HOW TO BUY A WATCH: THE COMPLETE GQ GUIDE

The Classics
Buy any one of these signature watches and you can’t go wrong

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner

Unveiled in 1953, the Submariner was the first watch water-resistant to 330 feet. Its combination of unparalleled elegance and spy-friendly versatility appealed to Sean Connery’s James Bond and none other than Che Guevara.

$5,175

Omega Speedmaster

The first watch to go to the moon (Buzz Aldrin and hisApollo 11 colleagues were wearing them when they touched down on July 20, 1969). Sporty and sturdy, this automatic chronograph is among the most accurate and affordable you can buy.

$3,000

Cartier Santos

Designed in 1904 by Louis Cartier himself for Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, this was one of the first wristwatches built specifically for men. The gold-and-steel self-winding version, released in 1978, is now a standard of gentlemanly elegance.

$4,200

TAG Heuer Monaco

Issued in 1969, this stainless-steel classic was the first automatic chronograph to feature a water-resistant square case. The blue-faced version shown here was immortalized by Steve McQueen, who sported it in the 1971 film Le Mans.

$3,195

Movado Museum

Movado—which means “always in motion” in Esperanto—debuted the Museum in 1947. The minimalist timepiece, which features only an hour hand, a minute hand, and a dot at twelve o’clock, still sits in the Museum of Modern Art’s design wing.

$995

IWC Portuguese

Developed in 1938 in response to Portuguese tradesmen’s request for an oversized watch with precise, pocket-watch movement, this is IWC’s signature model. Available in every imaginable iteration, from the classic automatic chronograph to a “perpetual calendar” model, which features a moon-phase indicator that varies by only one day every 577 years.

IWC Portuguese Automatic, $19,400.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso

The most famous of this Swiss watchmaker’s offerings, and for good reason: It features a reversible case, innovated in 1931 to allow British officers in India to play risk-free polo. Get the classic automatic model, or up the ante with a large, dual-time-zone version with an eight-day power reserve.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Grande Automatique, $7,750.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak

The Swiss company revolutionized sport watch design when it introduced this model, with its octagonal case and eight visible screws, in 1972. The automatic, stainless-steel Royal Oak is now available with all kinds of bells and whistles, from chronograph to tachymeter, and is a big hit with golfers like Vijay Singh.

$15,700

A Man and His Watch

Damon Dash, music and clothing executive

“I have my own watch company, Tiret, but when I don’t wear Tiret I wear Roger Dubuis. It makes a statement because it’s big, but it’s toned-down big. It’s noticeable, but it’s done in a sophisticated way. I stopped wearing it for a couple of years, and then I put it on again, and the magic was re-created. That’s when you know a watch is good. And the movement—you turn it around, you can see the movement. The numbers are big; they’re Roman numerals. Ain’t no diamonds. This is my subtle watch.”

Roger Dubuis, $31,000.

Aged to Perfection

What you should know about buying vintage

If you want a timepiece with stand-out style—or just one that no one else can get—think vintage. But in watchspeak, vintage means more than just cool-looking or rare. Edward Faber, owner of New York vintage retailer Aaron Faber Gallery, uses the term to define collectible watches made between 1935 (roughly when Swiss technological improvements like shockproofing were invented) and 1985 (when CAD/CAM, a computer system that factored out the watchmaker’s hand, became the manufacturing standard).

Whether you’re buying a $500 Hamilton or a $50,000 Patek Philippe, you’re making an investment—one that could pay off significantly over time. Here, Edward Faber, owner of New York vintage retailer Aaron Faber Gallery, tells you what you need to know.

•Buy from a reputable dealer. It should be a member of a professional trade organization (the International Watch & Jewelry Guild and Jewelers of America are best). And if it can’t give you a current certificate of authenticity from the manufacturer, you’re in the wrong place.

•Look for the big two brands. “There’s a pyramid with around fifty top brands,” says Faber, “but at the very apex are only two: Patek Philippe and Rolex.” Stick with them for quality and appreciative value.

•Ask for papers. “Original documentation that came with the watch when it was manufactured, with serial numbers, can add enormous value.”

•Know your metals. “With contemporary watches [those made after 1985], platinum trumps white gold, white gold trumps pink, pink trumps yellow. And all of those trump steel. With vintage watches, though, steel can often trump all the metals.” Why? “A steel chronograph made during the war years, in the ’40s, is extremely rare, and thus more unique and valuable.”

