic watches in the $10K-or-under bracket, many of which I love. I tend to gravitate towards the 10k or less arena when thinking about a watch for myself. At this point in my life it’s hard to push my brain into considering a higher spend. When one really starts to analyze just how much money it costs for these shiny things on our wrists, perspective can change. Would I rather buy a 1974 Fiat Spider 124 or a Rolex? (Currently neither, but it’s an exercise.)
My everyday drive right now is my Wind Vintage X True North Collections VRT, which retails for $390.00. When it comes to laying down cash for a more significant investment in a piece, one that fits within a life full of competing financial priorities, I wanted to explore what real-world options look like. For as many options as I can dream up that push past $20K, for now, they remain just that—dreams.
At $10,000, I have no room for busted lugs or mismatched bracelets. It has to be source-able in great condition, something I’d actually wear and want to keep in my collection forever, regardless that it’s not the highest-ticket item on the market. As far as options go, we’re very, very in luck.
Rolex Submariner Reference 14060 / 5513
Something interesting has been happening the last two months. The legendary Rolex 5513 has dropped in price, while the 14060 has been rising. This is a conundrum for me: when I first made the dive into Submariners research, the 5513 was my dream watch. (Production range, on-wrist feel, overall place in history.) But after realizing the price was dramatically out of my range (still true), I started looking at the 14060.
Production started in 1990 with the updated caliber 3000 movement. It maintained the two liner dial, but the lume plots dawned the white gold surround, and are available at a much more affordable price. For a while, there have been lots of excellent examples of the 14060 consistently in the sub-10k range, (though I prefer them prior to 1996, when tritium was still used on the lume plots). In the last two months, I’ve been seeing them jump into the 12k+ range, while some 5513 drops. Not all, of course, but I’ve seen many. Rarely, options like this transitional 5513 with white gold surrounds are still available and somehow just under 10k—for now.
Heuer Carrera 1996 re-edition
The Tag Heuer re-edition introduced in 1996 are some of my most favorite watches of all time. From the movements to the finishing, you’d be hard pressed to find a better looking chronograph under 6k. A faithful reissue of the legendary 1963 Heuer Carrera, these watches are spot on—down to the geometry of the pushers. (The main divergence is the movement, which is a Lemania 1873 rather than the original Valijoux 72). Original Carreras have been climbing in popularity and price in the last few years, though they can still be found at a very reasonable figure just slightly above our budget here. What I like about the reissue is that you can easily daily them without worrying about damaging an irreplaceable object of history, while still being able to have the feel and look of that vintage charm. The steel versions regularly sell under $5,000 USD. This version is from Analog Shift—extra lovely because it’s on bracelet—rarely seen. This one can be purchased for just under 4k. Snap it up, or I will. ¯\(ツ)/¯
Rolex Day Date on Strap
Everyone loves a day-date. Finding one at this price point used to be all but impossible, but with the softening of the market it’s not too difficult anymore to find a great example of a President on a strap. Chrono.com has more than a handful of great options: this one from Oliver and Clarke in White Gold features non-luminous hands (love!), as well as a Spanish day disc. **Also—you can always buy a period-correct bracelet later down the line if you choose.
Patek Philippe Ellipse Reference 3546
The Ellipse was one of the first watches that caught my attention years ago. It’s a beautiful shape and consistently a value (ie. an 18K solid watch for under $10K). Most of all, I love that it has lugs. Most Ellipses are lugless—still gorgeous, but can lead to floating watch syndrome. IMHO, those little lugs on the corners of the 3546 help to ground the case on the wrist. There are a few dial options in terms of color and hour markers, though I tend to lean towards the classic blue with stick markers. A fascinating tidbit from Collectability on the legendary blue dial: “The final solution came with the help of the dial maker Singer that developed a system of vacuum plating in which cobalt and 24K gold are vaporized and then allowed to condense on the 18K gold dial.” Cool.
