Under-the-radar vintage watches to watch in 2020
The start of a new year is as good a time as any to take a step back and look at the broader market: what’s hot, what’s not, and where is there value to be found? In this list, we’ll take a look at some of the watches we’re watching this year, and why. These aren’t necessarily “bargain picks” or “value finds”, but they are vintage watches that tend to be overlooked by the market more generally, and all will set you back less than $10,000. It’s proof that, even as prices for clean, honest examples of some of the most desirable watches continue to skyrocket, there’s a vintage watch out there for everyone at every price point.
Cartier Tank Louis
While a brand new mechanical Cartier Tank Louis from the maison will set you back at least $10,000, why not take a look at the vintage mechanical examples of the model? After all, the iconic design has changed little since it was introduced more than a century ago. And if it was good enough for — well, you know the list — it’s probably good enough for your wrist. Over the years, the Tank has featured movements from some of the most renowned manufacturers: LeCoultre, Audemars Piguet, and Piaget. My favorite examples to hunt for are those powered by the Frederic Piguet Caliber 21, which, from 1925 through the 2000s, was the slimmest mechanical watch movement in production. The movement measures just 1.75mm thick, giving Cartier Tanks with this movement a slim, discreet profile that slips perfectly under a cuff. I’d generally avoid Tanks from the Must de Cartier collection if you can swing it. Cartier introduced the Must collection later in the century as cheaper alternatives to its classic models, typically using gold vermeil for the cases. Vermeil is actually silver with just a thin layer of gold on the outside. A vintage mechanical Tank Louis can set you back as little as $5,000 depending on how hard you search and how lucky you are.
Vulcain Cricket
Good enough for every U.S. President since Truman, the Vulcain Cricket continues to have our eyes (and ears). The quintessential mechanical alarm watch, the Cricket offers a tool that might even be useful in today’s smart-phone obsessed world. Don’t want to wake up to a phone alarm? Set your Cricket’s alarm before bed and wake up to its soothing mechanical buzz. Vintage white/silver dial versions can still be found for less than $1,000. Black dial Crickets are substantially rarer, so expect to pay a premium — if you can find one.
Two-register chronographs
This entire list is personal taste, but now for a few choices that entirely reflect my particular predispositions: two-register chronographs. Sure, the three-register varieties are more historically important: your Rolex Daytonas, Heuer Carrera 2447s, Zenith A386s, etc. But there’s something about two-register chronographs that I’ve always loved: a little more minimal, symmetrical, often with similar movements and case profiles to their more famous siblings with an additional register.
Breitling Top Time Reference 2002
A Bond watch for under $10,000? Hard to believe, but that’s exactly what this Breitling Top Time Reference 2002 is. Sported by Sean Connery in the 1965 Bond movie Thunderball (Bond’s Top Time was modified by Q to house a Geiger counter), this Breitling Top Time remains underrated as compared to chronographs from competitors like Heuer made during the same era. It’s certainly taken undercard billing to the much more well-known Rolex Submariner Reference 6538 also worn by Connery during his stint as Bond. Connery’s Top Time featured a reverse panda dial, but you’ll find the Ref. 2002 in a number of color and dial variations. A particular favorite of mine is the Reference 2002-33 (pictured above), easily identifiable by its orange sweep seconds hand — think Omega Ultraman, but at a fraction of the price.
Depending on the year, a Breitling Top Time Ref. 2002 will be powered by a Venus 188 or Valjoux 7730/7733. This is because soon after the Top Time’s introduction in the early 1960s, Valjoux took over Venus and re-branded the Venus movement under the Valjoux name, without changing much about the movement itself. A more common all-silver dial Top Time Reference 2002 might set you back $2,000 to $3,000. More rare panda, reverse panda, or the aforementioned iteration with a colorful sweep seconds hand are more expensive (and rare).
