Luxury Watches for Men

A great men’s luxury watch is one of the few things you can wear every day for decades. Luxury Bazaar carries hundreds of pre-owned and unworn luxury watches for men, from the Rolex Submariner and Omega Speedmaster to the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Patek Philippe Nautilus and Richard Mille. Every watch is authenticated by our in-house team and backed by our 2-year Luxury Bazaar warranty. This guide covers the best men’s watch brands, the most iconic models and what they actually sell for, and how to choose the right watch for you.

Why Buy a Pre-Owned Men’s Luxury Watch?

• No waiting lists: many of the most popular men’s watches, such as the Rolex Daytona and the Patek Philippe Nautilus, are hard or impossible to buy new at a boutique. On the pre-owned market you can buy them today.
• Discontinued and vintage models: references that are no longer made, like the Patek Philippe 5711 or older Rolex sports models, are only available pre-owned.
• More choice: pre-owned lets you compare dial colors, sizes, metals and generations side by side across every major brand.
• Peace of mind: at Luxury Bazaar every watch is checked by our watchmakers and covered by a 2-year warranty, so buying pre-owned is as safe as buying new.

A Short History of the Men’s Luxury Watch

Until the early 1900s most men carried pocket watches. That began to change in 1904, when Louis Cartier designed the Santos for his friend Alberto Santos-Dumont, a pioneering aviator who needed to read the time without taking his hands off the controls. Wristwatches proved their worth in the First World War, and in 1926 Rolex introduced the Oyster, the first truly waterproof wristwatch case.

The decades that followed gave men most of the watches still sold today: the Rolex Submariner in 1953, the GMT-Master in 1954, the Omega Speedmaster in 1957 and the Rolex Daytona in the 1960s. In 1972 the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak introduced the luxury steel sports watch, followed by the Patek Philippe Nautilus in 1976. Those designs remain the most sought-after men’s watches in the world.

The Best Luxury Watch Brands for Men

• Rolex: the most recognized luxury watch brand in the world, known for tough, precise sports watches like the Submariner, GMT-Master II and Daytona, and the classic Datejust.
• Patek Philippe: often called the pinnacle of watchmaking, with icons such as the Nautilus, the Aquanaut and the Calatrava, as well as some of the world’s most important complications.
• Audemars Piguet: the creator of the Royal Oak, the steel sports watch with an octagonal bezel that started the luxury sports watch category in 1972.
• Omega: the maker of the Speedmaster Moonwatch, the first watch worn on the moon, and the Seamaster dive watch, with excellent in-house Co-Axial movements.
• Cartier: the Santos and the Tank are two of the most influential watch designs ever made, and both remain favorites for men who want something elegant and different.
• Tudor: Rolex’s sister brand, known for the Black Bay and Pelagos, offering vintage-inspired design and in-house movements at an approachable price.
• IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Vacheron Constantin: respected manufactures for pilot’s watches, the Reverso and elegant dress watches, as well as the Overseas sports watch.
• Richard Mille: ultra-light, high-tech watches made from materials like carbon and titanium, worn by star athletes and collectors.

Explore every brand we carry on our Shop by Brand page.

Iconic Men’s Luxury Watches and What They Cost

These are the men’s watches our clients ask for most. The price ranges below are based on what these models have recently sold for at Luxury Bazaar, from the most common steel references to rarer metals and editions. Every listing on this page shows its current price.

• Rolex Submariner: the definitive dive watch, launched in 1953. Most pre-owned Submariners sell for about $12,000 to $21,500.
• Rolex Datejust 41: the classic everyday Rolex with a date window and fluted or smooth bezel, at about $11,000 to $18,500.
• Rolex GMT-Master II: the pilot’s watch with a second time zone and a two-color bezel, such as the “Pepsi” and “Batman,” at about $15,500 to $47,000.
• Rolex Daytona: the most famous chronograph in the world, at about $25,000 for steel and up to about $100,000 for gold and gem-set models.
• Omega Speedmaster: the Moonwatch and its many versions, at about $4,350 to $12,000.
• Omega Seamaster: the Diver 300M, Aqua Terra and Planet Ocean, at about $4,000 to $9,000.
• Tudor Black Bay: one of the best-value luxury dive watches, at about $3,350 to $10,500.
• Cartier Santos: the first modern pilot’s wristwatch, at about $4,850 to $19,000 depending on size and metal.
• IWC Portugieser: a large, elegant chronograph or automatic, at about $5,000 to $8,000, and more for gold and complications.
• Patek Philippe Calatrava: the essential dress watch, at about $19,000 to $48,000.
• Audemars Piguet Royal Oak: at about $27,000 for earlier steel models, with most around $55,000, and well into six figures for chronographs, gold and complications.
• Patek Philippe Aquanaut and Nautilus: the Aquanaut at about $49,000 to $160,000 and the Nautilus at about $70,000 to $260,000.
• Richard Mille: from about $100,000 to well over $400,000.

