Kevin O'Leary Shops for AFFORDABLE WATCHES | Ask Mr. Wonderful

Welcome to another episode of Ask Mr. Wonderful! And guess who I've got with me? You've met him before. Teddy is an absolute author of great work on watches. I love him; I love his depth of knowledge. But you know, we talk so much about really expensive pieces all the time, so I decided to challenge Teddy. I said, "Listen, let's both go into our collections and come up with inexpensive pieces that are spectacular watches—something you'd be proud to wear on your wrist. You don't have to spend a fortune on." I really mean it. I think everybody says, "Oh, you have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to build a watch collection." Not true! You can get a very diverse and beautiful set of dials very inexpensively. So let's go to Teddy.

Teddy: "Well, thank you for that flattering interest! Well, it's true, we've done some great work together, mostly on the really high-end amazing and all kinds of brands that cost a fortune. But now it's time to go the other direction. Show me what you think is great value!"

So what I did was I mixed a few different things. I had some personal launches, stuff that we sell on our site, but I wanted to kind of start from like the lower end to begin with. So I kind of call these like "gateway drug" kind of watches, if you will.

Teddy: "I'll mention prices."

Yes, I will mention prices. So for all of these, these are all sub $500, and these are watches that—people, sub $500! I thought it would be fun to just see how you would react to them.

Teddy: "So a couple things, I mean, I have to ask you right out of the gate: If you're buying a watch for $500, should you assume it's not collectible? Should you assume it's not a great investment, or should you just write it off over time?"

I would not say classified as an investment; this is just a fun piece. This is just a fun one, just fun to watch—$500 bucks! Some of these do retain their value reasonably well compared to other things under $500 that you're maybe going to buy. But that's not the reason why you're getting it; you're getting it just to maybe get into this level of watches for the first time, and will we know some of the brands?

Teddy: "Absolutely!"

Well, for this first range, I mean, one that's probably going to be very popular is Timex. And of course, this is the entry level of entry level. So this is $260. This is the Timex Marlin.

So back in the 1960s, you might have been familiar with seeing some of the Marlins. And back in the 1960s, I couldn't afford a $200 watch. Well, that was probably back then; I mean, maybe talking $10, you know, back then.

Teddy: "So the club—it's retro vintage now!"

Exactly! That's beautiful! So that watch has been so popular for this newer enthusiast getting into the hobby for the first time. So $260 bucks; you got a Yoda caliber inside of it and it's just fun to put on your wrist and say, “Yeah, it’s a Timex.”

Teddy: "Yeah, it's just fun; that's a good entry door!"

So a couple other places to look: this is a brand that has become very much an entry door into the world of entry-level divers.

Teddy: "Yeah, it's Orient! So Orient is a Japanese brand."

Yeah, you're actually under the Seiko Epson Corporation.

Teddy: "Yeah, that is called the Cano! That one's a little bit more striking; it's got a red dial."

Yeah, that's definitely a diver's watch.

Teddy: "Yes, okay. Around $250 to $300."

Are you kidding?

Teddy: "Yes, for $250!"

Would you drown if you went down with the tank on?

Teddy: "No, that's 200 meters water resistance—very capable!"

Wow! Okay, that's a surprise to me. That's a pretty good deal; that's a spectacular-looking piece for that price—$260 bucks! We're not talking secondhand; this is brand new—brand new retail, brand new factory pricing, absolutely factory warranty, and all this is a whole new world no one knows about!

Teddy: "I don't know if people know about it."

I don't know if you know!

Teddy: "No, I don't! $250? It's—I haven't looked at too many watches for $250 bucks. Two other places to look! I know you're in love with dials. Yes, Seiko to me—okay, you can't go wrong with Seiko."

I want you to look at this watch. So this is the SRPF SRPF41.

Teddy: "This is how much? I mean look at that dial—just look at it close!"

I mean, this is not a Grand Seiko; this is a Seiko. That's an important distinction to make.

Teddy: "But the dial on that—what? I mean spectacular! Automatic watch. Automatically price point—$480 bucks!"

