Vintage watches are expensive to service, we hear you say. And aren’t they very frail? Well no, pick the right one including some neo-vintage choices from the ‘90s and ’00s and you’ll have a bargain with bragging right grail potential. “In the investment era of watches, some people may think that the secondary market is where you go to pay over the list. But the reality is most watches depreciate the second you walk out of the door,” says Zach Blass of online watch giant Time and Tide. “This is a huge advantage for buyers looking to score a really interesting watch at a fraction of its retail price. With the trend of heritage revivals, you can often find that the watches that directly inspired the revival can be found for incredible value. Recently, Zenith revived their original Defy Bank Vault watch which costs over $6K. Head over to Chrono24 and with enough research and authentication, you will find the original for under $2000,” he adds.
In short: there's a good hunting ground for your next big purchase. But before you dive in, remember that vintage obviously means old, and that means you might have to live with a few superficial scratches, maybe a faded dial and probably the likelihood of having to treat your pre-owned acquisition a little more gently than a watch that’s come straight out of the box.
If you’re prepared for all that, check out these eight vintage watches you could buy for $2,000 or less, as recommended by four leading auction house experts.
Grand Seiko SBGX265
Grand Seiko is on everyone's lips, from being an untold Japanese secret to rubbing shoulders with haute couture in the Place Vêndome in Paris. And for a good reason, with solid build quality and Rolex-beating details without the street crime-magnet undertones, it’s the studied choice. Pre-owned, a piece from Grand Seiko will do a dive before plateauing out, making it a great pre-owned choice with hand-finished and exquisite details. We would look at the magic accuracy of Grand Seiko’s in-house quartz movements with dial art like the deep blue SBGX265. At chrono24.com
IWC Pilot Chronograph
We all love the tough looks of IWC and its close-too monopoly on pilot’s watches, but they’re all rather large and costly. For the perfectly sized alternative, why not look at the neo-vintage Pilot Chronograph, sweet-sized at 36mm on a steel bracelet? With a solid quartz movement, the big-crown-and-pusher design endows it with the air of a tough nugget, and it is. And with its Goldilocks size, it cheekily dresses up on a leather strap for the odd cocktail party. At chrono24.com.
TAG Heuer 2000 38mm
TAG Heuer is the first good Swiss watch for many, and we’re all about the steel-cased brawn of a good Chronograph. But while its ‘60s and ’70s pieces are sought-after by collectors, our pick of the bargain is the '00s TAG Heuer 2000. You will find this timeless panda-dial Chronograph for less than $1,000, and unlike its new and big brothers, it has a 38mm case, which is as elegantly wearable as its build quality, which is charmingly bulletproof. At chrono24.com
Orfina Porsche Design, 1972
“These watches were the very first products launched from the newly-founded Porsche Design studio and were made by Orfina. They were among the first black watches on the market, too and, although now more than 50 years old, they still look very cool and contemporary, partly thanks to the big, 39.5mm case. The Valjoux 7750 movement is tough and reliable and, while the black treatment of the case is often a little work and rubbed, it somehow adds to the vintage appeal. One sold in our Paris auction in early February for the equivalent of $2,500, all-in." Jonathan Darracott, Bonhams London
Breitling Navitimer 806
“If you’re prepared to accept signs of age and patina, one of Breitling’s 1960s Navitimers is well within your grasp on a $2,000 budget. Don’t look at it as an investment—because the value of regular models doesn’t seem to change much—but buy it for what the Navitimer represents: the quintessential pilot watch, the mother of most of Breitling’s subsequent production and, because of its ingenious circular slide rule, arguably the world’s first smart watch.” Adrian Hailwood, watchcollecting.com
Zenith Stellina
Zenith is a storied Swiss brand with claims to be the first automatic chronograph and the first with the mad tick of a 36,000 vph hi-beat movement. As a pre-owned offering, smaller 35mm references like the Stellina, referencing Zenith’s star at 12 o’clock will only set you back about a grand. And for that you will find a hand-wound yellow gold dress watch that is perfectly sized for any occasion. It’s no GADA sports watch, but you’ve never dived have you? At chrono24.com
