From SRK’s Patek to Deepika’s Cartier: 5 vintage watches that are pure investment in the long run

Have you ever noticed how the modern luxury watch market feels a bit like a circus lately? Between the flashy new releases, impossible waitlists, and overnight hype cycles, buying a timepiece can feel more like a gamble than a passion. But if you step away from the noise and look at the vintage market, a completely different—and far more lucrative—story unfolds. Investing in vintage watches isn't about chasing today's fleeting trends. It’s about locking in on two timeless principles: true heritage and market liquidity. You want a piece that won’t suddenly go out of fashion and can be easily liquidated if needed. From safe, anchor pieces to high-growth potentials, here are five vintage watches that have proven to be genuine, blue-chip assets.

If the vintage watch world had its own stock exchange, the Submariner 5513 would undoubtedly be the S&P 500. Produced from 1962 to 1989, this iconic "no-date" diver is the ultimate safety net for collectors. While Bollywood stars like Hrithik Roshan are often spotted flexing modern Submariners, the vintage 5513 remains the purist's choice. Thanks to its long production run, you can enter the market anywhere from ₹9 lakhs to upwards of ₹27 lakhs. For the best investment, hunt down the "Matte Dial" versions produced before 1984, which simply never go out of style.

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Serious collectors are obsessively hunting for one specific detail right now: the Calibre 321 movement. This is the exact mechanical engine that actually went to the moon. Omega recently brought the 321 back for some seriously expensive modern releases, which ironically only drove the value of the vintage originals even higher. The Ref. 145.012 is your most accessible ticket to owning a piece of that history. Just make sure the bezel has the famous "Dot over 90" intact—a replaced bezel can tank the watch's value instantly.

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Often hailed as the ultimate vintage Rolex, the 1016 strips away all the fuss. Running from 1963 to 1989, there’s no rotating bezel to break and no date function to jam. While sports models like the Daytona see wild price spikes and crashes, this iconic 3-6-9 dial enjoys a steady, drama-free climb in value. Pay close attention to the luminous paint on the dial; a rich, creamy yellow patina is what commands the real premium here.

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The market is aggressively rejecting oversized, clunky watches and pivoting hard back to elegant, smaller designs. Global icons like Deepika Padukone frequently rely on the Cartier Tank to anchor their looks, proving that quiet luxury is the ultimate power move. Vintage Cartier in solid gold—specifically the Tank Louis from the 1970s—is seeing a massive upward correction. To play this momentum shift correctly, skip the gold-plated lines. Your money should go straight into 18k solid gold cases featuring manual-wind movements.

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We all know that superstars like Shah Rukh Khan and MS Dhoni love their modern Patek Philippe models, but back in 1932, the Calatrava Ref. 96 practically invented the modern dress watch. At 31mm, its diminutive size can initially scare off buyers accustomed to modern proportions, leaving room for massive growth as collectors mature. A standard yellow gold Ref. 96 is wonderfully stable, but if you want real investment returns, hunt down the incredibly rare Rose Gold or Platinum variants.

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