Welcome back to the Gentleman's Gazette. In today's video, we're going to look at
some iconic Rolex models and see if we can find a more affordable, suitable alternative.
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There are many brands in the world that really need
no introduction - McDonald's Coca-Cola, Apple,
and Rolex. The point is,
these brands are so iconic that you can mention the name and, really, anyone
will know exactly what you're talking about. When it comes to a brand like Rolex, they are
easily-recognizable, but there's a problem. They're
really, really expensive. And although we might all want to
own one, the reality is, some of us can't. So,
we took the time to look into some affordable alternatives
for you. Please keep in mind that this is our opinion. Obviously, not everything is going to
be a one-to-one match, and also, please keep in mind that these watches might not necessarily
fulfill the itch that you still have to buy the Rolex. So,
the first question to get out of the way
is: why Rolex? Why are we doing this video when we
have members on our team, like Raphael, who said he
would never buy one? There's three reasons behind our decision. First off, Rolex is a status symbol,
and even if Raphael doesn't want to own one, a lot of other people do. When we look back at history,
Rolex has a solid reputation of watchmaking, it has Swiss Heritage, and it's been worn by
many influential and iconic people. Whether it's royalty,
film stars, or famous people, odds are we've
all seen someone that we know wearing a Rolex. This leads us right into the next point, which is
that they are excellent at marketing. Rolex can be seen much like Apple, whose technology isn't
always the most groundbreaking, but it's always desirable. Sure,
there are other watches that can do
everything that a Rolex can do,
and there are watches that are even more luxurious. But at the end of
the day, it's hard to argue with their position as a status symbol. Lastly,
Rolex has some of the most
iconic designs. People often say that imitation is the best form of flattery, and since there are
so many fake Rolexes out there,
they must be quite flattered. By sticking to a small catalog of simple
designs, Rolex watches are easily-recognizable. And when it comes to aesthetics, who doesn't love
a beautiful watch? So, how is this going to work? Here the Gentleman's Gazette, we do not stand for
buying replica or fake watches, so we're not going to tell you to do that. I'm also not going to tell
you to buy a watch that's a one-to-one homage. The reason why we don't give this advice is because
the entire purpose is to pass off that watch as the original, which we don't stand for. And
if you've seen our video on alternatives to iconic luxury watches, which is right here, you'll have a
pretty good idea of what we're going to do today. The first thing we'll do is name an iconic Rolex
model, and then, we'll go through three different price tiers, one around $250, one around a
thousand, and one above a thousand. First up is the Rolex Datejust - Rolex's iconic date window
watch. Since the 1940s, the Datejust has been a staple of the Rolex catalog. The size and case
design has not changed much over the years, with really the only changes coming with the
dial colors. This particular watch starts around $7,000, comes in a few different
sizes, and is a great all-around watch. It has a refined elegance with a touch of luxury, but it
still looks good with jeans and a T-shirt. So,
when it comes to affordable alternatives, we're going
to look at something that mirrors the design,
with a lot of versatility. So, for under $200, we're going
to recommend the Timex Legacy. These actually have the exact same case sizes as the Datejust
at 41 and 36 millimeters. This watch sits around $150 and is powered by a quartz movement. At under
a thousand dollars, we're going to recommend the Hamilton Jazz Master. It has a sleek design,
a really nice bracelet, stainless steel case, and sits around 600 bucks. This watch is also
powered by a quartz movement, and it comes from a company with history and heritage like Hamilton.
At over a thousand dollars, there are many great options. So, we'll give you a few. First up is the
Omega Constellation Globemaster. This is a watch that I've worn many times, and I love. It has the
same look and design as a Datejust, and has a very wearable size. Also, at this price point, we would
recommend the Grand Seiko SBGH277. Coming in at $6,100,
this watch boasts an incredible amount of
engineering. This Grand Seiko has a beautiful dial,
and also a high beat movement, which will give you
a much cleaner sweep across the dial of
your watch. This timepiece is truly special, and it doesn't
have to have the Rolex name on it for you to know that it's a great watch. Next up is the Rolex
Oyster Perpetual, which is Rolex's entry level, everyday sports watch. The Oyster Perpetual sits
around $6,000, which is a lot of money for an entry-level watch. The OSU Perpetual
is a clean and simple time-only watch and its design really carries this out in a timeless way.
