The Fratello Watch List: RJ’s Pre-Owned And Vintage Favorites From Breguet, Lange, Grand Seiko, And More
It has been a while since I bought a new watch. And by that, I mean not a pre-owned or vintage one. Just last weekend, I bought another vintage Constellation at a local auction to satisfy my hunger. One of the reasons I refrain from buying new watches these days is that prices of certain ones have risen so much that the pre-owned and vintage alternatives often beat them. Of course, those who are mainly into vintage already know this. So, as some of my Fratello colleagues already have, I hereby share some of the pre-owned and vintage pieces on my watch list.
Image: Amsterdam Watch Company
My watch list
Admittedly, a few recent releases are on my watch list, such as the white-dial Speedmaster Moonwatch and the two-tone GMT-Master II 126713GRNR. However, my list of pre-owned and vintage watches is longer, and whenever I come across one of the watches, it’s like buying a new limited edition. I need to be quick because these watches can disappear in a flash if someone is quicker. It’s pre-owned-watch FOMO, you could say. I’ve seen watches disappear from my Chrono24 Notepad several times because I hesitated too long.
My watch list is lengthy and more about precious metals and a dressy style than steel sports watches. This is very different from, let’s say, 10–15 years ago when I was more into sporty watches. Now, without further ado, let me share a part of my watch list with you.
Image: Delray Watch Supply
RJ’s watch list: A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 101.021
One of my favorites is the Lange 1, preferably one of the earliest references in yellow gold. That’s why I picked the 101.021, which debuted in 1994. It changed “drastically” in 2015 when it received a thinner bezel and a new movement. Of course, in the eyes of those who aren’t deeply into Lange, these were minor updates. I would have picked a version in pink or white gold in the past, but I’ve turned around and embraced yellow gold.
Image: Delray Watch Supply
Although the Lange 1 only came out in 1994, I consider it a classic, and it earned that status rather quickly. It is a beautiful dress watch from one of the great watchmakers of our time. A. Lange & Söhne is a brand that I always look forward to seeing when visiting the Watches and Wonders show in Geneva. There have been mostly out-of-this-world complications in recent years, but nothing beats the classic Lange 1. The hand-wound movement (L90.1) is beautifully finished. It has a hand-engraved balance cock and the famous three-quarter plate that’s so typical of Glashütte movements. The dial, with its off-center display for the hours and minutes, the big date, and the small seconds between 4 and 5 o’clock, has become a truly characteristic look for Lange.
The Lange 1’s retail price has jumped to more than €45,000 for the gold versions, but you can find a beautiful pre-owned ref. 101.021 for around €25,000 with its box and papers. The one pictured above is currently available here.
A complete service for the Lange 1’s movement and case, including replacement of the sapphire crystal, will set you back €1,900. That’s good to remember when you’re buying (or negotiating for) a pre-owned Lange 1 watch. If a watch is offered to you as serviced but with no papers to prove it, consider it not serviced.
Breguet Classique 5157
Fratello “regulars” know that this has been on my watch list for a long time. I was about to pull the trigger on the Classique 5157BA, but then the Tradition 7027BA came along, which I had to have. “BA” stands for yellow gold in the Breguet catalog. Unfortunately, though, there’s not even one yellow gold watch in the current Breguet collection. Hopefully, that will change soon.
Breguet sent us the rose gold version a few years ago, and the watch was just such a joy to wear. Despite the long lugs, at 38mm in diameter and only 5.5mm in thickness, it fits me perfectly. Inside the case is caliber 502.3, which measures only 2.45mm thick and has a decentralized rotor and a 45-hour power reserve. Displaying only hours and minutes, this is the perfect dress watch for me.
Currently, the new 5157 in rose gold has a retail price of €24,100. However, a pre-owned full-set Breguet 5157 in yellow gold will set you back approximately €11,000. The complete service price at Breguet for a self-winding watch with no complications was €990 in 2023. If you want to have your watch polished during the service, there’s a surcharge of €360 (also price of 2023).
