Hidden Gems

The watch market overprices hype and underprices craft. These references from Longines, Hamilton, Seiko, Orient, Nomos, and Certina deliver movements and finishing that would cost three times as much with a different name on the dial. The best value argument in collecting.

These are not budget watches dressed up as bargains. Each reference has a genuinely well-executed movement and a design that holds up against pieces costing multiples more.

10 of 10 in this collection

Longines Heritage 1945 · L4.794.4.66.2
40mmLongines Cal. L609: ETA 2895-2 base, Longines-finished, 28,800bph, 42h PR, 25j; used in Heritage 1945; classic Longines small-seconds automatic2014–present
Open
Longines Flagship 40 · L4.874.4.92.6
40mmLongines Cal. L888: ETA A31 automatic base, 25,200bph, 64h PR; used in Flagship Dress and Dolcevita; Longines standard automatic platform2023–present
Open
Longines Spirit 40 · L3.810.4.93.6
40mmLongines Cal. L888.4: ETA A31.L01 base with silicon hairspring, 25,200bph, 64h PR, 21j; used in Spirit 40 and Hydroconquest Modern; excellent value automatic2020–present
Open
Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 38mm · H69439931
38mmHamilton Cal. H-50: ETA 2801-2 base, manual-wind, 21,600bph, 80h PR, 17j; used in Khaki Field Mechanical; Hamilton-modified for increased power reserve2018–present
Open
Hamilton Intra-Matic Chronograph H · H38416711
40mmHamilton Cal. H-31: ETA 7753 base, Hamilton-modified, 28,800bph, 60h PR, 27j; used in Intra-matic Chronograph H2017–present
Open
Seiko Presage Sharp Edged SPB169 · SPB169J1
39.3mmSeiko Cal. 6R35: in-house automatic, 21,600bph, 70h PR, 24j; hackable, manual-wind; upgraded from 6R15; used widely in Presage and Prospex lines2020–present
Open
Seiko Presage Cocktail Time "Mockingbird" SRPE17 · SRPE17J1
40.5mmSeiko Cal. 4R35: in-house automatic with date, 21,600bph, 41h PR, 24j; hackable, manually windable; used in Presage cocktail and style series2019–present
Open
Nomos Glashütte Tangente 38 · 164
37.5mmNomos Cal. Alpha: in-house manual-wind, 21,600bph, 43h PR, 17j; lever escapement, glucydur ring balance; NOMOS-made in Glashütte, Germany2015–present
Open
Certina DS-1 Powermatic 80 · C029.807.11.091.00
41mmETA C07.611 Powermatic 80: Swiss automatic, 21,600bph, 80h PR, 21j; used in Certina DS-1 and DS-Action; Swatch Group 80-hour platform; silicon hairspring available2019–present
Open
Orient Bambino Version V Open Heart 40mm · FAG04001B0
40mmOrient Cal. F6724: in-house automatic, 21,600bph, 40h PR, 21j; used in Bambino V5 40; Orient manufacture caliber with excellent value; hackable, manual-wind2018–present
Open

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