What Makes an Heirloom Watch
Want a watch that will outlive you? Consider the following

•Choose one that goes easy on the bells and whistles—like Patek Philippe’s white-gold Calatrava (shown). “The Calatrava concept is to keep it simple,” explains Hank Edelman, the venerable brand’s U.S. chairman. “This look was introduced in the 1930s to have a lasting style and an elegant, clear, open design.”

•Classic watches from respected high-end companies are pretty much guaranteed to increase in value—because they increase in rarity—over the years.

•Go for a timepiece that’s mechanical rather than quartz. Sure, quartz fulfills the “it lasts” half of the equation—but really, it’s the hands-on commitment and craftsmanship that you want to pass on to your son or grandson.

A Watch for Every Occasion

For Formal Affairs
Your watch should be as precise and understated as your tuxedo. It should be thin, and it should have a black leather strap.

For the Office
If you’re going to own one watch, this is the one. Sleek yet strong, it goes with a suit, jeans—everything. It is an all-day, everyday accessory.

For the Weekend
A chronograph is like a muscle car—big and brawny, it gets you noticed. It works best with more casual outfits, not pin-striped suits.

For Athletics
This is the watch you throw in your overnight bag. Wear it when you jog, cycle, rock climb, whatever. Just don’t be the guy who wears it with his suit to the office.

Secret Service
Your watch needs a tune-up. Alexander Vileshin, of Manhattan’s Watch Central, explains

The Essentials
“You should clean and re-oil the movement every three to five years. This is called a complete overhaul; we take everything apart. It’s better for the watch, but it’s not strictly necessary. Often we can just do a minor adjustment if it’s running slowly.”

What It’ll Cost You
“The cheapest service for a luxury watch is about $400. And if you have a minute-repeater tourbillion or something, it’ll come to four or five thousand dollars. But you’re talking about a watch that can cost around half a million. So it’s reasonable. Really.”

How Long It Will Take
“The average for a Swiss manufacturer is two to four months: American repair shops keep watches four to eight weeks.”

The Exception
“Everything can be repaired except watches that are older than twenty-five or thirty years. The hands might get rusted, but it’s better to leave in parts than have them replaced. It’s like a painting: Fixing it looks great, but it depreciates in value.”

What to Worry About
“Water is the biggest enemy of watches. If you go swimming and do sports, you should have your watch checked every year. The outside case is rugged and big and in steel. But the movement is very tiny and very fine.”

A Man and His Watch

Raphael le Masne de Chermont, CEO of Shanghai Tang department stores

“I have basically seven watches for seven days of the week. But my favorite watch in the whole world is a Radiomir from Panerai, limited edition, white gold, with a GMT alarm. It’s absolutely beautiful. You know, there are not many kinds of jewelry for a man. What can a man wear? A watch is a pleasure for yourself, something you cherish.”

Panerai, $7,100.

Three for the Road
What happens when luxury watches and auto stalwarts make time for each other. Here is a list of some of the best.

TAG Heuer for Mercedes Benz, $3,995.

Panerai for Ferrari, $6,400.

Breitling for Bentley, $6,890.

Girard-Perregaux for BMW Oracle Racing, $9,950.

Time Is Money
What exactly is the difference between a $2,500 watch and a $25,000 watch? Hint: It’s got nothing to do with diamonds

When it comes to serious watches, $2,500 gets you in the door. Anything less and you’ll generally wind up with something that lacks an artisanal pedigree. In other words, it will most likely be mass-produced. “It won’t be as well finished,” says Amit Handa, vice president of Boston-based luxury-watch retailer Alpha Omega. At this price, you’ll generally be looking at simple, well-made watches in a nonprecious metal with few or no complications at all. We recommend this steel self-winding chronograph from Baume & Mercier, made in Geneva—one of the best in its class.

When you get into the highest-end watches, exclusivity is a lot of what you’re paying for—as with this Breguet manually wound chronograph, one of less than a thousand produced last year. If you’re dropping more than $25,000, chances are you’ll get a precious metal (this one’s rose gold with a sapphire-crystal caseback), but the real luxury isn’t about bling. A model like this takes a team of specialized craftspeople several months to make, from the individually blued trademark Breguet hands to the hand-engraved numbers on the dial to the finely polished metal on the movement itself.

Fashionable Times
These fashion labels take their timepieces seriously