Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches Under €10K —Thomas’s Picks From Rolex, Zenith, And IWC

We are back with another series of Fratelli Favorites. After a few more accessible price points, we are now looking at the best watches under €10K — or, at least, our favorites under €10K since this will always be highly subjective. As is often the case, I get the honor of kicking things off, leaving me spoiled for choice.

While I may have all the options open to me, I do find myself gravitating towards classics. I am sure some of you will find my picks boring, and perhaps they are. But I cannot help but long for these watches over more exotic choices. So, don’t grill me, will you? Consider yourself warned. Now, let’s dive in!

Best watches under €10K — Pick #1: Rolex Submariner No-Date ref. 124060

I recently did a hands-on with the current Rolex Sub Date (126610LN) and found myself in two minds. On the one hand, I deeply admired the watch and appreciated its technical refinement, solidity, and archetypal design. On the other hand, it felt a bit too perfect, leaving me preferring a five-digit alternative.

Still, in today’s market, the 124060 is easily one of the best watches under €10K. I think a solid top-five of iconic watch designs should include a Speedy, a Tank, and a Sub. The Submariner is one of those watches that crossed over into the awareness of the greater public outside the enthusiast world. It is truly an icon within our little sub-universe—pun intended…sorry.

Image: The Watch Club

Now, €9,500 is an eye-watering amount of money. But, if you take everything into consideration, I think the current Sub is a good buy. Few watches under €10K can rival its build quality, timelessness, versatility, heritage, and—dare I say—resale value. And with waiting lists having become a lot more manageable, you can now actually get one if you put your back into it. In fact, if you consider this, my other two picks will make the Submariner look…well…affordable.

The best watches under €10K — Pick #2: Zenith Chronomaster Revival Shadow

My second pick is a little less of an obvious choice. It is the Zenith Chronomaster Revival Shadow, coming in at €9,600. Yes, I am maximizing my allotted budget today. I have a soft spot for Zenith, although I always struggle to point at models I would actually buy for myself. However, the Chronomaster Revival in the “Shadow” guise is one.

This is a micro-blasted titanium watch with a diameter of 37mm. Due to its elongated case, it wears quite a bit larger than your average 37mm watch. Inside, we find the legendary El Primero caliber, which makes this a more obvious pick after all. What I love about this chronograph is the monochromatic look and super-dull surfaces. It feels ominous and tool-like, but its anthracite case is a little subtler and warmer than truly blacked-out alternatives.

The Zenith is top-notch in terms of finishing and the feel of operating the chronograph. The light case feels silky to the touch, thanks to the surface finishing. The pushers have that lovely click of a truly great column-wheel chronograph movement. The smooth sweep of a 36,000 BPH caliber also helps in the overall impression this leaves.

The best watches under €10K — Pick #3: IWC Big Pilot’s Watch 43

My third pick for the best watches under €10K is probably a little more controversial. This one split our office right down the middle when it arrived at Fratello HQ. Our own Lex felt it was a pale reflection of a “true” IWC Big Pilot. I loved it. I was fully prepared not to until I wore it for a few days. It left me scouring the internet for a good deal, even though my watch fund was empty. Ultimately, I never came around to it, but I was close…

I will gladly admit this watch isn’t technically impressive like the Submariner or the Chronomaster. This makes it hard to swallow that it is the most expensive of the three, at €9,700. The thing is, my mind does not really work this way. I don’t go out and compare specs and prices. I explore how a watch makes me feel, and then I consider whether that feeling is worth the money. This an irrational approach, sure. But it is an approach that leaves me enjoying the hobby that much more.

And so, here we are. This Big Pilot’s Watch 43 is on my list of personal favorites. Why? Precisely because of how it made me feel. Watches like the Submariner are very much at the core of my comfort zone. They look and feel like most of the watches I wear daily. Something like the Big Pilot is a complete outlier. It’s retro aesthetic and oversized wrist presence—this is the biggest one I can pull off to my taste—just sing to me. Weirdly, this feels like a watch that requires more justification than a Sub or an El Primero, but I love how it looks on my forearm. In the end, that is all that matters, isn’t it?

Honorable mentions

Now, my three picks for the best watches under €10K hardly do justice to everything that is out there. I have left out the Omega Speedmaster Professional, for instance. As much as I love that watch, I figured I’d leave it for even bigger fans among us. I am sure RJ will have it on his list. In fact, I’d be shocked if he didn’t.

Another absolute favorite of mine is the Rolex Explorer 124270. However, I decided to stick to just one Rolex for my list. Also, I figured my list would get too on the nose if I swapped the IWC or Zenith for this. I also considered the Santos de Cartier Medium, but I prefer the discontinued Santos Galbee XL. So, I left it out.

The best watches under €10K when going preowned

Now, what if preowned watches were allowed for my best watches under €10K? I would surely look at Jaeger-LeCoultre. Both a Reverso and a Polaris would come into consideration for me. My grail neo-vintage Submariner Ref. 14060 would be a candidate, too. In the same vein, I would have difficulty choosing between the current Explorer and an 114270.

Vacheron Constantin 6405 in white gold — Image: AWCo

I would also look at vintage dress watches. Within budget, you can pick up beautiful gold Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet watches from the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s. Something small and thin, with a minimalist dial layout, would work for me!

All in all, the sub-€10K segment provides plenty of options, and so it should. Again, I lean towards classics with a budget like this. I am confident some of my colleagues will come with some more radical and exotic choices. I, for one, am looking forward to that, but I will stick with my boring choices myself. They just keep me infatuated for longer.

What would be your picks for the best watches under €10K? Let us know in the comments below.