This is it, boys and girls — TimeCaptain’s top ten timepieces under ten grand. Now, we have already covered great watches under two thousand dollars and watches under five grand. So this category really becomes ten great watches between $5,000 and $10,000. So if you have ten G’s burning a hole in your pocket, here are ten great watches for your consideration. Enjoy…

Rolex Datejust II

To fit in this price category, we must consider the DJ2 with smooth bezel rather than fluted white gold bezel. You can choose between silver, white, black or blue dials. For sure, I prefer silver, with blue my second choice. In this price range, the Rolex actually offers the best value. Rolex make every component of their watches, right down to the steel. The movement is of the highest quality. This is the ultimate standard of quality. Although not an imposing timepiece, the DJ2 is stunning on the wrist for its sheer quality. This is a timeless, all-purpose and supreme timepiece.

Panerai Luminor Base Acciaio PAM00560

Welcome to the P.5000 movement — manual wind and 8 days of power reserve. As Panerai phase out their non in-house movements, the P.5000 becomes their entry level movement. Are you kidding me? An in-house manually wound 8-day movement is entry level? I love it! With the PAM00560, you’re getting the classic 44mm Luminor with this amazing movement. I want one. What more can I say?

Oris Caliber 110

This piece might not belong on this list because it is limited to 110 pieces to mark 110 years of Oris. The steel version does fit the price range, however, and it is a near-perfect dress watch. Oris designed the Caliber 110 movement themselves — manually wound with 10 days of power reserve and a NON-LINEAR power reserve indicator. This shows the power reserve decrease rapidly for the first few days, and then more precisely as you near the end. At 43mm, this piece is a perfect size and it is gorgeous. Not many people will drop 6 grand on an Oris so you might actually be able to acquire one of the 110 pices! I, personally, would love to wear this piece.

Glashutte Senator XL Chronograph

I came across this piece recently and… I want one! At 44mm, it is much larger than most “traditional” pieces and this is great for my wrist size. I just love the quality and workmanship on this beauty and I love the gorgeous and classic chronograph dial. There are white and black dials and they are both great. This is quite a high end piece.

[doubleclick]

Panerai Radiomir 1940 PAM00514

The Radiomir 1940 moves away from the traditional wire lugs of the Radiomir. It has more traditional lugs, which I like. The 514 is a sensational example — 47mm yet slim with a 3 days manual movement that feels fantastic to wind. The distressed leather strap is awesome, too. This could be my next Panerai, although I would prefer it without a date display. The 514 is a little more understated than a Luminor and has more of a classic vintage feel.

Panerai Luminor 1950 PAM00312

If you’re able to spend up to 10 grand, you have to at least consider a Luminor 1950. The 312 offers the superb Caliber P.9000 automatic movement and a clean, simple, typically Panerai dial. The size and shape of the case are what make this piece stand out. These models of Panerai have a very easy strap-change system which allows you collect different straps and change back and forth as often as you want. This, or any Luminor 1950, must be a serious contender, unless you already have one!

Hublot Classic Fusion 45mm

I am not sure how Hublot compare in quality to Rolex and Panerai and many watch snobs dismiss them totally. But the Classic Fusion is one gorgeous piece. There are several variations, but let’s focus on the black or silver dials with black alligator strap. The strap is actually rubber underneath with a leather top. IWC do this as well because it makes the strap last much longer. It is fantastic. To me, this piece combines old-world classic style with new-world proportions and Hublot is a very hot brand. This piece will get noticed and certainly stand out while remaining very dressy.

Calibre de Cartier

How on earth did a Cartier make it onto TimeCaptain’s list? Well, it uses an in-house movement and it is a real stunner. I would focus on the white dial and steel bracelet and it just oozes high end appeal. It wears much larger than 42mm and sits beautifully on the wrist. This piece is more elegant than sporty and I think you must see it before drawing any conclusions.

Rolex GMT Master II

Here, we have one of the most sought-after timepieces of the year. It certainly stretches our price range, but it can be acquired for less than 10 grand. This Rolex offers incredible quality with a GMT complication and a style that it is just… Rolex. This is a solid acquisition and would be suitable in absolutely any situation — with jeans, on the beach, with a suit, for evenings out. The GMT Master II is just classic.

Omega Speedmaster Broad Arrow

If you’re going to spend 10 grand, make sure you have at least one racing chronograph. Oh, how I wish I could include the Dark Side of Moon in this list, but it retails above $12,000. I really don’t know if you could negotiate one down to 10 G’s because it is such a sensational and sought after piece. I like many other Omega chrono’s, however, and the Speedmaster Broad Arrow is a real favorite. I like the white dial version on the black leather strap. Remember, you’re getting Omega’s Co-axial movement here. This is serious stuff and well within the $10,000 limit. It’s a great size of 44mm and really deserves your consideration. Is it in Rolex leagues? I’m not sure. But it has a totally different character and offers racing style with high end quality and movement.

I hope you have enjoyed this post and if your dream piece under $10,000 is not on this list, I’de be curios to hear from you. Happy shopping! As always, the fun is in the search…

Yours truly,
TimeCaptain