2023 watch-buying advice from timepiece experts

Patek Philippe Calatrava watch (right) in white gold, $30,750 at London Jewelers

My first watch: An old Tissot that used to belong to my father, before he handed it on to me. As a kid, I used to buy old watches at yard sales; this was when battery-powered watches were in the ascendance, so you could pick up beautiful, old mechanical watches for pennies.

Why wearing a great watch matters: A watch is much more than a functional object; or rather, its function partially resides in its emotional power. It is a vessel in which to hold memories. Why wouldn’t you wear one?

Advice for first-time buyers: Always buy the best you can afford.

Celebrity watch icon: Mark Birley, founder of the original [London private members club] Annabel’s, and the most tasteful man I ever met, opened my eyes to the beauty of vintage Cartier, for which I am forever grateful.

Favorite watch book: Probably the one I’m writing.

Watch you’re coveting: I have long wanted and will never be able to afford a Patek [Philippe] 5020.

Best watch screen cameo: I have a weakness for the Rolex Submariner worn by Nick Nolte in the 1970s film “The Deep, “based on a novel by “Jaws” author Peter Benchley. Then there is the Patek Philippe pocket watch worn by Steve McQueen at the beginning of “The Thomas Crown Affair,” a movie which also features a cameo shot of the Cartier Tank Cintrée. Also, look out for the Omegas in the 1970s film “Ransom,” starring Ian McShane and Sean Connery.

Nicholas Foulkes is the author of ‘The Impossible Collection of Watches.’

Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon watch (right) in pink gold, $18,700 at London Jewelers

My first watch: A steel Timex, which I bought for $10 in 1979 at a local drugstore called Bixley Chemists. The store is long gone, but the memory of my parents scolding me for charging it to their house account is unforgettable.

Why wearing a great watch matters: A great watch is one that tells not just the time, but a memorable story as well. Wearing it stirs our passion by causing us to revisit that history.

Advice for first-time buyers: There’s often a herd mentality in watch collecting, but the watches that mean the most are the ones that you discover for yourself.

Celebrity watch icon: Unequivocally Sean Connery. I think the Rolex Submariner made its entrance into mainstream society through 007, and that “cool character” [James Bond] represents so many traits that generations of fans sought to embrace.

Best watch screen cameo: Sylvester Stallone wearing his 1994 watch made by Panerai — a brand largely unknown at that time — in the 1996 film “Daylight.” Sly rescues survivors trapped in the Holland Tunnel collapsing under the Hudson River. The watch survives fiery explosions and rushing water in a cameo that’s credited with essentially launching the popularity of the modern Panerai brand.

Favorite watch book: “A Man & His Watch” by Matt Hranek. You can’t help but be taken in by the unique reasons why each of the owners cherish their treasured timepieces. I was incredibly honored to be interviewed for it.

Geoff Hess is the new head of watches for Sotheby’s Americas.

Rolex Oyster Cosmograph Daytona in 18-k yellow gold, $33,550 at London Jewelers

Personal style: A mix of the Olsen twins and Larry David.

To summarize my watch style: the intersection of low-key and over the top.

First watch: A vintage Cartier Tank from the late ’60s, gifted to me when I was 13. It’s so sentimental that now I hardly wear it, but every time I look down whilst wearing it, I never fail to smile, as there are so many early memories associated with it.

Watch count: I plead the Fifth!

Favorite complication: A moonphase, and my favorite example of that is in the Rolex 6062 from the 1950s.

Celeb watch icon: Carolina Bucci, an incredible jewelry designer from Florence [Italy] who has designed multiple watches with Audemars Piguet. She has a collection of vintage and modern watches that she styles in a way that is impossible not to take inspiration from.

Recent purchase: A Tudor Pelagos 39. Three of my closest friends own it and sing its praises, which sold me. Not to mention, it’s a watch that you don’t need to baby or worry about wearing.

Favorite travel watch: A two-tone Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.

The 26-year-old is a lifelong collector who recently founded buzzy new horological site DailyGrailOfficial.com.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II watch in white gold, $39,350 at London Jewelers

Personal style: Watches with understated, timeless designs and well-proportioned cases that fit my wrist well.

First watch: A Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Gran Sport Duo — the first watch I purchased brand-new from an authorized dealer.

Watch count: Not enough!

Favorite complication: Chronographs. So much fun to start, stop and reset them; their ability to measure time is extremely useful for activities like cooking or racing.

Celeb watch icon: Auro Montanari. Photographer, author and watch collector extraordinaire. Not only is he amongst the world’s greatest watch collectors, he is an incredibly stylish gentleman who is always happy to share his immense knowledge with others.

Recent purchase: A Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925 — Tudor’s first-ever watch with a silver case. I love its subdued colors, comfortable strap and “just right” 39-millimeter case diameter.

Favorite travel watch: F.P. Journe Resonance, thanks to its two completely independent timekeeping sub-dials that can each be set to any time zone, and its ability to fit discreetly under a shirt cuff.

The deputy chairman and head of watches, Americas, for Phillips auction house is a specialist in authentication and valuation.