From Piaget to Boucheron: A Watch Collector’s Best Finds

“I wear all my watches – there is no reason not to. If I spend the money on a watch, I’m gonna wear it.

I’m good at deals – I don’t overpay for a watch, because I tend to be early on them. I buy what I like, and if the watch goes up in value, it goes up in value, but I’m not buying it for investment purposes.

I just buy what makes me happy.

My advice for any new young watch collector is to buy the watches you like and that speak to you.

Don’t be scared of buying vintage.

Sometimes people are scared of buying vintage because an older watch may not be functioning, and servicing it can be costly. But I suggest having the servicing fee in your buying budget so the cost won’t come as a surprise.

I love Piaget because I’m a big fan of the tank watches, and I am also a jewelry enthusiast, and this brand is known for both. This 70s Piaget is the perfect tank watch, in my opinion, because it has both onyx and gold (18k) on the dial. It’s definitely on my top five list of all the watches ever made. I bought this watch from an estate sale. Whoever had it before me, had it obviously for a long time because this watch is almost 50 years old.

Tank watches are my favorite watch shape, and that’s what I’m known for.

I feel like Piaget is finally now getting more appreciation on the watch side, but it’s always been a heavy hitter in both watches and jewelry.

This vintage Cartier Ellipse Paris dial with 78-1 movement has been a grail of mine for a long time. Cartier is a big favorite watch brand of mine. Cartier is the king of shapes, and this one is extra special as it is not a round one but more like an ellipse. This watch features the original 18-karat gold leather band, is of great size, and was purchased from the Cartier Paris store.

I prefer my watch to be running because then it’s alive. For me, it is much more fascinating when I can hear the watch wind and tick, and when my watch is actually keeping time. It is amazing that a watch can be from the 30s, it is still running, and it can well outlast me if I take good care of it.

This Boucheron Reflet 18 karat gold with a hobnail case is also from the 70s. The 70s and 60s are my favorite eras, as there was a lot of creativity at the time. But I do like 40s watches as well.

I like Boucheron a lot, because it’s another French jewelry house that also makes watches. The house was founded in 1858. This model came out in the 40s, and it was the first watch with an interchangeable watch wrap. It is amazing how timeless this design is. This watch makes me always super happy. I love the details.

Boucheron is less hyped than Cartier, but in the past couple of years, more and more people have gotten to know about it. If you are into watches with a funky style, you are probably familiar with the brand.

Bueche Girod was a goldsmith who worked for Cartier in the late 60s and early 70s. That’s why many watches from that time can have both names, Cartier and Bueche Girod, on them. I was very keen to find this one; it is both designed and made by Bueche Girod. The model is called Baignoire, which means a tub in French.

I love the shape of this watch and the exotic black leather straps – the black straps mean I can wear it with a tuxedo and it’s evening wear appropriate.

This Jaeger-LeCoultre from the 30s has a duoplan, which was advanced at the time. The movement was arranged in two planes, making the movement very small.

How I got this watch is actually a funny story. I got it late last year. I kind of wanted to buy it for a long time, but completely forgot about it until I saw my friend wearing the same model. I’m always looking and buying things, so sometimes I just forget what I have on my never-ending list. After seeing my friend, I went looking online, and I came across this watch, but it was sold. So I’m like, “Oh, whatever.”

But then, soon after, I saw it somewhere else for sale again, and this new listing has exactly the same pictures as the first one I saw. The seller was also selling it for half the price, so I bought it immediately. I had to ask the seller what was going on. He told me he bought the watch for his girlfriend. But the girlfriend didn’t like the watch, and he just wanted to get rid of it. Like I said, I’m really good with deals!”

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