Wow! You're just taking my breath away! That, by the way, looks like it's worth $1,200 times more!

Teddy: "It's just— I mean that dial is—that's effect! I mean that is technically—it is! They're famous for their dials."

It can't be one of their hand-painted dolls for that price, but they've emulated the look.

Teddy: "Yes, they have! And it's very well executed."

So there's another very popular series in this range which is called the Cocktail Time. So they basically replicate inspiration from Japanese cocktails and probably the best dials you’re going to find.

Teddy: "Really, really nice piece. I mean I have to admit that's a great deal!"

But I always felt—always—Seiko you get value.

Teddy: "You do, yeah! And you know I buy a lot of Grand Seiko product because it's Patek Philippe quality almost, you know? That's the way I look at it at a fraction of the price."

Seiko is—I mean people love Seiko; I absolutely love Seiko. So I thought that was a good one for a guy who loves dials.

Teddy: "So this is a Bulova Lunar Pilot. You might be thinking this kind of looks like a Speedmaster."

No, the brand?!

Teddy: "Everybody does! Cool backstory behind this watch. So this was a watch that actually went to the moon as well!"

No way!

Teddy: "1971, Apollo 15, David Scott."

Wait—are you kidding? And how the story goes—you're a walking encyclopedia.

Teddy: "I don't know how much of this is fact or fiction, but apparently he had a Speedmaster on. Yeah, the crystal popped off!"

Oh, I heard this story.

Teddy: "When he got off the lunar module, he brought his own personal Bulova Lunar Pilot!"

So that's the cool thing about—you had it as a backup? Is there any truth to that story?

Teddy: "There is truth to that story that he actually brought it on because it actually sold at auction in 2015 for $1.3 million dollars."

What's the original factory price?

Teddy: "This, on the bracelet right here, we had it for $600."

Wow! So it went from $600 to over a million?

Teddy: "Well, that's for his personal— I get it, but it's the same piece. But it does have some really interesting backstory to it. It also has a high-frequency quartz, so traditional quartz is going to oscillate like 32,000 times per second. That's like 262,000!"

Yeah, that's a very attractive piece at a great price!

Teddy: "I mean I think what's good about this is you're really opening my eyes up to some very interesting price points here."

So that's getting in—about $600 bucks there. Now once you go to our next phase up, some other stuff that you might think is cool— this one is not probably the thing that's going to epitomize the brand, but it's got some cool backstory.

Teddy: "So this is called the Ventura from Hamilton."

So this is—I'm well aware of that; that's a very famous style.

Teddy: "Very famous! You know everybody that's into watches knows this piece in terms of the shape of that!"

Yes! And it really became popular. I mean it was unveiled in 1957, but Elvis actually wore it famously, so it's kind of been claimed as the theology.

Teddy: "And so did The Jetsons! It does look like a futuristic 1950s, you know?"

Exactly! Absolutely that! But if you look towards the future, this is, I think, what people were—

What's the price point?

Teddy: "$840 bucks."

Incredible! Can you get it today for that price?

Teddy: "Yes! Yeah, we sell it! It's a pretty cool launch!"

That's beautiful. Very, very cool. Did Elvis have this little waveform on it too?

Teddy: "So the story behind it, it was actually the first watch with a battery, and they had this weird setup where it was using magnets and then it had a traditional balance wheel. So and that's how that watch would work. A lot of them didn't function very properly."

That sounds like a horrific design!

Teddy: "So they transitioned over to quartz, which that one's going to be a quartz watch, but you know high accuracy!"

This one I thought would be interesting because you're from Canada, yeah?

Teddy: "Yeah! Right! Yeah, this is a Canadian brand!"

You're kidding!

Teddy: "Marathon! So Marathon made in Canada. So they make their watches in Switzerland. They were founded in Canada. They got the rise in 19—they really became very popularized in this military-style watch that you're seeing here in 1941 because it supplied watches for the allied forces, both for Canadian and American armed forces."