How to Choose a Men’s Luxury Watch

1. Pick a style

• Dive watches (Submariner, Seamaster, Black Bay) are water-resistant to at least 200 meters, with a rotating bezel. They are the most versatile everyday choice.
• Chronographs (Daytona, Speedmaster, Royal Oak Chronograph) add a stopwatch function and a sporty look.
• GMT and world-time watches (GMT-Master II, Aquanaut Travel Time) show a second time zone, ideal if you travel.
• Integrated-bracelet sports watches (Royal Oak, Nautilus, Overseas) combine a sporty case with the finishing of a dress watch.
• Dress watches (Calatrava, Reverso, Cartier Tank) are thin and simple, made to slip under a shirt cuff.

2. Get the size right

Most men’s luxury watches measure between 38mm and 44mm across. As a rough guide, wrists under about 6.5 inches suit 36mm to 40mm, average wrists of 6.5 to 7.5 inches suit 39mm to 42mm, and larger wrists can wear 42mm and up. The lug-to-lug length matters as much as the diameter: the lugs should not hang past the edges of your wrist. Thinner and dress watches wear smaller than their diameter suggests. For more, read our watch size guide.

3. Choose a case material

Stainless steel is the most popular and practical choice. Titanium and ceramic are lighter and more scratch-resistant. Yellow, white and rose gold add warmth and weight, two-tone models mix steel and gold, and platinum is the rarest and heaviest of all.

4. Decide on the movement

Most luxury watches use an automatic movement, which winds itself as you wear it. Manual-wind movements need winding by hand every day or two and are often thinner. Quartz movements run on a battery and are the most accurate and low-maintenance. Many collectors also look for in-house movements, designed and made by the brand itself.

5. Check the bracelet, the box and the papers

A steel bracelet is the most versatile choice, while leather and rubber straps can change a watch’s character completely. A watch sold with its original box and papers (a “full set”) is usually easier to resell later. Each Luxury Bazaar listing shows exactly what is included.

6. Understand water resistance and complications

Water resistance tells you what a watch can handle: 30 to 50 meters means splashes only, 100 meters is fine for swimming, and 200 meters or more, like most dive watches, is suitable for diving. Complications are any function beyond the time: a date, a chronograph (stopwatch), a GMT hand for a second time zone, a moon phase, an annual or perpetual calendar, or a minute repeater that chimes the time. More complications usually mean a higher price and more servicing, so choose the ones you will actually use.

Men’s Luxury Watches by Budget

• Under $5,000: Tudor Black Bay, Omega Seamaster, Breitling Navitimer and Cartier Tank and Santos models.
• Under $10,000: Omega Speedmaster, IWC Portugieser, Tudor chronographs and many Cartier Santos models.
• Under $25,000: the Rolex Submariner, Datejust 41, Explorer and GMT-Master II, and Patek Philippe Calatrava models.
• $25,000 and up: the Rolex Daytona, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Patek Philippe Aquanaut and Nautilus, and Richard Mille.

Why Buy Your Watch From Luxury Bazaar?

Every watch we sell is inspected and authenticated by our in-house watchmakers before it is listed, and every watch comes with our 2-year Luxury Bazaar warranty. You can shop online or by phone with our watch specialists, and we also buy and trade luxury watches, so you can put the value of a watch you own toward your next one.

Men’s Luxury Watches: Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best luxury watch brands for men?

Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet are the most sought-after names, followed closely by Omega, Cartier, Vacheron Constantin, Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC and Tudor. Independent brands like Richard Mille and F.P. Journe sit at the very top of the market.

What is a good first luxury watch for a man?

A versatile steel sports watch is the classic first choice: a Rolex Submariner or Datejust, an Omega Speedmaster or Seamaster, a Tudor Black Bay or a Cartier Santos. Each can be worn every day, with a suit or with a T-shirt.

What size watch should a man wear?

Most men wear watches between 38mm and 42mm. Smaller wrists suit 36mm to 40mm and larger wrists can go to 42mm and above. The lugs should sit within the width of your wrist.

Is it safe to buy a pre-owned luxury watch?

Yes, when you buy from a reputable dealer. At Luxury Bazaar every watch is authenticated by our watchmakers and backed by a 2-year warranty.

Which men’s watches hold their value best?

Steel sports models from Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet, such as the Submariner, Daytona, Nautilus and Royal Oak, have historically held their value best. Condition, rarity and a full set of box and papers also matter. Like any market, prices can go down as well as up.

What is the difference between automatic and quartz watches?

An automatic watch is mechanical and winds itself with the movement of your wrist. A quartz watch runs on a battery and is more accurate and lower maintenance. Most luxury men’s watches are automatic.

How much should I spend on a luxury watch?

Excellent pre-owned luxury watches start at around $3,500 to $5,000 for brands like Tudor, Omega and Cartier. Most Rolex sports models sell for about $12,000 to $25,000, and top Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet sports watches start around $50,000.

Can I sell or trade my watch to Luxury Bazaar?

Yes. We buy and trade pre-owned luxury watches. You can get a quote for your watch here.