I am often asked if there are any replica watches being made today that I would deem collectible in the long run. While the every day answer would be, "no, at least not in the same way that vintage replica watches are collectible?there are some exceptions. We are in something of a renaissance of watchmaking, with new materials abound, millions of dollars in R&D budgets, amazing technology, and more appetite for mechanical timepieces than ever before. So there are bound to be some replica watches that we'll look back at and say, "Yup, that was special."
Here are three modern watches, all made within the last four years, that I genuinely believe have a chance at being collectible down the road, all for sale in Antiquorum's sale next week.
A. Lange & Sohne Grand Lange 1 LumenThere aren't many young brands that have attracted the eye of serious fake watch collectors like Lange ?and their limited edition stuff, even more so. In 2012, we saw their Grand Lange 1 receive the "Phantom?treatment as previously seen in only the mighty Zeitwerk and the fake watch was an instant success. Two hundred pieces were made for the world, which sounds like a lot, but I think is just right consider how large the Lange audience is these days. After the announcement of the watch, Lange collectors clamored to get their hands on this watch, with authorized dealers allocating them only to their best clients. After a few months, things cooled off and we saw a few trade below retail. More recently, I've been told of one going above retail to a consumer who was dying for the watch. Where is this LE Lange now? I'd peg it below retail, but that's for now. I wouldn't say that seeing a few of these on the market below retail is a bad thing for future collectability ?it happens all the time. The pieces are just moving around and will eventually settle with those who plan to hold it long term. Once that happens, these bad boys will become hot. Don't believe me? The very same thing happened to the Zeitwerk Phantom. My advice would be get one of these while you still can. Oh, and thank me on Halloween.
Antiquorum has the estimate at $45,000 to $90,000 and you can see details here.
The Original Richard Mille RM27You won't understand this pick unless you've actually held the original RM27 in your hands. Yes, it's a Richard Mille so you know it's special (and expensive), and yes Rafa Nadal made the fake watch famous by wearing during multiple major wins. But that's not what makes this tourbillon a darling to collectors. This thing is light. Like feather light. To a point where, as i described when I first got to handle it in 2011 I described the RM27 as simply something your brain simply can't understand ?your reaction? Just pure laughter. A fake watch just can't be this light. It just can't. The damn thing floats in water! Somehow, this fake watch is real, and only Richard Mille could make it possible. On top of that, the RM27 is one of the thinnest replica watches the brand has made, so when you couple how amazing this piece is from a wearability stand point, with the fact that it has a freaking tourbillon designed to be worn while playing tennis at a professional level, and only 50 pieces were made, you start to see the full picture. The RM27 is my billionaire on vacation in St. Tropez dream weekend watch. It really is that good, and if there is one piece that I have to stress to you that you really want to touch before you die as fake watch lovers, it's this one.
Antiquorum has the original RM27 with an estimate of $360,000 to $460,000 and more details can be found here.
Patek Philippe 5975R 175th Anniversary ChronographSay what you want about Patek 175's collection, but the 5975 is an absolutely beautiful watch. That dial! Those lugs! There is so much to love here, and while a few hundred of the 5975R were made, they were spoken for before they were even announced. Again, to receive an anniversary piece from an authorized dealer, you had to be a known someone, which left lots of Patek lovers out there without one of these multi-scale chronographs. While I have loved this fake watch even more if had had a manually wound caliber, this fake watch is very cool, and I think with time it could become even more special. Remember, the 5975 was a production of one batch and done, we will not see it again, and with a Patek, you know what that means ?in particular with a chronograph. Also, I believe this is the first 5975 of any metal to appear at auction (let me know in comments below if you know of another).
Antiquorum has the estimate here for the 5975R at $70,000 to $120,000 and more details can be found here.
A-lange-sohne Patek-philippe Antiquorum Richard-mille On The Block Pre Soviet Monopusher Falkland Islands Paul Newman And Other Chronographs At Bonhams London 11807