And all their watches are really built for that spec!

Teddy: "So this is called the Government Search and Rescue, and they're still being used by military personnel to this day. Use tritium; it's a dive watch; it's a tool watch!"

What I have found, a lot of collectors will really tell me the price again!

Teddy: "That's gonna be $1,200 dollars!"

Wow! That's a great value and a very striking piece!

Teddy: "I mean this is a honking piece of metal!"

It is honking, and it looks so—you see how it's like seated very low in the dial? Like the dial seems seated very low?

Teddy: "Yeah, that's done with intention! So what that watch uses is tritium. So tritium is different than what you'll probably see on most of these watches, that use SuperLuminova. Tritium is a constant illuminating material. So I have actual gas tubes inside there that are going to house that tritium, and why people in the armed forces like this is because it's constantly illuminating—it doesn't need to be charged!"

So when you're in very dark environments, it's going to, of course, never fail you!

Teddy: "Fantastic! So like really deep underwater?"

Yes, very deep underwater.

Teddy: "And the reason they have to make it so kind of like—they step the dial in a way and have it seated so low—"

And if divers adopted this?

Teddy: "Yes, absolutely! Amazing price point! Yes, so I thought that'd be interesting because you had that connection to Canada."

Alright, another place to look; I love this brand!

Teddy: "Yeah, it's called—so Junghans is kind of classic Germany!"

It almost looks swatch-like!

Teddy: "You know it does have a little bit of that! So it's mid-50—you know, 1950s—there was a Swiss designer, Max Bill. A very famous architect who went to the Bauhaus School of Design."

I am a huge fan of this!

Teddy: "I could see the elements of Bauhaus in there for sure. This was a watch that—not this specific one—but Max Bill, he went from creating wall clocks first for the brand and then transitioned into wristwatches."

That's nice! What's the price point?

Teddy: "$1,300 bucks!"

Not bad! Not bad!

Teddy: "That is actually very unique as a dial!"

It is! There's really beautiful—there's really nothing else like that!

Teddy: "So when people are looking for that, they call it minimalism, but I think—there's minimalism as a pursuit something like a Lavato kind of thing, you know, a little bit of that. But I mean, this is true Bauhaus design, true principles from that school from an iconic designer."

I like it! Tell me about—let me pick some dials here!

Teddy: "Yes! No, actually, please tell me about this one; this is also very interesting! So one of my favorite brands, and I will—I don't want to say his name—but last time that we had dinner in Miami, we were sitting with a man in the industry that I think we both hold in high regard. I asked him what brands do you respect? He said brands like Rolex, Patek of course! You know, another brand he mentioned—this one right here!"

What is it?

Teddy: "No one's glancing! So they're a new German brand."

You're kidding?

Teddy: "1990 they started! Wow! Right after, you know, the fall of the Berlin wall; you know, they emerged very much like other brands in Germany at that time, but they're doing some fantastic things. So this is an in-house caliber; you're looking at $3,700 bucks for this."

Yeah!

Teddy: "Very much a lot of the same type of inspirations as—$3,700! You're kidding!"

Now a brand like this, are you going to buy this direct from the online from the company?

Teddy: "Yeah, we sell it as well! And the cool thing about this one—what's going on here with this?"

So this is fun.

Teddy: "Alright, so this is their Metro, it's called, and this is a power reserve! So what they've done is there's a little aperture in the dial and it will actually have three discs with gears on it. So as you rotate—see what's happening there? See that little red? It's slowly disappearing! So what that's doing is it's indicating to me once that red disappears that this thing is fully wound!"

Oh, so it's a power reserve indicator?

Teddy: "Yeah! It's really a very great idea; it's very cool! That is cool; they're making their own movements. This also—they're actually making their own escapements as well!"

Yeah, that's amazing for around three—three grand!

Teddy: "So East Berlin type thing where this goes?"

Yeah, so they're in Glashütte!

Teddy: "Okay! Very interesting! That’s the same, yes! Same city! Tell me the price again?"

$3,780!

