The Fratello Watch List — Nacho’s Pre-Owned And Vintage Favorites From Breitling, Rolex, Omega, And Cartier
The thrill of the chase is often greater than that of the catch. It’s a simple cliche yet one that likely resonates with most watch collectors and enthusiasts. We’ve all been there, spending our evenings scrolling through listings of a very specific or purposefully ambiguous search, hoping to strike gold. As a result of these deep dives, we likely all have an ever-expanding list of favorites in each of the apps we use in our neverending hunt. In the Fratello Watch List series, we give you a peek at some of those watches. Today, I’ll be sharing with you some of my pre-owned and vintage favorites. These are the watches that I’m patiently taking aim at while biding my time, holding my breath, and waiting for all factors to align before pulling the trigger.
Admittedly, that’s not always the way it goes. Sometimes, certain watches end up taking up a semipermanent residency on the watch list. Other times, the eye begins to wander, and new favorites replace those that have grown a bit stale. Today, I’ve gone with four watches that I’ve had my eye on for several years now. I don’t necessarily feel an urgency in getting them, but they are examples of the kinds of watches that I keep landing back on each time I find myself going full circle. Though it’s more realistic that some charming bargain will end up in my collection in the meantime, these are the top contenders for major purchases going forward. We begin with an old favorite and a watch that, now more than ever (due to the not-insignificant drop in pre-owned-Rolex prices), finds itself teetering on the edge of ending up on my wrist.
Pre-owned and vintage favorites — Nacho’s first pick: Rolex Explorer II 16570 “Polar”
Those of you who have been reading along for a few years now will already have guessed it. My first pre-owned favorite is the Rolex Explorer II 16570. A couple of years ago, I wrote an article in which I expressed the feeling that prices for this watch were on their way to becoming unattainable. And so they did, reaching highs of €10K–13K depending on the condition and the integrity of the set of box and papers provided. It’s not news to anyone that since the 2021 highs, we’ve seen a steady decline in prices on the pre-owned market. The 16570 has been no exception. Currently, a Rolex Explorer II in good condition will set you back around €7,500, but if you’re willing to overlook a full set, you can snap one up for as low as €6,300.
It’s still a lot of money for a watch that, just 10 years ago, could easily be had for somewhere around €3,500. But the current prices are truly something I never thought we’d see again. I’m beginning to think that what once became a given-up-on-grail may potentially be back on the menu. Why do I like the Explorer II so much? And why the five-digit reference specifically? Well, I’ve expressed it in detail in the aforementioned articles. Essentially, though, it comes down to the fact that it was not a popular Rolex model. In fact, it was easily the least popular for many years. Yet, looking at it, it strikes me as a charming, balanced, cleverly designed tool watch with a sense of purpose and not a shred of luxurious pretense to water it down. It’s still a Rolex, sure. But it’s the Rolex that’s right for me.
Image: Analog:Shift
My second pick: Breitling Navitimer 806
I came into the Breitling brand through what some would consider to be the back door. I’m referring to my beloved Aerospace F65362. To me, this felt more like sneaking in through an open window into a party. You don’t quite know who’s there, but once you make your way around, you realize that there are a couple of people (or watches) that you could certainly enjoy spending some time with. A Navitimer always felt a bit obvious, especially when those that I was familiar with were modern iterations. Enter Tomas Rosputinsky. You may know Tomas from his weekly column on vintage watches here on Fratello. Well, earlier this year, he submitted an article on his all-black Breitling Navitimer 806, and that’s how I discovered my latest crush in the brand’s vintage catalog.
Now, as much as I love Tomas’s original all-black-dialed version, it’s the later panda-dialed models of the 1960s that often end up on my watch list. These are not only significantly more affordable (around €5K–7K to the black-dialed model’s €10K–15K), but they also feature the distinctive and incredibly cool twin-jet logo. To me, the 41mm Breitling 806 models from the ’60s are perfect examples of what makes the brand’s vintage watches so appealing. From the incredible density of information from the slide-rule bezel to the highly-contrasting time-telling and chronograph elements, everything has a great sense of purpose that, in my opinion, put it up there beside the Speedmaster as one of the greatest sports chronographs ever designed.
Image: Trophies Watches
My third pick: Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 2504.50.00
This third pick is one I’ve had my eye on for a while. To me, this 36mm Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra is a great alternative to the Rolex Explorer 114270. This glossy-black-dialed generation of the Aqua Terra has always been highly underrated. And though the larger models tended to be more popular back then, the 36mm alternative flew under the radar. Perfectly proportioned, the watch also features a nice and subtle date window at 3 o’clock and is a clear example that sometimes less is more. Speaking of “less,” this Aqua Terra also features less high polishing than current models. In fact, the whole bracelet is brushed, and only the outer sloping angle of its distinctive lyre lugs and bezel are polished.
It has a perfectly balanced blend of sporty and classy in a wonderfully understated package. In fact, this could be a serious contender for the greatest GADA watch of all time. Even these older models feature Omega’s Co-Axial movement and will, therefore, set you back a fair chunk more than Seamaster 300M models from the same era. This particular example is listed at €3,795 on Chrono24, but they can be had anywhere in the €2,700–4,000 range. If you want an even less expensive alternative, you can always opt for its quartz counterpart (ref. 2518.50.00), which can be had for less than two grand. Either way, you really can’t go wrong.
Image: Wrzeciono Czasu
My fourth pick: Cartier Tank Américaine 1741
We all know that my taste in watches is primarily sporty. Give me a titanium tool watch with a bezel and plenty of water resistance, and I’m happy 99% of the time. However, there’s a side of my taste in watches that I feel needs to be represented here, and that’s the occasional dressy transgression. I foreshadowed this pick on my list of best watches under €10K in early September. To provide a bit of classy relief to the otherwise sporty list, I’ve gone with the Cartier Tank Américaine. But it’s not just any Tank Américaine. The one I’ve selected is the automatic model in 18K white gold, also known as reference 1741.
These can still be found pre-owned for around €6,500–7,000. This is surprising because the current stainless steel Tank Américaine is priced at €6,800. So as long as you don’t mind going pre-owned, you can upgrade to white gold for just about the same price. The one that’s been lingering on my list is being offered by Polish dealer Wrzeciono Czasu on Chrono24.
Image: Wrzeciono Czasu
As you can see, this model features a date window at 6 o’clock. Love it or hate it, it’s easy enough to ignore. As you can also see, this older version also features a nice guilloché pattern on the central part of the dial. It’s a classy Cartier Tank for those special occasions that call for something a bit dressier.
Luminova-dial 16570 — Image: Bulang & Sons
Final thoughts
There you go, folks — an inside look at some of my pre-owned and vintage favorites that you’ll find on my watch list. There are at least a handful more I could have included. After all, it’s a list that never stops evolving and changing. However, these four give you a taste of the kinds of watches I’ve got my eye on at any given time.
Image: Wrzeciono Czasu
What do you think of my picks? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. I’d also love to hear which watches you have on your watch list. Leave those below as well.
