If you’re new to collecting watches, consider this your cheat sheet to jumpstart a respectable collection. And veteran watch collectors can take a little trip down Memory Lane to their first watch styles—and double-check they have all their bases covered today.

The 5 Watches Every Collector Must Own
1. The Required Chronograph
Baseline collections need a chronograph. The two most desired chronographs are the Omega Speedmaster Chronograph 3510 and a Rolex Daytona 116520. Which you choose may come down to budget, but you cannot go wrong with adding either to your collection’s foundation.

 

2. The Everyday Rolex
Of course it’s not enough to simply own a bunch of fine watches, you actually want to wear them in public. To that end, a stainless steel Rolex Submariner, GMT or DateJust is a must-have. Fondly referred to as “beaters,” they are sleek but durable enough to take a hit, scratch, or nick every now and then.

 

3. The Elegant Evening Watch
Even if you prefer metal bracelets, you need a nice black or brown leather strap watch. These are the kinds of watches you’d wear to a formal event like a posh wedding, a swanky cocktail party, or a fancy fundraiser. Our most-loved styles for these spiffy watches are the Cartier Santos XL, IWC Portuguese and the Panerai Luminor.

 

4. The Conversation Piece
This is the watch you can gush over and even non-watch devotees’ interest will be piqued. This watch should hold a personal value to you: maybe it connects you to a value system (like the American-made Shinola watches); is affiliated with a specific sport you play or love (like Tag Heuer’s Formula One watches), or was worn by one of your personal heroes, as is the case of TrueFacet’s founder Tirath Kamdar and his Omega Seamaster 300 Spectre watch which pays homage to James Bond. Regardless, it’s a watch that you introduce as, “Oh this old thing? Well, actually, now that you ask, it’s really cool because…”

 

5. The Dream Watch
Consider this watch to be your White Whale, the rare and perhaps out of reach watch that you always have your eye on. Rather than remaining content with your amassed collection, keeping tabs on your own dream watch will motivate you to remain an active part of the watch collecting community: staying sharp on the latest releases, keeping tabs on auctions and networking with fellow watch lovers. Our dream watch? The Patek Nautilus 5711 with a blue dial. It’s considered by most to be the Holy Grail of watches.

Want extra help building your watch collection? On the hunt for the must-have addition? Our personalized and complimentary concierge can help you track down exactly what you’re looking for. Contact a representative here.

 

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