Thanks, Preston. So, for this category,
we're going to focus on watches that are very simple in their
design. At under $200, we recommend the Seiko SNE039.
This watch is solar-powered and it hangs around
$200. If you want to get an automatic version that has since been discontinued by Seiko, we would
recommend the SARB033. Although,
you have to do some hunting to find them. Both of these watches have
very similar styling as the Rolex Oyster Perpetual without being a direct copy from a brand like
Seiko, which has heritage. At under a thousand dollars, we would recommend one of the watches
from Tissot's Powermatic 80 line, specifically the Gentleman model. Tissot has many great options in
this Gentleman's line with quartz options being around $300 and automatics being between $700 and
a thousand. And at over a thousand dollars, one of my favorites is the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra.
Coming in at $5,400 retail and less than that secondhand, this line of watches
really does undercut the Oyster Perpetual. I used to own one for a little while with a blue rubber
strap and blue dial that cost me about $3,400, gently-used and it was a
great watch that I really loved. Not to mention the Aqua Terra
comes in different sizes for a different size
wrists, and it has an exhibition case back so you can see the movement. There's also different dial
variations and colors. Typically, they all have a teak motif on the dial, but you can also get ones
with a small seconds. Next up is the iconic Rolex GMT Master II. This iconic Rolex model starts at
$11,000 and that's if you can even get one. There are many different options
within the GMT line and they all have fun names such as Batman, the Pepsi, the root beer, and now,
the Sprite. I guess, Rolex likes superheroes and soda. But, regardless of all these different bezel
combinations, the most iconic is the Pepsi. Having
a GMT bezel makes a watch inherently sporty, so we'll
be looking at models that have that feature. At under $200, let's look at the Timex Waterbury GMT.
So, if you could scrape together $200,
you can pick this watch up. It has a very similar look to the
Rolex without being a direct copy - again, from a brand like Timex, who has history and heritage.
At under a thousand dollars, there are several options, but let's highlight two. First up is the
newly-released Seiko 5 Sports SSK003. This is an automatic Seiko, which takes many cues from
the much-loved Seiko SKX, and it sits around $400 to
$500. This watch has a chunky case and has a
jubilee-style bracelet with many different bezel and
dial colors. At over a thousand dollars, there are many
options for different GMTs, but we're going to highlight the Tudor Black Bay GMT at just
around $4,000. We're going to turn to Tudor for our higher-priced option. No, not that
kind of Tudor. What's interesting is that Tudor and Rolex have actually been linked since 1926.
That's when Rolex's founder Hans Wilsdorf decided to
found Rolex's sister company, Tudor. Tudor offers
Rolex-quality and heritage at a much lower price point. Here,
at the Tudor Black Bay GMT offers many
of the same characteristics as the Pepsi GMT. And if we're being honest, this is as close as you can
get to a Rolex without actually buying a Rolex. Next up, we'll look at Rolex's iconic chronograph
at around $14,000. Again, if you can get one, it's the Rolex Daytona. And if you'd like to learn
more about chronographs, you can take a look at our guide on that here. But,
in a nutshell, chronographs
are synonymous with precise timekeeping. The Daytona
gets its name from the iconic Daytona International Raceway
in Florida as it's been a favorite for many
auto racers. One particular iteration of the Daytona was
nicknamed "the Paul Newman" as it was a favorite watch by actor Paul Newman in the 70s and 80s.