Rolex Datejust
Where to start on the Datejust? There are more Datejust variants out there than nearly any other watch. Find something that speaks to you and dive in. I also love black dials, confetti dials, tapestry dials, linen dials, and of course warm tropical dials. The thing about a Datejust is that it’s a chameleon, you can wear it while tuning up the car, or to dinner at the Carlyle. It’s a go-everywhere, do-everything watch. They’re not difficult to repair—it's a popular watch with a vast supply of spare parts available. This also comes in handy if you pick one up with dry-rotted gaskets and compromised water resistance; a refurb should be easy enough.
Omega Speedmaster Reduced Reference 3539.50.00
Hardest Working For the Price On This List:
SPEEDY! I love Speedys. I went for a speedy reduced, as I tend to go for smaller watches in general, but with chronogrpahs, I definitely want sub 40mm. I also went with the latter reference reduced, as it features a sapphire crystal, improved clasp, and the dial is more to my liking. This is the most affordable option on the list, and can be found sub 4k on any given day—quite a feat considering the quality and caliber of the watch.
Rolex Explorer Reference 114270
Out of the 10 Explorer references, the highest collected, bar none, is the 1016. HOWEVER, they’re the expensive ones (not counting super early holy grail models). You’ll pay minimum $20K for a good 1016. The 14270, on the other hand, is the current neo-vintage collection piece, with prices for the Blackouts, for example, starting to fetch record prices. The 114270 (not a sic!) really feels like a daily. It’s easy to find in good condition, affordable, and works with everything. My buddy Chris has one and I must say the on-wrist feel is fantastic. Being that the Explorer is a thinner watch, having some extra weight on the watch, given the solid end links, helps to ground the watch on-wrist. Recently I’ve seen prices rising, but you can still find a great example in the $6K range.
Cartier Obus Reference 2380
We had to have a Cartier on the list. I love the Obus, consistently surprised it doesn’t get more attention. These watches are a superb fit on the wrist, the size is perfect—measuring 26.5 x 33.5 mm, slightly bigger than the original reference, and making all the difference at the end of the day. The guilloche dial with the gold alloy that Cartier used during this time period is beautiful and supple. This one has a Paris signed dial, harder to find but worth IMO. They’ve been rising a touch in price, but you can still find one in the 10k range.
IWC Ingenieur SL Automatic Ref 3506 Grey "Graph Paper Dial"
This one’s a bit hard to find as the 3506 production numbers were quite low. BUT, if you find one, you should buy it. (There’s currently one at Huntington and Goldammer.) The Ingenieur has an interesting history. First introduced in 1955 for scientific, technical, and exploration purposes by Albert Pellaton, the Ingenieur is a celebration of technical prowess, with some of the highest ratings of anti-magnetic protection. The 1st and 2nd gens, prior to 1976, look entirely different—a little more classic chunk, with round cases and either a strap or bracelet. After roughly 20 years, IWC re-released it in 1976 with a fresh design by Gérald Genta. This example is from the redesigned 2nd gen (1983-1989).
Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso
I would be remiss not to mention the last pick, which I added at the 11th hour—the JLC Reverso. I had a really hard time choosing a favorite example, as there are plenty of options under $10K. Single-face or Duo, stainless steel or precious metal—options galore. In the end, I had so many I picked two.
One comes in slightly over $10K, but worth it. My friend Thomas mentioned it in his latest video for Chrono24, and I couldn’t agree more—the JLC Grande Reverso Calendar, reference Q3752520 is. The gold version is my ideal, but pushes us /slightly/ over budget, and you can find the stainless steel version for under $10K. Triple calendar—and did you see that caseback? Gimme a break.
My second pick is the Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Duoface, reference Q3788570. As a very Gemini Gemini, I feel a special kinship with this two-faced beauty. The white dial is a throwback to the originals’ original reading simply “Reverso,” while the travel-time side features a 24-hour display. Also of note—the pusher jumps the hour hand, so you can adjust on the fly. Hot. I will absolutely have one in my collection someday.
Aw man we definitely could’ve talked watches on our call. Subscribed!