Best Vintage Watches Under $2,000
If you’re looking to add a new vintage watch to your collection, consider these best vintage watches under $2,000.
Vintage watches are expensive to service, you say? And aren’t they pretty fragile? No, if you pick the right watch, including neo-vintage selections from the ’90s and ’00s, you can find some seriously impressive bargains. “In this investment age of watches, some people may think they should pay more on the secondary market, but the reality is that most watches lose value the moment they leave the store. This is a huge advantage for buyers looking to buy a really interesting watch for a fraction of the retail price. With the heritage revival trend, you can often find watches that directly inspired the revival at incredible prices.
Best Vintage Watches Under $2,000
1. Grand Seiko SBGX265
Grand Seiko is on everyone’s lips, from the unspoken secrets of Japan to the haute couture of Paris’ Place Vêndome. And for good reason. It’s a studied choice, with solid build quality and attention to detail that outdoes Rolex without seeming to attract street crime. A pre-owned Grand Seiko will likely plummet before it reaches its peak, so a pre-owned one with hand-finished, intricate details is a great choice. Check out the magical accuracy of Grand Seiko’s in-house quartz movement, with dial art like the deep blue SBGX265.
2. Longines Flagship Heritage Automatic
If you’re looking for an honest example of a Longines dress watch, the Flagship is a great place to start. This elegant model was released nearly 65 years ago and has been so successful that it’s still part of Longines’ current lineup today.
The Flagship is Longines’ ever-popular waterproof and (usually) automatic sports dress watch, available in steel or gold. Launched in 1957 and still in production today, the Flagship range has evolved in much the same way as the Rolex Oyster and Omega Seamaster. As such, it is a solid, robust watch that combines elegance with solid build quality.
The Flagship features a rounded silver-finished stainless steel case, a black lacquered polished dial, and 12 beautifully contrasting diamond studs that serve as hour marker indexes. The watch is water-resistant to 30 meters and has a date window, and is highly scratch and abrasion resistant thanks to the sapphire crystal-finished glass coating over the case window.
An excellent movement, waterproof case, and timeless design are just some of the hallmarks of this classic piece. A Flagship automatic in good condition will cost around $1,500 to $2,000 for a steel case, or about twice that for a gold case.
3. Longines HydroConquest
The Longines HydroConquest, available in quartz or automatic, is a unique and modern dive watch design that stands in stark contrast to the constant barrage of vintage reissue dive watches that everyone seems to be churning out these days. Good luminescence, good bezel action, good finish on the stainless steel case; this is just a good watch from a great brand.
It’s not quite the spec monster that many microbrands put out at this price point, but for an automatic watch, it’s a no-frills dive watch from a brand that’s been around longer than half the time in the U.S., with a 70+ hour power reserve and a brand that’s been around for a while. In fact, I might prefer the 10mm thick quartz option for $2000, but they're both winners.
4. Oris Divers 65
It’s hard to believe that you can get your hands on a vintage-inspired modern dive watch in a 2G, but here it is. A 42mm skin diver with an automatic movement, a fully hashed rotating aluminium diving bezel and a case without crown guard, the Oris Diver 65 is ready to join you under the waves (or on the road, in the office or anywhere else!). Featuring a blue NATO strap, a domed sapphire crystal and a striking blue dial with vintage-style lumineer and date window, this watch is simply a gem among tool watches.
5. 1960s Zenith Defy Automatic
For most of the ’60s, Zenith released classic-style dress watches and chronographs. The late 1960s were when Zenith designs got really interesting.
A great example of their stunning design is the first-generation Zenith Defy, released in 1969. The angular shape and thick markers are a great example of mid-20th-century design. All models were powered by the excellent Zenith movement, which usually had a date window between 4 and 5 o’clock. In the early 70s, Zenith updated the movement and dial, which remained in production until 1975.
You’ll be surprised at how affordable these models can still be. However, the condition of the watch is absolutely crucial. Unfortunately, many cases have been modified over time by overzealous watchmakers, often ruining the unique look. And there are quite a few that don’t have the original dial.
So it’s important to take the time to find a model in pristine condition. Prices for the Defy start at around $2000 and go up to around ￡2,000 for a good model. Of course, you can pay even more for some examples. Incidentally, Zenith models from the 1950s and 1960s all feature excellent movements and are very good value for money, so you can’t go wrong.
6. Breitling Navitimer 806
If you're prepared to tolerate the signs of age and patina, one of Breitling's 1960s Navitimers can easily be had for a couple thousand dollars. The value of the regular models doesn't seem to change much, so don't look at it as an investment, but rather buy it for what it represents: the quintessential pilot's watch, the mother of most of Breitling's subsequent creations, and the world's first smartwatch thanks to its unique circular slide rule." Adrian Hailwood, watchcollecting
7. IWC Pilot Chronograph
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We all love IWC’s rugged look and exclusivity in pilot watches, but they’re all a bit too big and expensive. For a perfectly sized alternative, why not check out the Neo Vintage Pilot Chronograph, which is a sweet 36mm on a steel bracelet. The solid quartz movement and the large crown and pusher design give it a solid chunky vibe, and it is. And in Goldilocks size, it’s a sassy piece that can be dressed up on a leather strap for the odd cocktail party.
8. Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Compression Diver
The Zodiac Sea Wolf GMT World Time in particular, in red bezel color, is a watch I have tried and almost always considered buying whenever I go to my local AD. I really like this watch. It is bright and playful and the world time bezel is a unique twist on the GMT sports watch. The indexes are very polished and trapezoidal and really stand out in the light.
Now this is a fun and playful watch. The Zodiac Sea Wolf Compressor is a bright, flashy dive watch that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The Zodiac comes in a sweet white and blue variation, a striking blue and orange version, and my favorite, a vibrant watermelon color.
This is a vintage-style dive watch that Zodiac claims can actually be reissued. Zodiac was one of the first brands to create the now-familiar modern dive watch, along with Rolex and Blancpain, back in 1953. The Zodiac now uses a slightly modified STP movement based on the ETA 2824. It’s not old enough to make any definitive conclusions about reliability and durability, but it seems unlikely to have any issues. This Zodiac Sea Wolf is a true heritage watch with a perfect case size and a really fun color scheme.
The dial of the red bezel version has a subtle radial sunburst silver finish that beautifully matches the various city names engraved on the bezel. This watch has a bracelet that I think suits it well and has a light and comfortable vintage feel that is not often seen on modern watches.
9. TAG Heuer 2000 38mm
TAG Heuer is the first great Swiss watch for many, and we’re all interested in the steel case strength of a good chronograph. But while the pieces from the ’60s and ’70s are popular with collectors, our pick for the budget-friendly is the ’00s TAG Heuer 2000. This classic panda dial chronograph can be had for under $1,000, and unlike its newer, larger siblings, it has a 38mm case that makes it elegant to wear, and its build quality is impressively bulletproof.
10. Hand-Wound Girard-Perregaux 1960s
Girard-Perregaux has a special ability to capture the essence of a particular era while also pushing the needle further in terms of precision and innovation. Some of the most technically advanced watches, such as tourbillons, minute repeaters and other sophisticated Grande Complication models, define this era. From the 1960s, the Cal. 1525 or 792-227 has been particularly interesting in the sub-$2,000 category.
The Cal. 1525 is a beautiful dress watch from Girard-Perregaux, embodying the best of their technical and design skills. It is one of the few gold watches you can buy in this price range. It features a stunning ‘state-of-the-art’ movement for its time and a gold dial and case back.
Girard-Perregaux’s growing recognition over the past decade has made vintage Girard-Perregaux watches increasingly sought-after by collectors and investors. The sheer quality and rarity of the fine examples, and the average value, are rising. These watches would make a great investment, and for a really nice example in a steel case you should expect to pay around $2,000-$1,500, and for a gold case you should expect to pay about twice that.
11. Orfina Porsche Design, 1972
This is the first watch from the newly formed Porsche Design Studio and was made by Orfina. It was one of the first black watches on the market and it still looks very cool and modern even though it's over 50 years old. Partly because Thanks to its large 39.5mm case. The Valjoux 7750 movement is robust and reliable, and the black finish of the case, although often slightly polished and rubbed, somehow adds a vintage charm. One sold for a total of $2,000 at auction in Paris in early February.
12. Unimatic X Massena LAB Modell Uno
When watch industry veteran William Massena teams up with the design geniuses at Unimatic, you know good things are going to happen! This special edition of the brand’s minimalist Modello Uno dive watch is inspired by vintage military dive watches from the 1970s. You can probably guess which watch it is, no doubt. It comes with a flexible fabric strap that’s reminiscent of a watch made from parachute cord. Powered by an automatic movement, this watch is the perfect adventure watch.
13. Movado Tempo-Matic
The number of interesting case and dial combinations that existed in 1970s watchmaking is truly amazing. Back then, Movado was still producing beautiful tool watches, including this 36mm cushion-case Tempo-Matic. With its multifaceted blue dial, intact tritium luminescent plot, automatic Zenith Caliber 2562 PC movement, and brown Cervo leather strap from the Analog:Shift collection, it’s easy to wear for both men and women, and it makes a lovely gift.
Conclusion
It’s important to note that the prices listed in this article are accurate as of the time of writing in April 2024. Due to the collectability of the highlighted models, you can expect their value to continue to increase.
The stated price is what you should pay when dealing with a reputable dealer who offers a full comprehensive 12 month warranty, 14 day sell or return, 100% authenticity guarantee and excellent after-sales service.
As you can see, the price below $2,000 above is for a steel case watch. This is simply because it is very difficult to find a perfectly serviced or restored vintage gold watch from a reputable dealer that we would recommend. However, steel watches will last longer, so if ￡2,000 is your limit, this is the place to start.
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