The Case For: The Ultimate Value Three-watch Collection

What three watches would I get with $20,000?

The three-watch collection is a staple in the collector community (and on this site!). Whether you actually have the restraint to only wear three watches is often irrelevant, because the three-watch collection is perhaps most valuable as a thought experiment. It pushes you to prioritize watches that get wrist-time and allows you to easily identify what characteristics you love in your collection. 

Today we’ll be taking a look at three vintage watches with just the right amount of gold for any occasion: A steel everyday watch, a two-tone complication, and a solid gold dress piece. 

Rolex Air-King

Many watch geeks tend to be wary of Rolex when they make their first foray into the wristwatch world, however, the brand is renowned for a reason. When deciding on an everyday watch, it’s hard to compete with a 34mm Rolex — they are tough but not bulky, elegant but not flashy, and they provide one hell of a bang for your buck. It only gets harder to beat when you add the salmon 3-6-9 dial, which cinches the air king into the No.1 spot in today's 3 watch collection. 

This air king was created during an interesting period of Rolex's history. They were not as fragile as the OPs of the 1960s, but not as bulky as their modern counterparts. In my opinion, the Rolex offerings from the 1980s and 90s sit in a perfect balance between sport and luxury.

Image courtesy Amsterdam Vintage Watches

Cartier Santos Moonphase

The two-tone Cartier Santos is a certified heavyweight in the vintage community, and the moonphase is my favorite complication. What could be better than marrying the two? 

The moonphase is often criticized for being a complication for complication’s sake – to which I counter that the time can be found on your phone. The vintage watch community exists because of an emotional connection that we feel to our watches. There is something oddly human about a moonphase, and I love the idea of tracking time in more than one way – it almost feels like a reconnection to a more primal understanding of time. 

In addition to the moonphase, the Santos has a pointer date, which is infinitely better than a date window.

The one downside to a moonphase is that it’s nearly impossible to set the damn things, but this Santos utilizes a quartz movement, meaning that you’ll only have to set it once in a blue moon.

Image courtesy Vintage Watches Miami

Solid Gold Audemars Piguet

I fully subscribe to the belief that everyone needs a little gold in their life – there’s an almost inexplicable feeling of luxury that accompanies a chunk of gold on your wrist. It doesn’t have to be solid gold, and it certainly doesn’t have to be an Audemars Piguet. However, with an unlimited hypothetical budget that is exactly my choice.

A 32-36mm gold AP (or even a Patek if that’s more your speed) can be found under $10k, which provides almost unrivaled value in comparison to the tens of thousands that their steel counterparts are selling for. 

Not to mention, a simple gold AP is an extremely versatile watch. On the factory gold bracelet, it serves as a fantastic tuxedo watch, and on a strap, it can easily slide under your cuff at the office. Don’t let the name fool you into thinking it’s only for formal occasions — it would be borderline criminal to relegate this piece to the back corner of the watch box. A gold AP would look fantastic in any number of casual settings, but paired with an old oversized sweater and jeans? Absolutely dripping with Ivy League style.

All in all, this collection would tick almost every box on many watch nerd checklists. A steel daily wearer, a two-tone complication, and a solid-gold wildcard watch. This 3WC not only ticks categorical boxes, but it also introduces 3 of the most notable watch houses into a collection that still comes in under 20k. By no means is 20,000 dollars pocket change, but in comparison to the rest of the market — and by extension, many of our collections —it packs a ton of value into a very small watch box. 

Jon Tarquinio (@j_tarq) is a regular contributor from Nashville, who has a passion for wristwatches, vintage clothing, and classic cars. If you have a pitch for us, reach out through our Contact form or send it to @iamjoshcameron on Instagram.