Fratello Favorites: The Best Vintage Watches Under €5K — Lex’s Gold Picks From Audemars Piguet, IWC, And Minerva
I need gold. My watch collection lacks precious metal, so with that in mind, I started looking for gold watches on a budget of €5K. Please enjoy my gold choices from Audemars Piguet, IWC, and Minerva. And yes, my colleagues told me I cheated by choosing the steel-cased Minerva, but I responded that the gold details on that chronograph with a GMT function were simply irresistible.
Going for gold on a budget — yes, it is possible. I looked for small, snazzy, dressy gold watches to spice up my modest collection. And guess what: I was spoiled for choice!
Image: Bulang & Sons
The best vintage watches under €5K — Audemars Piguet Ultra-Thin
It’s tiny, but this Audemars Piguet Ultra-Thin with its 33mm 18k yellow gold coin-edge case is very charming. It’s a combination of factors that make this 1980s creation irresistible. First, there’s the movement. Inside the small case beats the Audemars Piguet caliber 2003. As you might know, this movement is based on a Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber and also saw action in different Vacheron Constantin creations. Fun fact: when caliber 2003 debuted in 1946, this 1.64mm-thick hand-cranker was the world’s thinnest mechanical watch movement.
The movement is a nice start, but it’s the two-tone dial that seals the deal. It features a subtle grainy off-white inner portion, and around it is a brushed silver ring with black Roman numerals. Don’t expect any luminous material anywhere. This watch has no need for it, not with its dressy dial and elegant blued leaf-style hands. The Audemars Piguet signature on the dial is the icing on the cake that will set you back €4,900. Take a look at Bulang & Sons if you want to know more about this cute little “AP.”
Image: Miquel Schmuck und Uhren
IWC Portugieser red. 1810
Dressy in a utilitarian way, this IWC Portugieser ref. 1810 I found on Miquel Schmuck und Uhren (ignore the header stating the wrong reference number) is a 35 × 10mm 18K gold watch that blends functionality with style. It’s easy to read and quite sturdy, as once preferred by two Portuguese merchants in the late 1930s. This ref. 1810 from the late 1970s also displays plenty of elegant swagger and doesn’t look bad in formal situations.
Inside the case beats the automatic caliber 8541B, displaying hours, minutes, and seconds on a distinct gold-colored dial. I don’t mind the date window at 3 o’clock. Having a date aperture is a reminder that while this watch might look suave and upper-class, it doesn’t deny its heritage. And it does all that for “just” €2,999.
Image: Amsterdam Watch Company
Minerva GMT/Chronograph ref. A241
Okay, this watch has a steel case, but I hope you can give me a pass since it’s the gold touches that made me pick this Minerva GMT/Chronograph ref. A241. I spotted it at Amsterdam Watch Company for €3,550. So, the 37mm case may be executed in ordinary stainless steel, but the noble gold-colored hour markers and hands caught my attention. These golden accents contrast nicely with the gray dial, and although a bit cliché, the red detail adds a vibrant extra element. I perceive this Minerva’s attire as a gentleman in a tuxedo combined with black, white-soled sneakers and a red pocket square. It sounds awful, but it works surprisingly well in person.
Nowadays, Minerva is under Montblanc’s wings, but the watchmaker from Villeret has been active since 1858. The brand has made a name for itself by constructing many watch movements. You might know of the Pythagore movement, and the chronograph calibers, which are easily recognizable by the Minerva arrow, are famous among watch fans. Unfortunately, modern-day Minerva chronographs are only available in the higher price echelons. This example from 1990, though, is much more accessible. One bonus is the dual-time function. When it left the Minerva workshop, this GMT/Chronograph ref. A241 was also a COSC-certified chronometer. I’m not sure if it still runs within chronometer specs, but being fashionably late to a fancy party will help you make a confident first impression. The watch will make sure the second impression is equally lasting.
So, what do you make of my current favorite vintage watches under €5K? Tell me your thoughts, and if you have any good suggestions for gold watches within the budget, please share them in the comments.