Teddy: "Yeah, amazing! That's fantastic!"

So looking for something—you know Tissot is always a classic starter watch!

Teddy: "It is! I forgot to mention Tissot at the beginning—so that's the new PRX, and that has been very popular as of late! You can probably guess why—I mean you can see the inspiration being drawn from that integrated steel sport style bracelet."

What's the price point?

Teddy: "What would you guess?"

$1,200?!

Teddy: "What if I told you $375 bucks?"

Wow! That's a phenomenal deal with a brand that's well known in Europe!

Teddy: "Yes, maybe not as much here, but you know, you go to Switzerland—walk around Geneva; everybody knows it too!"

Oh, 100%!

Teddy: "Cool! I mean case finishing—yeah, I think it's way above what it's—it's fun! It's almost Grand Seiko-ish in polish; it's beautifully done!"

It's very nice for that price!

Teddy: "These are incredible deals! It's a great idea, Teddy, to cover it this way, absolutely great!"

Yeah, because I think everybody, like you said, they deserve to own a nice watch. I really think it should be limiting because I guarantee somebody's buying that watch today is coming in here and buying a Rolex—you know, or you know whatever they’re gonna—

I understand, but let’s let’s talk!

Okay, let's get—let's go to an entry-level watch right here!

Teddy: "This is a Rainbow from Rolex!"

I'm sorry, I'm just kidding!

Teddy: "No, I know! But I mean, you know, it's a beautiful piece! It's very unique—a lot of work goes into actually getting this—this four-degree separation of the rainbow itself with these jewels. Now, it’s not exactly entry-level pricing; it's about $150,000!"

But they're traded about $420,000!

Teddy: "A good way to start! Now you can either send your whole family to college, buy a house, or get this watch!"

I'm just having something!

Teddy: "They're going to a good school today!"

No, I know, I'm just having something! But I buy a watch like this because it's very collectible as an investment. Obviously that appreciation from retail to the current prices—it's rarity.

I’ll do one more fun one just because it’s fun to show off a little bit! I have the tiger, a great entry-level diamond piece—that's like looking into the sun!

Teddy: "I know you can't really tell the time; you need sunglasses! But I didn't used to do bling since I last saw you! I was very much against bling, but I've been turned on to it, because I'm living in Miami now. I need some really trashy stuff, and this is it!"

I mean, this really looks ridiculous!

Teddy: "That is going to catch the eye! I can imagine that on the beach or taking a walk!"

That just gets a little—this with jeans on and a T-shirt—that's the look I'm looking for here!

But also, you know—a ridiculous price! However, it doesn't mean that that's all I buy. I'm a collector! So let me show you something I think you can appreciate this!

I love this!

Teddy: "You tell me what this is! Longines Conquest!"

Yeah! What do you think the price is?

Teddy: "Well, I know it's around a grand—it’s about $1,200 bucks probably!"

Yeah! Absolutely!

Teddy: "Yeah, I am so! So I'd buy dials and I don't really care what the price is, including going down to something, you know, under $2,000 or $1,000 dollars! This style is stunning!"

It's a beautiful piece!

Teddy: "And it reminds me very much of this style, you know, the 60th anniversary version—they call it the Superman! Also very affordable!"

Very affordable! But you can see similarities in terms of the look and feel of that, can't you?

Teddy: "This is around $6,000 dollars! But these are some of the watches I wear every day because I just appreciate the beauty! It doesn't mean everything I've got has to be a ridiculous price!"

Now here's something I don't think you've seen ever, because there are none!

Tell me about this watch. You know the brand—you know the look and feel?

Teddy: "This is the pilot IWC, right? I think there's a total of—I can't remember; I think it's 1,100 pieces, but they were only sold to individuals associated one way or another with Lebanon. So they were sold in the United Arab Emirates and the boutique in Beirut to offset the cost of that horrible disaster when the boat blew up in Beirut."

Now my mother was Lebanese, my father was Irish, and I was very fortunate to know one of the members of the royal family of UAE. I asked, on his behalf because he knew my family, could they approach IWC and allocate one to America?

