Top 3 Old Money Watches & Affordable Alternatives

The terms quiet luxury, old money style, and stealth wealth have permeated the culture recently, particularly emphasized by the hit TV show Succession where billionaires were clad in exceedingly expensive yet logo-less outfits. While there are various definitions of these ideas, what they essentially mean is the type of refined, understated, and classic aesthetic typically associated with old money.

There are plenty of timepieces that fit right into that style, complete with aspirational price tags too. Thankfully, there are also more budget-friendly options that achieve a similar look at prices that won’t break the bank. Here is a selection of top old money watches from high-end brands, as well as affordable alternatives.

Splurge: Breguet Classique 7147
Price: $25,300

Breguet’s overall style is classic old money, often featuring precious metals, a mix of decorative elements achieved by traditional crafts, and impeccable mechanical movements. The Classique 7147 watch is a perfect illustration of that approach, packed with so many of Breguet’s signature details such as the fluting on the sides of the 40mm white gold case, the blue Breguet-type hands, and the intricate guilloché dial.

The time-only Roman numeral dial includes an off-centered running seconds hand and the back of the watch provides a view of the beautifully decorated manual winding movement that powers the watch. Finishing off the elegant look is a black alligator strap, fitted with a white gold buckle.

Save: Frederique Constant Classics Slimline Gents Small Seconds
Price: $950

A much more affordable alternative to the old money-styled Breguet Classique is the Frederique Constant Classics Slimline Gents Small Seconds. As its name suggests, the case, which is 39mm and made from stainless steel, is also slim — thinner, in fact, than the Breguet one, clocking in at only 5mm thick thanks to the quartz movement inside.

The silver-toned dial is strikingly similar to Breguet’s offering, featuring guilloche patterns, a ring of Roman numerals, a small seconds subdial, and Breguet-style hands. The dial also includes the added benefit of a date window at 3 o’clock and the Frederique Constant Classics Slimline Gents Small Seconds is paired with a black leather strap.

Splurge: Patek Philippe “Tasti Tondi” Chronograph
Price: $100,000+

Well-versed watch collectors understand that vintage Patek Philippe chronographs are some of the most beautiful and elegant ever made. One particular stand-out is the Patek Philippe reference 1463, better known as the “Tasti Tondi” — Italian for “Round Buttons” to describe the style of the chronograph pushers protruding from the restrained 35mm case.

Introduced in the 1940s and produced until the 1960s, the Patek ref. 1463 continues to be a highly coveted vintage reference on the secondary market available in an assortment of case materials and dial styles — but always fitted with its characteristic tall pushers with fluting decoration and 12-sided screw-down caseback. Expect to pay well into the six figures to own this stunning example of an old-money watch.

Save: Furlan Marri Mechaquartz
Price: CHF 555

If you’re looking for an affordable alternative to a Patek “Tasti Tondi” look no further than the Furlan Marri Mechaquartz, which draws inspiration from the very same ref. 1463 chronograph. Sporting a 38mm steel case, the Fulan Marri Mechaquartz is furnished with the characteristic fluted round chrono pushers that gave the Patek its nickname, as well as a similar dodecagonal caseback.

While Furlan Marri offers several dial styles, the closest designs to the Patek are the ones with two subdials, tachymeter or pulsometer scales, and a sector-dial layout. Flaunting quality finishes, Italian leather straps, and accurate mecha-quartz movements (whereby the chronograph hand sweeps like a mechanical watch but the movement is accurate like a quartz), the Furlan Marri Mechaquartz is an old money style chronograph watch for not much money at all.

Splurge: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon
Price: $23,700

The moonphase is often referred to as the most romantic of all complications, displaying the lunar phases right on your wrist. Some of the best moonphase watches come out of Jaeger-LeCoultre — a favorite watch brand of the (old) moneyed set. A striking yet elegant example is the Master Ultra Thin Moon, featuring a 39mm pink gold case.

The case, which is only 9.3mm thick, is home to a rich blue dial punctuated with the emblematic moonphase display at 6 o’clock, surrounded by a date indicator. Matching the dial is the blue alligator strap, furnished with a pink gold pin buckle. Like all Jaeger-LeCoultre watches, this one is entirely created, decorated, and finished at the brand’s manufacture, including the self-winding movement powering the piece and visible from the sapphire caseback.

Save: Longines Master Collection Moonphase
Price: $2,625

Longines has a selection of budget-friendly old money style watches, including the Master Collection Moonphase — a fantastic alternative to the pricier Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon. Longines’ offering includes a 40mm steel case, a deep blue dial, a blue alligator leather strap, and a self-winding movement visible through the sapphire caseback.

That movement drives the center hour, minutes, and seconds hands, as well as the captivating namesake moon phase indicator at 6 o’clock, framed by a date display. In short, the Longines Master Collection Moonphase lends old-money style for a price that’s not to hard on the wallet.

From refined time and date timepieces to elegant chronographs to graceful moon phase watches, that wraps up our selection of top old money watches and affordable alternatives. Patek Philippe, Breguet, and Jaeger-LeCoultre are some of the best in the high-horology business but Furlan Marri, Frederique Constant, and Longines offer some solidly respectable options at much more accessible prices.

Do you have some favorite quiet luxury watches or some less expensive alternatives that you would have included on the list? Share your thoughts with us below!