Pre-Owned Picks – Bvlgari, AP, Rolex, Tudor and JLC

Our preferred pre-owned picks for week 3

January 17, 2020

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I spent the past week in Dubai, where Bvlgari, Hublot, and Zenith presented their 2020 novelties. And I’m pleased to say that I came away inspired. That inspiration manifests in one of my pre-owned picks this week

Every week we pick a few pre-owned watches from Chrono24, the largest market place for wristwatches in the world — watches that we love ourselves, or think they will be interesting to you. So to be clear, we picked the watches, Chrono24 only sent us the images without their watermark and in a proper resolution.

Pre-Owned Picks Of Week 3

Last week we included Jaeger-LeCoultre, but not a wristwatch! Making it on to the pre-owned picks list was one of their beautiful Atmos clocks. This week, in a special effort to appease those JLC fans that felt a bit hard done by, I’ve selected one of my favorite Reverso models.

Then, we have Audemars Piguet. But rather than feature yet another Royal Oak, we’ve gone with a less-often seen Starwheel. If you haven’t heard of this watch before, keep reading.

Next up, a bundle from the Crown! A Rolex Submariner (no date) and one of my favorite Tudor models, the Black Bay GMT. As a result, the entry-price has gone up slightly from previous lists, but don’t worry: We’ll back to choosing something around the €1000 mark again next week. For now, though, let’s enjoy the high life!

Bvlgari Octo Solotempo 102121 BGO38BSLD (€4,290)

The latest Bvlgari Octo Finissimo watches really impressed me, but the steel one starts at €11,900, and that’s still a reach for many of us. However, Bvlgari’s regular Octo collection is far more accessible (and practically the same design). The Bvlgari Octo Solotempo 38 is a beautiful tribute to Genta’s designs for Bvlgari. Inside is Bvlgari’s in-house caliber BVL191 movement, which has a power reserve of 42 hours.

This reference 102121 was introduced in 2015. The one on offer dates back to 2017 and comes with all paperwork and the original box. If I am not mistaken, the official retail price was around €6,000, and this pre-owned offer from a Parisian dealer has a €4,290 asking price. Not bad at all for this 38mm watch with an in-house movement. And who could turn their nose up at a bit of Genta DNA on their wrist for that price? Click here for the offer on this Bvlgari Octo.

Audemars Piguet Star Wheel 25720 (Price on request)

I hate ‘Price on request,’ but there’s only one AP Star Wheel for sale at the moment, and it’s too exciting to ignore. This watch has an unknown production date (yet the Italian seller states all paperwork is there), but my guess is the early 1990s. The Star Wheel was introduced by AP in 1991, with three disks that move around as satellites on a rotating ring.

The three discs are indicating the hours. The hours (printed on three transparent discs) indicate the minutes (printed on the dial) as they complete their transit around the dial and each other. It’s kind of like a traditionally-styled Urwerk mechanism. The central rotating mechanism that carries the three discs turns 360 degrees, one full turn, in 3 hours. This Star Wheel was available in gold and platinum, and you’re looking at the 18k gold version.

Audemars Piguet caliber 2124 powers this movement. At 36mm, this is a very neat watch, and if the price is right, you are buying something way more special than most gold 36mm watches from one of the big Haute Horlogerie brands. Since the seller has not put a price tag on this, I would say it is around €10,000. Click here for the offer on this AP Starwheel.

Rolex Submariner 14060 (€6,749)

I always wonder why someone can’t go to the trouble of aligning the bezel properly when taking a picture, especially when you want to sell something. But that’s ok, it is a Rolex in steel, and those are hot enough for any willing seller to get away with murder. This Submariner might not be the sizzling hot 14060M four-liner, but it’s still a fresh alternative. Before you dive in on this neo-vintage Super-LumiNova model from 1998 (which comes with the box and papers at an acceptable price), check out our other articles on Subamariners here and here.

Caliber 3000 has been the topic of many discussions online. Most of you old-timers will remember Walt Odets’ article on the Explorer with this movement. If not, you should really dig it out. It is a 17 or 18-year-old article that was written from a watchmaker’s perspective when the Explorer with caliber 3000 still had a $2,500 price tag.

This is a no-nonsense Rolex from the 1990s and the generation before the ceramic bezel and beefy lugs were introduced. Rattling bracelet, lug holes and an aluminum bezel insert for the traditionalists. If only it had tritium lume (that would have been the cherry on top). At least this one still glows in the dark. Click here for the offer on the Rolex Submariner 14060.

Tudor Black Bay GMT (€3,350)

The most affordable watch of this week’s Pre-Owned Picks is the highly sought-after Tudor Black Bay Pepsi GMT. The retail price for the version on a leather strap is €3,550, so the market price of a pre-owned one in mint condition (never used, according to the seller, but the watch was stamped on 19/5/2019) is not far away from the retail price. It shows how big the demand for these watches is. It seems authorized dealers are unable to get a steady stream of stock in store.

Introduced in 2018, the Black Bay GMT is one of the most sought-after Tudor watches along with the Black Bay 58. It is amazing how Tudor has prospered since its re-introduction to the European and USA markets less than 10 years ago. Tudor is a strong brand with lots of fans and enthusiasts, and the current groundswell of interest in the new collection is stoking activity in the pre-owned market. From the moment it launched, this model was earmarked as a future classic — a must-have for collectors old and new. And I have to agree. I think this GMT might be my favorite Tudor as well.

A future classic…

For me, the BB58 is a bit too small, and this one reminds me so much of my beloved Rolex GMT-Master II 16710 (the one I shouldn’t have sold in the first place) that I can easily see its appeal. The Tudor Black Bay is one of the nicest and most interesting watches your €3,000 budget can buy you, in my opinion. We covered and compared this watch (in-depth) to the Rolex GMT-Master in this article on Fratello. This is definitely a watch you will enjoy for a long time, I am sure. If you can buy one new at retail, we suggest you do so. In case you can’t, the pre-owned market is the way to go. Click here for the offer on this Tudor Black Bay GMT.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Reverso Ultra-Thin (€7,900)

In 2011, Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrated the 80th anniversary of the Reverso with this Grande Reverso Ultra-Thin Tribute to 1931. I did a lengthy review of this watch back in 2013 here on Fratello. My opinion about this watch is the same now as it was back in 2013 (although the price was quite a bit lower than it is today). It is an icon within an iconic collection. The Ultra-Thin measures 7.2mm and the dimensions of the case are perfect for a large(r) wrist.

Normally, the Reverso is not my style, but with a suit or shirt with cuffs, it simply looks awesome. This model is stamped with nothing but ‘Reverso’ on the dial, in keeping with the earliest models from the 1930s. It takes some serious cajones to leave your brand name of the dial. JLC does this with confidence and it looks awesome. The caliber 822 movement is a beautiful movement, and while it is hidden under its steel case back if there is one model for which this makes sense it’s the Reverso.

It takes some serious cajones to leave your brand name of the dial.

I might prefer the new version in burgundy red, but I know it’s not for everyone. This pre-owned watch dates back from 2012, comes with everything (box and papers), and is offered to you by a dealer in France. Click here for the offer on this JLC Grande Reverso Ultra-Thin.

As always, with pre-owned watches, make sure to do your (own) research. Also, feel free to make an offer on these watches (remember, these are merely asking prices), and don’t be afraid to discuss the warranty the seller can provide. Chrono24 offers its Trusted Checkout system, so you have proper buyer protection (more here). But it never hurts to be surer than sure. Always do your homework. Spending adequate time on a purchase can help minimize frustrations further down the line.

Happy Hunting!