How To Start A Watch Collection With10,000: Nacho's Top Three Picks from Omega, NOMOS, And Airain

Its is a hypothetical question for most of us, but its one youve asked us often, so we decided to take a stab at answering it. Given 10,000, which three watches would you pick to start a watch collection today? Now, all of our editors already have a watch collection of sorts, and (perhaps because of that) most of us dont have 10K burning a hole in our pockets right now. However, it still makes for an interesting exercise, as there are so many watches out there today that offer a ton of value. Picking just three watches that, together, come in under the price limit is not as easy as you might think, but each of our editors will take their best shotEach authors choices are bound to be different, reflecting their own style and what they look for in watches.The challenge has been set, and it's up to me to kick things off. In some ways, going first has its advantages, but also its disadvantages. It's like getting the first pick in the draft. Sure, you can go with the watches you want, but there's also the risk of missing out on some of the hidden gems. But given the discussions that have already taken place over coffee at Fratello HQ on the topic, our choices are sure to be quite different indeed. The rules are simple: we can pick three watches whose total retail prices add up to 10,000 or less. These must be readily available, or at least not discontinued, vintage, or incurring lengthy waits. Other than that, anything goesSo without further ado, let's jump to my first pick.The diver: Omega Seamaster Professional 300M Co-Axial Master ChronometerDid I just blow over half of the budget on one watch? You bet I didBut not just any watch. My first pick is perhaps the best modern dive watch money can buy today. The Omega Seamaster Professional 300M (in blue), at 5,700 RRP is my first choice, and let me tell you why. My approach to the list is based on versatility. I want to cover the bases and have a watch for almost every scenario. I wanted a diver, a chronograph, and a more dressy, versatile piece. But knowing myself, I'll likely wear one of the three watches almost every day. And I couldn't think of a better daily beater than the SMP. Every single one of its specs makes it perfect in terms of toughness, reliability, and wearability.