From independent gems to bold collector favorites, @nycwatchguy breaks down the five timepieces he considers absolute must-haves—and the stories behind each pick.
When it comes to collecting, @nycwatchguy brings equal parts wit, taste, and deep industry knowledge. Known for his irreverent memes and championing of independent watchmakers, the New York-based venture capitalist has carved out a distinct voice in the watch world—one that doesn’t take itself too seriously but knows exactly what matters.
In this latest edition of Must-Haves, he shares seven stand-out watches. From stealthy independents to bold collector flexes, each piece reflects his sharp eye and personal philosophy on collecting.
Shop @nycwatchguy’s Must-Haves here.
I've long been an admirer of Greubel Forsey but always found them to be some combination of too expensive, too big, and too attention grabbing. Over the past few years, Greubel seems to have listened and started to come out with smaller watches. Having just picked up a Balancier Contemporain, I can tell you that you don't know the pinnacle until you've put on a Greubel. The new 42mm carbon-cased Double Balancier Convexe is a mechanical marvel in a very wearable case.
While I wouldn't buy this myself given that I don't wear colored metals, I feel the early Richard Milles remain the brand's best work, and are woefully undervalued by a market that seems to value the ridiculousness of their more modern pieces over the simplicity and technical prowess of their vintage stuff. The RM 001, 002, 003, and 004 are some of the best value that money can buy today at that price point, and I hope that one day the market wakes up.
Both the original orange dial and the now discontinued titanium green dial are great buys in this market. If you're an independent watch collector, you can't not have an MB&F in the collection, given everything Max Büsser has done for the industry. The Legacy Machine Perpetual EVO is a ridiculously complicated perpetual calendar that you can go swimming with–trust me, I've tried it.
This is by far the best watch Vacheron Constantin has released in the past five years, and the fact that it’s currently trading under retail on the secondary market is an absolute travesty. Right now, you have an unbelievable opportunity to pick one up.
To me, dollar for dollar, this is the best watch Patek Philippe has ever made. It's 39mm, has a bursting blue dial, and has diamond baguette indices that are so subtle that nobody knows unless they know. It's insane to think that this watch was only produced for a few years and was still trading well under retail until it was discontinued. Even now, you can basically pick one up for retail plus tax on the secondary market. I've had one in my collection since it first came out and it's definitely a watch I'll never get rid of.
Jaeger-LeCoultre remains one of the most underappreciated brands out there. Year after year, they put out insane bangers and nobody seems to care–nearly all of their watches are absolute bargains on the secondary market. A gyro tourb in a Reverso case is just bonkers, and yet there's one just sitting on Bezel collecting dust, waiting for someone who really appreciates watches to pick it up!
Everyone knows I'm not a Rolex guy. I've never bought one, and I probably never will. With that said–if there was ever one modern Rolex that impressed me, it was the Le Mans Daytona. Can I justify the hefty secondary market premium? Absolutely not. Do I wish I had unlimited money to be able to buy one? Also no–I think you only really appreciate things if it kinda hurts when you buy them. But goddamn, I wish I had a Rolex relationship to be able to get one of these.
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