Seiko 6139 ‘Pogue’
“Some people believe the Seiko Pogue was the winner of the famous 1969 race to produce the world’s first, automatic chronograph – and it was certainly the first automatic chronograph to be worn in space. It’s named after NASA astronaut Colonel William Pogue, who wore one when he piloted the Skylab 4 mission of 1973 – 74. As well as the gold-dial ‘Pogue’, there is also a blue dial version of the 6139 that was famously worn by the late F1 driver Francois Cevert. Either should be attainable in good condition for no more than $1,500—but buy from a reputable dealer to reduce the chances of being sold a watch containing after-market parts." Adrian Hailwood, watchcollecting.com
Omega Constellation
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“People might be surprised to discover that it’s possible to buy a beautiful, reliable and wearable vintage Omega for less than $1,000. The model I suggest is the Constellation, a watch that was introduced in 1952 and became a best-seller – meaning many examples were made. It’s powered by the Calibre 561 automatic movement with an instantaneous date mechanism and has a screw-down case back. We recently sold a gold-plated example in good, wearable, fully working condition for $1,000.” Steven Yambo, Fellows Birmingham
Breitling Top Time
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“The Top Time was introduced by Breitling in 1964 as an affordable, fun watch aimed at the younger generation. It proved extremely popular and went on to be made with many dial variations and with both round and square cases. Box crystals and funky designs really speak of the era, and I particularly like the hand-wound Venus 188 movement – manual winding adds soul to a watch and gives an owner more chance to interact with it. An absolutely perfect Top Time with a particularly desirable dial design might fetch more than $2,000—but more typical examples include the gold-plated, silver dial model we sold a few months ago in full working order for just around $1,200." Steven Yambo, Fellows Birmingham
TAG Heuer Carrera, 1997/8
“The Reference CS3110 was the original Carrera revival watch brought in during the late '90s, more than 15 years after the model was dropped. Although the brand was officially called TAG Heuer by then, the CS3110 only carries the Heuer logo to make it more authentic. Its sized at a vintage 36mm, fitted with a Plexiglass crystal and powered by a lovely, manual-wind LeMania movement. We sold one in our last Knightsbridge auction for $2,250 all-in – but, with the spotlight on the Carrera for this year’s 60th anniversary, prices may start to rise." Jonathan Darracott, Bonhams London
Longines ‘Tre Tacche’
“Although its possible to buy a vintage Longines watch for as little as a few hundred pounds, you'll still be getting a really good quality movement, a good sized case and a well thought-out dial. There are literally dozens of different references to choose from that were made between the 1930s and the 1970s, so it’s just a matter of doing some research and seeing what’s out there. On a $2,000 budget, I would suggest trying to find a steel ‘Tre Tacche’ [such as this one seen on Time Rediscovered], which is named after the three notches in the case back. Early models were only 30mm in diameter, later ones 35mm. But they were designed to be strong tool watches and are still very wearable.” Benoit Coulson, Sotheby's Paris
Zenith El Primero
“Vintage Zenith El Primero chronographs can represent incredible value for money, whether they are from the ‘70s, ’80s or ‘90s. To be able to buy a watch containing a truly legendary, in-house movement for $2,000 or less is extraordinary—although the increased recognition Zenith has attracted in recent years could see prices rise. For now, however, something like a 38mm Reference 01.0500,400 from the late ’80s or early ‘90s should be readily available in budget.” Benoit Coulson, Sotheby's Paris
Omega Constellation 1995
There’s a lot to be said for the magic of the Integrated Bracelet, but the steel icons by Genta and Hysek go for prices that for other brands would include pure platinum and a full diamond-set dial. So why not look at the mid-to-late nineties Omega Constellation ’95, a sleek, solid masterpiece? At one point, this larger-wearing 35mm automatic was Omega’s top-tier range, and even after more than 20 years, the quality is still there. Go for the textured grey-blue dial and you’ve got a taste for the sleek world of nineties glam for less than $2K. chrono24.com
