The Best 3 Watch Collection (2024)

If you follow Instagram accounts with watch-focused content, you may start to believe that amassing as many watches as possible is the goal. Yes, by nature, collectors like to collect, and if you get bitten by the watch bug, the urge for “just one more watch” can be strong. However, we’re here to tell you that not only does a small yet thoughtfully curated collection cover every occasion but it is also easier to manage.You really only need three timepieces for the perfect assortment: a daily watch, a sports watch, and a dress watch. If you’re ready to get started, here’s our beginner’s guide to the best 3 watch collection to help you out.

In this article

The Daily Watch

This watch will be the workhorse of your collection. It’ll be the watch you wear most of the time, therefore, it should complement the majority of your wardrobe and work for your lifestyle. There are no hard and fast rules as to what constitutes a daily watch but definitely keep comfort and durability in mind. You don’t want a watch that you have to be too precious with if you’re going to be wearing it all the time and you certainly don’t want an uncomfortable timepiece that you consistently have to adjust or remove from your wrist.

Also See: What is a GADA Watch?

Also, you’ll want a watch that you can dress up or down — whether for a night out, running errands, or working from home. Think about the combination of shape, material, and color when you’re considering your daily watch. Are you a minimalist, maximalist, or somewhere in between? Do you always wear white-tone metals, gold-tone metals, or a mix of both?Do you prefer round watches or do you gravitate towards other shapes?

Learn more: A Primer on Case Shapes

The Sports Watch

Think of this piece as the weekend watch. Compared to the daily watch, a sports watch will typically have a beefier case, added functionality, and often, more color. Dive watches, GMT watches, and chronographs all fall within this category. They’ll come with extra bells and whistles such as buttons to activate the chronograph (stopwatch feature), bezels that rotate to use as timers, and additional displays on the dial.

Back to Basics:
What is a Chronograph Watch? What is a Dive Watch? What is a GMT Watch?

In terms of style, the sports watch can be its own thing without having to worry about it matching what you’re wearing. In fact, sports watches are often selected for their striking style; they’re expected to grab attention rather than blend seamlessly with your look. So if you want bright colors and bold silhouettes, then go for it.

Almost all high-end watch brands will offer a few sports watch collections. Sports watches have become increasingly popular in recent decades and the following are some of the most famous in the luxury market.

Rolex Submariner, GMT-Master, Daytona, Yacht-Master, Sea-Dweller, Explorer II
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M, Planet Ocean, Speedmaster
Tudor Black Bay, Pelagos
A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus
Patek Philippe Nautilus
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore
Breguet Type XX
Hublot Big Bang
Panerai Luminor, Submersible
IWC Pilot’s Watch, Big Pilot’s Watch
Cartier Pasha, Calibre Diver, Roadster
Breitling Chronomat, Navitimer
Zenith El Primero Chronomaster Sport

Again, the above collections are varied with plenty of different colorways and materials to choose from. Whether a steel diving watch, oversized pilot’s watch, or solid gold chronograph, the sports watch will be the most fun one out of the trio that makes up the best 3 watch collection.

The Dress Watch

Many of us have items in our wardrobe that we wear when we want to look extra sharp. A fave suit, a snappy pocket square, a perfect dress, and some killer shoes. And the timepiece to take out for those occasions is the dress watch.

Whereas the sports watch is defined by its big and bold style, the dress watch sits on the other end of the spectrum, characterized by restraint and subtlety. Dress watches often have ultra-slim cases that sit low on the wrist. They also feature understated dials that are easy to read and more often than not, dress watches are paired with leather straps. Demure design is prioritized over robust durability.

3 Watch Collection Under $5,000

If you have about $5,000 to spend on a three-watch collection, then there are plenty of mid-range watch brands that offer some solid options. Another approach is to look at discontinued models from more premium brands as you can often find good deals on the pre-owned watch market.

