I realized that I was addicted to watches. I knew that as I got older, my money would all go towards these pieces of art. Turns out, a lot of people have the same “issue.” It started becoming an issue when the first thing I noticed in a person was the watch they were wearing.
It is crucial to have a respectable, reliable, and robust timepiece. Time to put that Daniel Wellington away. Narrowing the list down to the best pieces under $10,000 was challenging. These watches were chosen for their robustness, reliability, and their ability to keep value.
All prices mentioned in this article are based on new prices from grey market dealers. You can also buy these watches second hand, just make sure you are buying from a reputable source. I will mention the differences between a grey market dealer and an authorized dealer here.
Best Watches Under $5,000
- Tudor Black Bay GMT Pepsi ($3,975)
- About: Tudor is Rolex’s little brother. Rolex manufactures, distributes, and services both watches. So you are getting Rolex reliability at a fraction of the cost.
- Model: 79830RB-0001
- Baba’s Opinion: The only issue I had with Tudor in the past was their usage of 3rd party movements like ETA, but since 2015 they have been producing watches with in-house movements. Rolex intended for Tudor to appeal to the international audience and did not distribute directly in the US until recently. As more people learn about this brand, the value prop it offers, I can see this brand gaining popularity quickly over the next 10-15 years.
- Omega Speedmaster ($4,975)
- About: It earned its name “The Moon Watch” for being the first watch to be worn on the moon. In order to be trusted by astronauts, it had to go through numerous tests under extreme conditions to make sure it preformed and kept accurate time during space missions.
- Model: 311.30.42.30.01.006
- Baba’s Opinion: Omega is one of the most underrated brands in the Swiss watch making industry. They produce high quality pieces, which can compete with the likes of Rolex at great value points. You’ll enjoy your watch more if you don’t have to baby it. The Speedy will take a beating without missing a beat.
- Grand Seiko SBGA211 ($5,000)
- About: The beautiful thing about Grand Seiko, they are extremely lowkey. The average person will not know what you are wearing on your wrist, and to some people, that is what they are looking for. Grand Seiko is the high end brand of Seiko, but they are built in a separate factory and have a separate distribution.
- Model: SBGA211 “Snowflake”
- Baba’s Opinion: The Spring Drive movement, which this watch uses took more than 20 years to develop. In my opinion it is the most impressive movement out of every watch on this list and it is also the most accurate watch on this list (+/- 1 second per a day on average, +/- 15 seconds in a month). I am currently looking at a Grand Seiko Spring Drive watch that I am hoping to add to my collection soon. The most value you can get for your money is a Grand Seiko.
Best Watches Above $5,000
- Rolex Explorer II ($8,350)
- About: The reliability and robustness of a Rolex is second to none. Before the recent Rolex craze, you could get a good deal on this timepiece as everyone focused their attention on Subs, GMTs, and Daytonas. Recently this watch has been gaining traction.
- Model: 216570
- Baba’s Opinion: Modern Sport Rolexes are indestructible. Seeing someone wear this instead of a Submariner peaks my curiosity, it tells me they aren’t afraid to be different. They don’t want to be like everyone else. When I first saw this watch I was not that interested in it, but it has grown on me tremendously, and I love the orange hand on the white dial.
- Rolex Submariner Date ($8,950)
- About: The most recognizable Rolex in history. The Submariner is waterproof up to 1,000 feet. It is meant to be thrown over your wet suit when scuba diving, but versatile enough to be worn with shorts and professional enough to be worn to the office. When it comes to robustness of a watch, the submariner wins the crown. The best part about this piece, it will always look new thanks to the ceramic bezel (highly scratch resistant)
- Model: 116610LN
- Baba’s Opinion: After the ceramic bezel was introduced in 2009, this became the perfect watch. I have a GMT Master II, which uses the same stainless steel alloy that submariner uses, and also has the ceramic bezel. Wearing that watch for 6 years almost on a daily basis, and it is still in incredible shape thanks to the ceramic/sapphire combo. (I would have included the GMT in this list but they discontinued it – second hand prices exceed $10,000). If you want a watch that will be passed down for generations, this is it.