Heuer Carrera Reference 3647
A Heuer 3647D
Speaking of the Heuer Carrera, I continue to watch the Carrera Reference 3647. Otherwise referred to as “45 chronographs” because of their 45-minute chronograph subdial counter, these Carerras were offered alongside the Reference 2447, beginning in 1963. While less historically important or desirable compared to the three-register Ref. 2447, the Ref. 3647 gets you the same case and a similar design aesthetic and movement at a fraction of the price of a Ref. 2447. There are a number of variations of the 3647: S (silver dial), T (tachymeter), N (noir), NT, or D (decimal). Like the Breitling Top Time, the silver dial iteration is the most common; other variations become more difficult to find. A typical Ref. 3647 might run anywhere from $4,000 to $6,000, with more rare variations becoming progressively more expensive. All are powered by the Valjoux 92. Heuer’s next two-register chronograph, the Reference 7753, offered after the Ref. 3647 beginning in 1970, used the Valjoux 7730. If you’re interested in vintage chronographs, also check out less expensive options like Hamilton, Wakmann, Wittnauer, and “poor man’s Heuers”, many of which use the Valjoux movements found in much more expensive watches of the era.
Movado M90
Movado M90 | Menta Watches
While the three-register Movado M95 has come to be recognized as highly collectible — a pink gold version sold for $21,250 at Phillips last November — much scholarship still needs to be done on the Movado M90, the M95’s two-register brother.
Unlike the Breitling and Heuer chronographs above, this Movado uses an in-house movement, Movado’s caliber M90. Like the M95, the chronograph movement was more modular in construction than other calibers of the era, making it truly interesting to to look at. More common examples in stainless steel, yellow or rose gold might be found for $4,000 to $6,000, with more rare variations (for example, the stainless steel version with Breguet numerals pictured above) reach closer to five figures.
Gallet anything
A sampling of Gallet professional chronographs from Galletworld.com
For more chronograph options, head over to Galletworld.com and just pick your favorite watch. Sure, the Gallet Flying Officer gets the attention it deserves: it was specially commissioned by the U.S. Air Force and then famously worn by President Truman. The MultiChron 12 “Jim Clark”, named after the Formula 1 driver of the same name who wore it is also well-known and highly collectible. But, many other Gallet chronographs continue to fly mostly under the radar. The Flying Officer was part of the Gallet Clamshell line, the world’s first water-resistant chronograph. The Clamshell was manufactured from 1936 through 1951, during which time Gallet produced a variety of dial variations, from black-dial, military-style watches to versions with tachymeters, pulsation scales, and various complications. Even after the first line of Clamshells was discontinued, Gallet continued to produce high-quality professional chronographs through the middle of the century. A standard Multichron 45M (two-register chronograph) with a silver dial can often be picked up for less than $2,000. Even the most rare variations of a Gallet chronograph: the Yachting, Mediagraph, Decimal, or rare MultiChron 12s can sometimes be found $10,000 or less, meaning you can build quite the Gallet collection for a fairly modest sum.
Grand Seiko (First and 44GS)
With Grand Seiko’s efforts to take the U.S. market by storm and move up market over the last few years, there’s been an increased appreciation for the brand’s craftsmanship, especially at the prices its watches sell for. This extends to the brand’s vintage selection as well: Seiko officially launched the Grand Seiko brand in 1960 and released a number of watches throughout the 1960s and 1970s before largely disappearing, not to resurface until the new millennium.
The Grand Seiko First, or Grand Seiko model 3180, was the brand’s first watch, and housed Asia’s first chronometer-grade movement (though, of course Switzerland-based COSC wouldn’t certify it as such).
The Grand Seiko First came in three iterations: the first introduced to the market had the logo carved into the dial, an intense process conducted by hand. Grand Seiko eventually changed to placing a printed logo on the dial. These are the rarest of Grand Seiko First models, and thus the most expensive on the vintage market. Finally, later models have an applied logo. These are the most common, though it should be noted that because the Grand Seiko First was produced only for the Japanese market, and only from 1960-1964, it is rare to find in any form. It is said that only 36,000 Grand Seiko model 3180s were every produced, so considerably less live on in the vintage market.