They actually said no—they couldn't, but they would arrange for me to get one through my friend!

Teddy: "So this is only a six-thousand dollar watch, but one of a kind in the Lebanese logo of the Cedar of Lebanon on the back!"

I wear this all the time; it reminds me of Lebanon and my mother! But you have to say—that's a beautiful piece, stunning!

Teddy: "I love the green; it's fantastic!"

The green is—it’s green-black depending on the light. So again, a piece in my collection that is not a crazy price, but I'm looking for something unique as a collector, and this certainly fits into that category.

So what I'm saying is you don't have to buy a huge expensive collection; you can find collectible watches at very reasonable prices.

I also consider this Superman, this Grand Seiko sixth anniversary, to be highly collectible because they only made a certain number of them, and I think in the years ahead this will appreciate in value and look terrific!

Teddy: "So that was the theme!"

Oh, Teddy! One other watch here—this one hurts a little bit!

Yes, it should! If you watched our previous video, you came over from Teddy's video. I'm going to do the 57 Super Ocean, and I'm going to do the Ball—when you're not compliant, you have to be punished, Teddy!

And now that's going to happen right here, my friend!

Teddy: "Yeah, I want to make it painful. You saw that teddy broke the rules in our contest, and his punishment was to let me buy this watch, which I did for $35. I was given incorrect information!"

Stars and Stripes—and I know you know this mark! Tell us about this brand!

I mean, in some way you can kiss it goodbye by explaining what it is!

Teddy: "So Bulova is a great, rich history brand here in America founded by Joseph Bulova. He was an American immigrant, and they were really trailblazers in adopting a lot of interesting styles and also just ways and methods of marketing products during the mid 20th century. They were the first brand to actually have the first TV ad; I don't know if you ever knew that—during the World Series!"

I do remember!

Teddy: "So they did that! They were also very active in TV—you know, sponsoring Frank Sinatra—and then once you got to the 1970s, like this piece, they start getting into these crazy chronographs. They're just very eccentric and fun! This, they call it the Stars and Stripes because it emulates an American flag—kind of got like these hands that look like rockets! It's fun! It's a lot of fun!"

And I think it's going to look terrific on my wrist! And I love the fact that now I'm investing in vintage! I don't do a lot of that, but when you get something so unique—plus I can take it out of your collection into mine—which makes it extra special!

That makes it a story watch!

Teddy: "And a little painful for you, I realized—but for me, it’s absolutely wonderful! I will tell the story to everybody that doesn't see this video. If you see, you know, Teddy broke the rules—very bad boy, and I got this watch as a result! It's absolutely spectacular! Thank you, Teddy!"

Look, I've had a wonderful time!

Teddy: "Listen, the pain will eventually go away as you see me wear this all over the place; it’s fine! But I really love it, and thank you very much for bringing it up and showing it to me— it was actually great!"

Of course!

Teddy: "Anyways, thank you so much! You're such a knowledge of what your—what your knowledge to watch this makes it really interesting, because I think what you did today was important! I spent so much time talking about the crazy prices on watches, which I've been appreciating as an asset class very well, but it makes it—you have to take time to go back and look at what's available at any price. And you've brought forward some amazing pieces at incredible prices that have really opened my eyes up to maybe look; there's a lot to be done at under a thousand dollars! In fact, you know, under $500, fantastic watches!"

Yeah, there's a lot to have! I mean, there's other great brands on here too, like an Oris, for example, which is fantastic in that $2,000 range—Zenith, Micro Brands like a Formex and Monta!

I mean, it’s beautiful—there's a lot! There's a lot out there! So you don't need a ton of money—you don't need a ton of money to actually get into collecting watches, that's the key!

Think about that! You can start at a very low price point—diversity of dial, diversity—so everything's different in your collection!

That's wonderful! Look for things that don't look like the other watches you have and build a collection, as I love to call it!

Teddy: "Thank you so much. Great working with you today! I look forward to our next journey wherever it takes us!"