So, when it comes to alternatives, we're going to be looking at the sporty charm that comes along
with the Daytona. At under $200,
let's look at this Rotary 1977 chronograph. Purchasing these float
around $160 and can be a little more or a little less depending on the variation. And at
this price point, you get a really cool watch with some nice heritage from a Swiss brand. This watch
emulates the Daytona without being a one-to-one copy. At under a thousand dollars, let's look at
the Yema Rallygraf. This will be our choice for the mid-tier, coming in at around $350. This
piece balances the 1970s racing design with a modern sensibility. At over a thousand dollars,
there are many great options but let's take a look at this Tag Heuer Carrera. When it comes to
chronographs and racing, it's hard to beat Tag Heuer when it comes to legacy. With decades of
history of creating timepieces for racers,
you know that this watch will mean business. And although
Tag Heuer might have lost its way in recent years, this Carrera model has been a flagship since
1963. And with prices being $6,000 new and a lot less for gently-used, you can get a
whole lot of racing chronograph for a lot less than a Daytona. Last but certainly not least is
maybe Rolex's most iconic watch, the Submariner. The Submariner's arguably Rolex's most recognized
watch and it starts at $9,000 and up. Let's look at a couple different price tiers
for some alternatives to the Submariner. Kicking things off with our most budget-friendly option,
let's look at the Casio Duro. Coming in around $60, my real question is why don't you
have one yet? Taking cue from the easy legibility of the Submariner, the Casio Duro is a
classically-styled dive watch. And with 200 meters of
water-resistance and a durable Casio case, which is
god-tier, this watch is really something you can't pass up. At under a thousand dollars, there are
many great dive watch options, but let's look at the Doxa SUB 200 Shark Hunter. At under a
thousand dollars, this Doxa is a great choice and you can find options for little bit cheaper
if you choose a rubber strap. Doxa has
a history of rich heritage when it comes to their dive watches,
so this is a great piece to pick up. And at over a thousand dollars,
let's look at the Omega Seamaster
300. If you have the cash to splash - thanks,
Preston - let's take a look at the Omega Seamaster. At around
$5,000 and less for gently-used, you can get a really great piece of
Omega's history and heritage with this diver. The Seamaster is a serious dive watch and boasts
300-meters, unsurprisingly, of water-resistance, which
is perhaps why Naval Commander James Bond has
used this as his watch since the mid-1990s. As we draw our list of budget alternatives to a close,
it's kind of cool to think that you could own an entire collection of alternatives for less
than a thousand dollars. Each of those pieces would present an element of the various Rolex
models that we brought up without copying them
one-to-one. Whatever your budget is, watches should
be about enjoyment. It doesn't matter how much you paid, just as long as you buy something with
heritage, craftsmanship, and that you love wearing.
So, if you're a Rolex owner or you're aspiring to
own one, let us know down in the comments which model you want or which model you have. And if
you don't want to buy a Rolex,
what would you buy as an alternative? In today's video, I'm wearing an
outfit that is casual for the changing seasons here as we move into fall all in Minneapolis.
I'm wearing an army green field jacket. This is one that I wear quite often and I picked it up
from Nordstrom a few years ago. It has a bunch of pockets,
which is great for the cold months to keep
my hands warm. It's also great for bringing items along on a hayride or to go to the pumpkin patch.
Sticking with our fall transition, I'm wearing a denim
shirt. This is made-to-measure by Beckett & Robb.
I'm wearing a brown leather belt and a pair of British khaki chinos from L.L. Bean. My shoes are my
trusty Wolverine 1000 Miles. This was the first expensive pair of shoes that I bought when I got
into menswear. My parents thought that I was crazy but,
hey, here they are, still going strong. Love you,
mom and dad. On my wrist is the Timex Waterbury GMT. This is a really cool watch that we got and
it's a great Rolex alternative. Many of the
watches in today's video were supplied by Federico over at
Delray Watch. They're not a sponsor of the channel,
but we always appreciate them sending watches over.
And hey, they helped Chris get his Oris. And if you need any
great accessories in your fall transition,
maybe some orange or red pocket squares or brown socks, go check out the Fort Belvedere shop here.
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