The Grand Seiko First was produced in 18 karat gold plated cases, with a rare few produced in platinum; all had matching applied markers. The platinum versions are extremely difficult to find and many consider them grail pieces. See more about vintage Grand Seiko in Part I of our brief history here.
My other favorite from vintage Grand Seiko’s collection is the 44GS. The 44GS series is historically important for introducing the brand’s “Grammar of Design” by designer Taro Tanaka. The 44GS series is a great place for Grand Seiko collectors to get started, as there are just three variations: the 4420-9000, either with a dial that had “Diashock” printed immediately below Grand Seiko, or with just the Dani Seikosha logo beneath. The third example is the 4420-9990, a gold-capped case variation that’s extremely rare. With modern Seiko’s marketing focus on promoting its “Grammar of Design”, these are historically important watches that will only increase in value and recognition as the brand comes to the rest of the world’s attention.
Omega Seamaster DeVille Chronograph (with caliber 321) aka “Seamaster 321”
Omega Seamaster Ref 145.005 | Crafted & Tailored
While the Omega Speedmaster gets all the attention — and rightfully so — the Omega Seamaster DeVille chronograph produced during the same era has many of the same characteristics that make the Speedmaster desirable. Most importantly, Omega put the legendary caliber 321 in these chronographs throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, the same caliber in those early and desirable Speedmasters. The Seamaster 321 comes in a number of case references, but the smaller 35mm case size and clean dial make it more reminiscent of the Heuer Carrera and other more minimal chronographs of the era than of the Speedmaster. A stainless steel example can still be found for around $4,000 to $6,000, making this one of the cheaper mid-century chronograph options from a large brand, with one of the most legendary movements to boot.
Dirty Dozen
Sure, everyone knows about the Dirty Dozen, the group of watches from 12 different watch manufacturers commissioned by the British Ministry of Defense for soldiers during World War II: there are in-depth articles going into each model from a number of quality publications (for example, here, here and here). But, it still blows my mind how cheaply these can be found on eBay or elsewhere secondary market. Sure, they’re pretty much a dime a dozen and not extremely difficult to find, but these are just cool watches and their DNA can be seen in so many of the tool watches produced since. That you can pick one up for just a couple thousand bucks makes these little military watches all the more exciting. Want to keep an eye on these for yourself? Here’s my saved eBay search for all 12 of the Dirty Dozen.
IWC Mark XI
IWC Mark XI | eBay
Released in 1949 after the original “Dirty Dozen” that was commission for World War II, the IWC Mark XI (also manufactured by Jaeger LeCoultre) was the result of the British Ministry of Defense commissioning a more reliable aviator’s watch for the Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, and various commercial units. Since the Ministry of Defense had stringent requirements and design specs, IWC’s and JLC’s watch looked similar, coming in 35-36mm stainless steel cases, matte black dials with Arabic numerals and reliable movements with hacking seconds and anti-magnetic properties.
The IWC Mark XI was equipped with the manually-wound Caliber 89, widely regarded as one of the most robust time-only movements built. Because of its superior performance as compared to JLC’s movements, the JLC Mark XI was discontinued by 1953; it’s believed that only about 3,000 JLC units were ever made. Meanwhile, IWC became the sole supplier of the Mark XI. It was decommissioned in 1981, and the last commercial units were shipped to retailers in 1984.
When you consider that you can pick up this historically important IWC for not much more than a new Mark series IWC, you start to realize what a value proposition these little military watches still are. For more on purchasing an IWC Mark XI, read IWC’s rules for purchasing a vintage Mark XI.
Tudor Ranger or Snowflake
OK, we’ve pretty much left the realm of “under the radar” for this last pick, if we hadn’t already left it. But I love vintage Tudor, and with the continued demand for vintage Rolex, Tudor remains the next-best option. For the price of a Tudor Submariner “Snowflake” you could also probably get a run-of-the-mill Rolex Submariner Ref. 5512 or 5513, but why not try to find something more funky and rare? Start here for a few of our favorite vintage Tudor picks. If you believe in the adage that the safest vintage watch investment is in “blue chip” brands (i.e. Rolex and Patek), Tudor is your best bet at a lower price point.