Image: Watchive 1956
Ebel Sport Classic Chronograph ref. 8134901
Last year, I purchased a bicolor Ebel Sport Classic Chronograph, often falsely referred to as 1911, with a Zenith El Primero movement. It’s a great watch, but I must admit that I rarely wear it. However, my watchmaker showed me his gold Ebel Sport Classic Chronograph with a wave bracelet, which, quite frankly, looks amazing. That’s something I would most definitely wear more often. Besides being much more expensive than an all-steel or two-tone version, it’s also quite challenging to find. There’s not much supply out there on the pre-owned market. When they appear, they go for around €12,000. The gold Ebel Sport Classic Chronograph on a leather strap is somewhat easier to find in good condition for roughly €4,500–6,000.
Image: Watchive 1956
Ebel today is quite different from Ebel in the 1980s and 1990s, and I have no idea how the brand deals with servicing these watches. The official website managed by the USA-based Movado Group only mentions servicing Ebel’s caliber 137, but the El Primero-based movement is caliber 134. There’s a separate mention of servicing vintage Ebel watches, so I guess one with caliber 134 falls into that category. Servicing an Ebel with the more modern caliber 137 will set you back €790, so we can assume that servicing caliber 134 will be more expensive. The good thing is that there are plenty of independent watchmakers who can service a Zenith movement (as mine does). The gold Ebel Sport Classic Chronograph shown above is currently for sale here.
Image: Amsterdam Watch Company
Omega Constellation Grand Luxe
The Omega Constellation is a family thing for me. It started with my great-grandfather(!) purchasing his in 1966, at age 84, as he needed a watch. He passed away in 1976, and the watch ended up with my grandfather, who had also owned a Constellation since 1969. Sometime in the 1980s, my father received it, and he has cherished it since.
Image: Amsterdam Watch Company
I have a dozen Constellation watches in my collection, including the first one from 1952 in stainless steel with caliber 352 RG inside. However, I would love to own the flagship Omega model of the 1950s, the Constellation Grand Luxe. There are several references with different case styles, including the famous one with hooded lugs (refs. 14355 and 14365). The distinguishing characteristics of a Grand Luxe version are the solid-gold dial and bracelet. You can find these watches with the bumper automatic caliber 354 as well as later movements, the 552 and 561 (calendar), with a normal rotor. The Grand Luxe watches initially came in a silver box, which later made way for an alligator leather Omega box. Prices are all over the place depending on condition and whether there’s a box and papers with it.
As for service prices, according to Omega’s customer service page, it comes to €750.
Grand Seiko 5722-9990
One of the pieces that has been on my watch list the longest is this 1960s Grand Seiko ref. 5722-9990. I first saw it in 2017 during a trip to Grand Seiko that we organized for some of our readers. It was a great experience and similar to the annual media trips that Grand Seiko organizes (which I joined in 2015). One of the attendees was wearing this 5722-9990 from 1966, and I was, and still am, very impressed by its design and style.
You can find this watch relatively easily in the vintage market, but the condition worries me the most. If I buy one, I want it to be in great condition and not overpolished. The Grand Seiko medallion on the case back is often a clear giveaway of an overpolished example. Also, the dial wouldn’t need to be flawless, but I’d want the printing to look crisp. Inside is Grand Seiko’s chronometer 5722(A) movement (hence the reference number). It is a wonderful piece of engineering, but the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute did not certify it. Because the Swiss were very protective of this certification, the Japanese manufacturer decided to remove the “Chronometer” text from the dial in the late 1960s.
Servicing this watch should not be an issue, but it might need to go on a trip to Japan to have it properly done. At this moment, I have no clue about official pricing, but I have seen prices for servicing a vintage Grand Seiko reported between €600 and €800 on forums. If someone has a more precise quote, I am happy to hear it. The prices for these watches greatly depend on the condition, of course. They start at less than €1,000 but go up quickly to around €1,500 for one in good shape.
Image: The Keystone
Now to whittle away at my watch list!
My watch list constantly changes, but the five models described here are the ones I am actively monitoring. Let’s see which one comes first…or if a new release will persuade me to purchase it before one of the above.
