Words: Zak Maoui
When it comes to watch advice, what everyone always wants to know is, “which watch should I buy as an investment?” To which, your correspondent’s stock response goes, “Don’t be silly, there’s no such thing… unless you’ve managed to get on the waiting list for that platinum 40th-anniversary Patek Philippe Nautilus that came out last week but was sold out before you even saw a picture; or unless you unwittingly bought a funny-shaped Italian diving watch at a car boot sale in the Seventies and have since discovered it’s an original-issue naval frogman Panerai.” By which time, of course, a glazed, slightly disappointed expression stares back.
The nicer way of putting it is to always buy with your heart rather than your head – just as with art or classic cars, if it depreciates at least you still have something you love. But if you’re still in the mood for building a bit of a classic, hit-parade “watch wardrobe” that will hold its value decently and satisfy you enough to then start cherrypicking some more esoteric tickers, then for £5,000 or less you’re in the market for some surefire sentimental investments that, after a brief dip, may well start appreciating again.
Cartier Tank Must
Cartier’s venerable Tank, famously worn by latter-day hero of the silver screen, Rudolph Valentino. As for the watch’s name? History buffs will recall that the armoured vehicle first came into service in 1916 to help the Allies locked in trench warfare – and rather than paying tribute to a weapon of destruction, one bright spark at Cartier simply noticed that their clever new case shape exactly mimicked the tank’s footprint. The Cartier Tank Must comes in at 41 mm x 31 mm, with a thickness of 8.4 mm, and features the Tank's historic oblong shape and and cabochon-shaped spindel.
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch
Speaking of tanks, it was the explosion of one oxygen tank that set in motion the heroic exploits of Apollo 13’s crew. The Omega Speedmaster chronograph – so perfect for NASA’s needs that it was the only bit of third-party equipment on board the vessel – had already been to the Moon on the wrist of Buzz Aldrin. But it was its use by Astronaut Jack Swigert to manually time the 14-second re-entry burn of his stricken lunar module that earned the Swiss watchmaker NASA’s prestigious Snoopy Award for valour during a mission. If it’s good enough for them, then what other chronograph would you possibly want?
Breitling Chronomat Automatic GMT
Breitling's Chronomat was relaunched in 2020 and quickly became one of the key watches in the brand's catalogue. It is Breitling's tribute to travel, mainly through its dual time zone display, and its lightweight, easy construction. Pep Guardiola is a fan, while everybody's favourite actor-cum-stuntman Tom Cruise loves to wear Chronomats. The Chronomat Automatic GMT is an all-purpose sports watch, meant to cross over between air, land and sea, and has a 200m water resistance. It's essentially a watch for everyone. It's powered by an impressive Breitling Caliber 32, which has a 24-hour scale that lets the user track a second time zone and know at a glance whether it’s day or night.
Tudor Black Bay 54
Tudor's Black Bay 54 is a modern take on the brands first-ever diving watch, Oyster Prince Submariner, which was released in 1954. Now endorsed by none other then David Beckham, the steel Black Bay 54 displays time across a 37mm black dial and is worn on a stainless steel bracelet. Powered by a self-winding mechanical movement, it's an easy watch for guys who just want a watch that does the job (and looks good doing it).
Tag Heuer Carrera Day-Date
Swiss luxury watch manufacturer TAG Heuer first released the Carrera in 1963, and it's been the brand's icon ever since. Designed by Jack Heuer and exuding easy-going elegance, the TAG Heuer Carrera is a classic timepiece. The black azurage dial is extremely practical thanks to the clear day-date display, while a steel H-shape bracelet has been re-designed for greater comfort.
Looking to invest in some timeless menswear pieces? These are the 24 wardrobe essentials every man needs
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