A Vintage Watch Expert Dishes the Best Men’s Watches for Valentine’s Day

Is your guy big into watches? When you peep over his shoulder at his phone screen, instead of Instagram models, do you find him watching that one clip of Tyler the Creator’s watch collection? Or maybe you’re doing a little reconnaissance for yourself—just leave this page open on their laptop and drop the hint that what you really want for Valentine’s Day is a stunning timepiece. But where to start? You’re not Joe Millionaire—a comfortable couch is still a big investment, but when it comes to a proper watch, you want to look cool, knowledgeable, and impressive. 

Well that’s where Mike Nouveau comes in. An ex-nightlife DJ turned vintage watch dealer, Nouveau was lucky enough to turn his hobby (collecting rare vintage watches) into a full-time business after the New York real-estate gods smiled upon him and he was bought out of a rent-controlled apartment. He finally had the equity to get into the serious game of high-end collecting, and soon after, started going viral on TikTok. Not only was he racking up followers for his man-on-the-street “watch-spotting” videos (featuring the likes of Emily Ratajkowski), but he also found an audience for wild vintage watch finds at flea markets and a lot of knowledgeable videos regarding trends, scams, and the history of luxury watch brands. 

If you just came into a secret family inheritance, you can cop one of his very ‘spensi collectibles at Craft + Tailored. A Cartier London Tank Cintreé, perhaps? That happens to be number one on Nouveau’s list of Holy Grail watches. The other three? The Rolex Day Date with a coral dial, Rolex ‘MilSub’, and the iconic Patek Philippe 1518. 

We can’t all win the lottery (keep manifesting, you’ve got this), so in the meantime, we asked Nouveau to spill which watches under $2,000 are worth your hard-earned clams. We didn’t pull that figure out of a hat, by the way: According to Nouveau, if you’re not ready to invest a few hundred dollars on a timepiece, it’s ultimately not worth the spend to begin with—so grab a Fitbit and start counting your steps down the days until you can afford one of those “big daddy flex” Rolexes. 

Most importantly, opt for high-quality watches that will maintain their value over time. When looking for the right watch, in any price range, Nouveau points out that it's key to look for Swiss-made watches, with a fully made-in-house movement. These kind of watches tend to hold their value the best, and appreciate in value over time. 

The most affordable pick on the list is the Seiko 5, which Nouveau snarkily deems, “the only acceptable mall watch.” But in all seriousness, “it’s a great intro to mechanical watches, because it’s the least expensive style from a respectable brand that you can buy anywhere,” says Nouveau—including Amazon.

Next up, he recommends Hamilton. The Khaki is “the go-to field watch,” says Nouveau. It’s another “great entry-level watch that is cheap and fairly durable, just make sure it’s not the quartz [movement] version.” Nouveau is partial to the stainless steel bracelet option, but this classic watch is also available with a leather or military-inspired NATO strap, to incorporate into a variety of looks. 

The appeal of watch brand Zodiac, according to Nouveau, is that it makes “slightly modern interpretations of their 1960s and 70s designs.” Zodiac knows what's cool and certainly knows how to make a manual-wind watch, considering the brand has been in business since 1882. Zodiac’s known for its use of color and designs that acknowledge the company’s heritage. As a solid alternative to the much more expensive Rolex dive watches, Zodiac is a nice option that’s (admittedly not cheap) still going to turn heads while it’s on your wrist.

If you’ve never heard of Nivada Grenchen, it was resuscitated in 2020, after it fell victim to the quartz crisis of the 1970s, and boy, are collectors excited. It made some pretty groovy watches back in the 60s, and are now remaking watches “nearly identical to their vintage counterparts,” Nouveau notes.It’s even to the point that, “some people cannot even tell them apart.” Which is rad for you, since you can cop this Pac-Man-inspired piece, no problemo. 

Hey, these watches are no small investment, but at least he can never have an excuse for being late to a date again. 

Follow Mike Nouveau on Instagram and TikTok.

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