Three watches we’d recommend to make a complete collection at $5,000 or less include the discontinued Tudor Black Bay 41 as a daily watch, a Longines Hydroconquest dive watch as a sports watch, and a Frederique Constant Classics Automatic as a dress watch. Here are the prices you should expect to pay:

Tudor Black Bay 41 ref. 79540: Around $2,700 pre-owned
Longines Hydroconquest: $1,775 MSRP
Frederique Constant Classics Index Automatic: $995 MSRP

When thinking about how to spend your budget, generally speaking, it’s best to invest more into the watch you’ll wear the most and least on the special occasion watch.

3 Watch Collection Under $10,000

With a total budget of $10,000 or less, you can start adding more premium luxury watch brands to add to your collection of three watches.

Three watches we’d recommend for a complete collection at $10,000 or less include an older discontinued Omega Aqua Terra as the daily watch, a TAG Heuer Aquaracer Calibre 7 GMT as the sports watch, and an older Cartier Tank Solo as a dress watch. Here are the prices you should expect to pay:

Omega Aqua Terra 41.5mm ref. 231.10.42: Around $3,500 to $4,000 pre-owned
Tag Heuer Aquaracer Calibre 7 GMT Watch WAY201F.BA0927: Around $2,500 to $3,000 pre-owned
Cartier Tank Solo XL W5200027: Around $3,000 to $4,000 pre-owned

Again, it’s always worth looking at the grey market for pre-owned versions to see if you can score a deal.

3 Watch Collection Under $20,000

For $20,000, you can build an impressive 3 watch collection with plenty of big brand names. We’d recommend a Rolex Datejust 41 as an everyday luxury watch, a Tudor Black Bay Chrono as a sports watch, and an Omega De Ville Prestige 39.5mm as an elegant dress watch. Here are the prices you should expect to pay:

Rolex Datejust 41 ref. 126300: Around $11,000
Tudor Black Bay Chrono ref. 79360N: Around $5,500
Omega De Ville Prestige ref. 424.13.40: Around $3,000 pre-owned

Don’t Miss: What is the Best Entry-Level Rolex?

3 Watch Collection Under $50,000

With $50,000 to invest in a three-piece collection, the options are vast. You’re looking at more than $15,000 for each watch, which is a fantastic price point for many luxury watches. Or, you can invest a major portion of the budget in one style of watch (either everyday, sport, or dress) and then divvy up the rest to cover the other two styles.

One great way to spend $50,000 or less on a three-watch collection would be to buy a Cartier Santos as an everyday watch, a Rolex GMT-Master Pepsi as a sports watch, and a Patek Philippe Annual Calendar as a dress watch. Here are the prices you should expect to pay:

Cartier Santos WSSA0030: Around $7,000 pre-owned
GMT-Master II 126710BLRO Pepsi: Around $20,000 on the secondary market
Patek Philippe Annual Calendar 5035R: Around $23,000 pre-owned

More on these watches:
Cartier Santos skeleton dial on the wrist
The Most Popular Rolex Watches: GMT Master II
Historical and Current Patek Philippe Watch Prices From Actual Sales Numbers

3 Watch Collection Under $100,000

With $100,000 in your pocket to spend on watches, you can build a three-watch collection of the Holy Trinity of watches. For example, a Vacheron Constantin Overseas as an everyday watch, an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore as a sports watch, and Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Regulator as a dress watch.

Vacheron Constantin Overseas ref. 4500V: Around $30,000 pre-owned
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore “Bumble Bee”: Around $25,000 pre-owned
Annual Calendar Regulator 5235/50R-001 – around $43,500 pre-owned

The beauty of the Overseas as an everyday watch is that it comes with three band styles: metal, rubber, and leather. Therefore, you can switch up the look of the watch depending on the occasion, which makes it even more versatile.

Related: What is the Price of a Vacheron Constantin Overseas?

There you have it—a guide to building the perfect three-watch collection. With a daily watch, sports watch, and dress watch in your possession, you’ll always have the right timepiece to wear for any occasion regardless of your budget.

More from Grey Market:

Beginner Guides from Grey Market Magazine:
Types of Watches: A Simple Guide
A Primer on Watch Movement Types
An Introduction to Common Materials Used in Watchmaking
A Primer on the Different Types of Watch Bands, Straps, and Bracelets
A Primer on Watch Hour Markers
A Primer on Watch Hands