Our Top Picks under AED 200,000
With a budget of about AED 200,000, you can buy a collection of 3-4 good luxury timepieces. However, if you are willing to spend that amount on just one watch, you have to get something very special. This is where we want to make your buying decision easier. Here’s a list of our top 5 picks that we believe our worth checking out if you have a budget of about $55,000 shopping for watches this Summer 2024.
Rolex Day-Date
The Rolex Day-Date, often referred to as the “President’s Watch,” is considered a symbol of prestige and success. Introduced in 1956, it was the first wristwatch to display both the date and the day of the week spelled out in full. Ever since the watch has featured a timeless design that has undergone subtle yet major improvements over the years.
The Day-Date is available only in precious metals like gold and platinum. With a budget of AED 200,000 or about $55,000, the best combination you can get is a Rose Gold Day Date with an Olive Green dial. And, your second best choice can be the Chocolate Dial Day Date with Baguette Diamonds on the hour markers.
AP Royal Oak Chronograph
When you have a budget as high as AED 200,000, there is definitely a Royal Oak on your radar. But why settle for a plain and simple one when you can get a Chronograph variant? Available in a variety of dial color options, the 26240ST is crafted out of stainless steel. While the Blue one looks the best, there are also Green, White, and Black dial options available and all of them come at different price ranges.
But if I were to pick one here, I would go for the older reference 26331ST with the white dial. In this reference, the white dial variant comes with black sub-dials giving it the nickname Panda. It is one of the best color combinations you can find on a Chronograph watch.
Patek Philippe Calatrava
This is your entry ticket to the world of Patek Philippe watches. While people often want the Nautilus to be their first Patek, you will have to raise your budget a little bit further to be able to get one. You might be able to get some options in the Aquanut range if you spend just a tiny bit more but if you have to strictly stay under AED 200,000 then the Calatrava is your best bet. This dress watch might not be the most popular but it surely comes among some of the more classy and elegant options.
My personal favorite is the Calatrava 6007G, which is crafted out of White Gold. Even though designed to be dressy, this one gets a bit of a sporty appeal giving it a bit more versatility when compared to the other Patek models.
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Chronograph Panda
Vacheron has done some amusing Blue dials for both its regular date watches and Chronograph models. And those have gained a lot of popularity. But, if you want to stand out from the crowd, then you should be looking towards the Chronograph Panda. It comes in both Panda and Reverse Panda avatars, which for non watch enthusiasts translates to Black Dial with White Subdials and White Dial with Black Sub Dials, respectively.
In the secondary market, a brand-new one can set you back around AED 170,000 to AED 180,000 depending on the year, condition, and the dial option you pick. However, within this budget, you will most likely be able to get only a Stainless Steel version so for precious metal models you will have to spend a bit more.
Rolex Sky-Dweller
Sky-Dweller models start at around AED 70,000 in the secondary market for the Stainless Steel version, but having a budget of about AED 200,000 gives you a bit more flexibility. A model like Sky-Dweller that offers an Annual Calendar and a 42mm case, it deserves to be presented in precious metal. Hence, you can look at Sky-Dweller in Rose Gold or Yellow Gold.
You can either pair the watch with the bracelet of the same material or get it with Oysterflex which gives it a more sporty appeal. You can also look for a Sky-Dweller with the new Blue Dial that looks absolutely stunning. While a brand-new one is trading for upwards of AED 200k, you can look for a used one that might fit your budget.
