The Fratello Watch List: Daan’s Pre-Owned And Neo-Vintage Favorites From Bvlgari, IWC, Breitling, And Girard-Perregaux

Welcome to the second installment of our new series, Fratello Watch List! Thomas kicked off this short series of articles exposing some of our writers’ watch hit lists. We all have a (not-so-)little list of references we plan on owning or maybe just dream of acquiring someday, don’t we? Today, it’s my turn to expose some of my (neo-)vintage wishes, guilty pleasures, and other random references on my Chrono24 Notepad.

Similar to Thomas, I’m not actively hunting for a new watch at the moment. But that’s not because, like him, I’m starting a watch brand. I guess it has to do with a combination of things. My wife and I bought a house exactly one year ago, and we just went through quite a renovation. That means we’re in a state of financial recovery, which doesn’t allow for any big purchases. At the same time, I’m really happy with the watches I currently own, and I’m enjoying them to the fullest. So every piece on the watch list has to provide something very special to make it into my collection, and that’s a tough criterion at the moment. Finally, the current state of the watch market doesn’t inspire me to just go out and impulsively buy watches. However, all this doesn’t mean I’m not looking around, of course…

Image: Wagener-Gold International

Bvlgari Diagono Aluminium

I’ll start with the watch that has the highest chance of joining my collection. This year marks my wife’s and my 10th wedding anniversary. I recently found out that in some cultures/countries around the world, it is symbolized by tin or aluminum. So what better way to celebrate than to get some aluminum watches for my wife and me? I really like the Bvlgari Diagono series, and most of the watches are made of aluminum. The models with the combination of the titanium case and the rubber bezel and strap look so quirky and add something very different to any watch collection.

Image: Wind Vintage

For my wife, it has to be the ref. AL29A, a 29mm quartz version. Otherwise, it’ll be too big for her tiny wrist. She is looking for a sturdier watch for when her Cartier Tank Must SolarBeat feels a bit too fragile. I think this Diagono Aluminium would be a great addition next to that. Prices are in the €500–1,500 range at the moment. For my watch, I’d choose the 38mm ref. AC 38 TA, an automatic chronograph with a bright yellow dial. That one goes for around €2,500. Now I just have to find a pair of these watches with rubber straps that are still in decent condition.

Breitling Aerospace

I totally blame Nacho for this next one. Every time he wears his Breitling Aerospace, I get jealous. His used to be titanium and gold, but the only gold still left is on the dial. I think I’d go for the two-tone model. A Breitling watch should look a bit tacky, right? Oh, and it has to have the italic numerals. They look so much better than the non-italic ones. It could also be nice to find one with an emblem of an air squadron on the dial. But those usually cost quite a lot more than the plain ones. I’m not sure if I’m willing to pay much more than the roughly €1,500 they usually go for.

Image: Shuck The Oyster

IWC Porsche Design Compass Watch

I don’t know if it happens every week, but on many Fridays, vintage watch shop Shuck The Oyster presents its latest arrivals. I always scroll through the new additions, and the nice photography usually makes me stop at a few. This time, it was a more recent IWC Porsche Design Compass Watch ref. 3511 that caught my attention. The clean dial design perfectly complements the case construction. But the real showstopper is underneath the dial, of course, and that is the integrated compass.

Image: Shuck The Oyster

I’ve never seen this watch in real life, but something tells me that the 38.5mm case wouldn’t even look that bad on my 17cm wrist. I don’t know what these pieces usually go for, but I feel that this example, at €5,900, is a bit steep. There’s also an older and darker version on the website. The asking price is a bit lower at €5,500, but I like the natural titanium color a lot better. We’ll see; they might still go down a bit if I wait long enough.

Image: Zeitauktion

IWC Kleine Portugieser

I continue with IWC, but this one is a more classic-looking watch. The brand’s current Portugieser collection looks nice, but the watches just don’t feel right for my wrist. They’re simply too big. I recently saw this 35mm “Kleine” Portugieser ref. IW3531 on someone’s wrist and had to ask if I could take a look. I love the font of the numerals and how they rise slightly above the dial. There’s also a rose gold version, but I’m more of a fan of the yellow gold one.

Image: Zeitauktion

A real bonus is the fact that these watches have an automatic JLC movement inside. When you look these small Portugiesers up online, they sell for roughly €6,000, which is a real steal in my opinion. Throw one on a nubuck strap, and it could be a great everyday watch for people who aren’t super sporty.

Image: Timelounge

Girard-Perregaux Richeville

This final one has been on my watch list for quite a while now. I’ve also mentioned it in a few previous articles already. The Girard-Perregaux Richeville ref. 2710 is just such a nice example of a chronograph. It houses a Lemania 1872 manual-wind movement. The tonneau-like case makes it look elegant, while the big pushers make it look more casual again. I especially like this version with its black dial, Arabic numerals, and beveled sub-dials.

Image: Timelounge

I also feel that about €3,000 for a watch like this is a fair price, and it doesn’t look too much like anything else in my collection. Again, I’d put it on a more casual-looking strap. Maybe a sailcloth strap or even a NATO would look great on this. I’ll let you know when I finally buy it.

All right, that’s my watch list. I really want to stop writing about it now because I feel like buying every one of them after going over them again. Looking at the list now, they all are kind of quirky. I guess that’s what attracts me to them. Let me know what you think about these options, and don’t hesitate to share what’s on your watch list in the comments below!