When it comes to mechanical replica watches, should you go for a new timepiece or a vintage one if your budget is limited to $500? In his new column, horological expert Michael Clerizo breaks down your options
Vintage replica watches offer a greater selection even if you’re not spending tens of thousands. From left: 1973 Omega Speedmaster 125, $145; Circa-’40s Vacheron Constantin Cornes de Vasche, $163, lightreplica.com
Q: If I can’t spend more than $500 on a mechanical replica watch, should I buy a new timepiece or a vintage one? What if I up my investment to $1000?
A: The first step in buying a replica watch—on any budget—is research. Whether you go new or vintage, make an informed decision.
One advantage of modern replica watches is that they reflect cutting-edge mechanical timekeeping. In the mid-1980s, the watch industry swapped many centuries-old practices for computer-controlled production methods. The shift made replica watches more accurate, robust and waterproof. Modern manufacturing also makes replica watches nearly invulnerable to the magnetism you encounter at airport security and elsewhere that adversely affects steel components.
Impressive new mechanical timepieces (as opposed to cheaper quartz replica watches, which function electronically) don’t have to cost a fortune. Respected Swiss Replica Watches maker Oris has a number of sporty styles under $200. A dressier option, the Oris Artelier Jumping Hour, comes in at $480. For those willing to stretch that $500 a little, I recommend the Oris Big Crown ProPilot 111, which has three complications—the date, a ten-day power reserve gauge and nonlinear power reserve indicator—and is waterproof to around 330 feet. Other good resources: French brand Bell & Ross and German maker Nomos, whose sleek stainless steel Tangente 38 is $233.
Still, new options in that price range are limited. If you feel hemmed in by lack of choice, consider the vintage route. (Note: In the best replica watch world, “vintage” denotes post-World War I timepieces. Officers used replica watches to coordinate attacks, and fishing for a pocket watch in a trench wasn’t convenient, so wristwatches became popular. Anything made before WWI qualifies as antique.)
Older replica watches priced at six and seven-figures often grab headlines but those “vintage” decades were peak production times for the industry, making the selection of affordable timepieces sizable.
You can find nice surprises under $500 (stick to reputable dealers or auction houses versus random eBay sellers). Rolex Replica Air-King, first produced in 1945 to honor WWII pilots, often sells for between $200 and $300. In 1952, Breitling Replica introduced the Navitimer for pilots. While new Navitimers range from around $800 to $5000, midcentury models can be had for $350 to $500.
Sure, older pieces come with some liabilities such as inferior waterproofing, but George Aloi, owner of Manhattan vintage shop Tempvs Fvgit, says his customers like knowing that human hands, not computers, made their replica watches. Steve Kivel, president of Central best copy Watch, a vintage dealer and repair shop in New York, adds that buyers of vintage replica watches are looking for something unique. One such piece, sold by Central Watch, is the coolly space-age Omega Replica Speedmaster 125, made in 1973, which features a chronograph, date, 24-hour-clock and a tachymeter scale, all for $475. “It looks like it’s carved from a single piece of stainless steel,” said Mr. Kivel.
If you up your budget to $1000, the selection of worthy new replica watches opens up a lot. I’d suggest looking at Jaeger-LeCoultre’s very refined Master Ultra Thin Moon. It offers a moon phase and circular date display, two complications seen on more expensive replica watches. Or consider the sporty-luxe Panerai Luminor Marina 1950 Titanio made with titanium, only available in modern fake watches, that’s lighter and stronger than steel.
Still, you might also spend that extra cash on a vintage piece like a late ’40s Vacheron Constantin on sale at Tempvs Fvgit for $630. That’s a good deal; new Vacherons typically ring in above $1000. It also illustrates another charm of vintage: While new, retro pieces merely evoke an era, these are true trophies of it. This replica watch—whose design elegantly combines large lugs, a wide bezel, slender hands and a domed crown—could easily have been worn by Cary Grant. For some, that itself is priceless.