Pre-Owned Spotlight: Getting Hip With Geezer Watches
Now, I must admit that trendiness does not appeal to me in watches. I like style over fashion, and something built to last, like a watch, suits that mindset. Still, watches aren’t immune to the fashion cycle. The latest hot trend is undoubtedly the geezer watch. The hippest individuals in our industry no longer walk around with chunky sports watches. Instead, they now don jewelry-esque, small, vintage alternatives.
If that bug has bitten you, here is the Pre-Owned Spotlight for you. Today, I will dig up a handful of vintage watches that bring out the fashionista in you. An oversized army jacket, loafers, and silk neck scarf are optional but recommended.
Image: Watchcollectors.co.uk
Pre-owned geezer watch #1: Rolex King Midas ref. 3584
Nothing says “geezer watch” quite like the combination of a stone dial and precious metal in a small form factor. Let me take you back to 1975 for a fantastic example by Rolex, the Cellini King Midas ref. 3584.
Image: Watchcollectors.co.uk
Now, I apologize for poking fun at the hip crowd. Heck, I even own oversized army jackets and loafers. This King Midas is a watch I would be lucky to own and wear. Sure, it suits the trendy geezer vibe, but it is also simply an amazing watch. This example features a white gold case and an integrated bracelet. The design is stark, commanding, and worthy of a king. The 24mm case houses a hand-wound caliber, keeping the overall watch extremely slender. And then there is that dial. Wow! The vibrant blue splashes off the lapis lazuli surface, only minimally interrupted by an applied crown and three printed words.
This ref. 3584 will fit up to 16cm wrists and costs an eye-watering £35,000 (roughly €42,550). But hey, you will be the venerable King of Geezers.
Image: Huntington Company
Pre-owned geezer watch #2: Piaget Protocole ref. 9154
I feel a personal connection with the Piaget Protocole. Back in my days as a vintage dealer at Amsterdam Watch Company, we regularly had them. I remember them as quite hard to sell because everybody wanted a Cartier instead. Little did we know that the geezer trend was lurking just a few years in the future.
Image: Huntington Company
This watch immediately jumps out thanks to its design. The rectangular case had its corners cut, resulting in an octagon. The vertical ridges give it texture and visual interest. The dial, however, steals the show. Yet another stone dial, this one gives the King Midas a run for its money in terms of cleanliness. It is stern black onyx, embellished with nothing other than a printed Piaget logo. Neat!
Image: Huntington Company
The Protocole is more than just a pretty face. Inside ticks Piaget caliber 9P, measuring a mere 2mm thick. The more prominent of its 89 components feature hand-beveling and beautiful Côtes de Genève finishing. Your US$6,000 (€5,971), then, buys you something handsome with the necessary horological street cred.
Image: Million Watches
Pre-owned geezer watch #3: Vacheron Constantin with lapis lazuli dial
Now, maybe the two offerings above are still a bit too stark and angular for you. Maybe you like the King Midas, but you want your geezer watch even more elegant. Well, allow me to present this Vacheron Constantin alternative with the same recipe of white gold and lapis lazuli.
Image: Million Watches
This watch comes in a 34mm by 30mm case in 18K white gold. Its lugless oval design guarantees an even smaller perceived appearance on the wrist. In true jewelry-watch tradition, the hand-made bracelet is welted to the case for a seamless look. It will take €8,990 to get this onto your wrist, which should not measure more than 16.5cm.
Image: Million Watches
This listing reveals an issue with this genre of watch. Because this isn’t the realm of the spec-hungry watch geek, very little record is kept and presented. The seller does not offer any information regarding the movement inside or even the watch’s reference number. Having traded many such watches myself, I know how scarce such information is. Some good reference books would be very welcome, so if you consider yourself a budding researcher and writer, here’s your niche!
How about affordable alternatives?
Interestingly, you can now buy this style of watch brand new once more. Last year’s Toledano & Chan and Dennison releases immediately spring to mind. The Dennison, particularly, is an affordable alternative, while the T&C is less so unless compared to the King Midas.
Image: Pawndeluxe
Still, if you want a taste of vintage geezer vibes, I recommend quartz watches from Concord. This little-known brand excelled at this particular style. Have a look at this €600 Concord Mariner from a Dutch pawn shop. Yes, you sacrifice the mechanical movements, but you get the look, the thinness, and an unexpectedly nice build and finish. More creative models with crazy bracelet designs can also be found.
Image: Watchcollectors.co.uk
Closing thoughts
There you have it — three fantastic geezer watches and some affordable alternatives. Now, we have to look past the fashionable nature of these watches. It is too easy to discard something as a fluke or only for the hipster crowds of New York and Paris. These watches represent a counter-trend to the oversized sports watches that reigned supreme for a decade or two. While some might overshoot the mark, in the end, they broaden the scope for all of us. They give us new avenues to explore and to blend with what we know and love. And that, my dear Fratelli, is always a good thing.
What would be your dream geezer watch? Let us know in the comments below!
Header image: Watchcollectors.co.uk
