The Best Watches to Buy Right Now if You Already Own a Royal Oak or Nautilus

Let’s be honest: owning a Royal Oak or Nautilus already places you in rare company. You’ve navigated the waitlists, sidestepped the auction chaos, and outlasted the resale frenzy. But once the initial excitement fades, a familiar question often arises for collectors: what comes next?

As iconic as the Royal Oak and Nautilus are, they’re no longer elusive. Spotting a few across a restaurant or scrolling past them on Instagram can shift the experience: suddenly, what once felt singular starts to feel… familiar.

That’s often the pivot point when collectors move beyond recognition and begin seeking something more personal. More distinctive. That’s where the independents come in.

This guide is for that next chapter—the watches that consistently surface in our conversations with clients, collectors, and the EWC team alike.

The Collector Shift: From Flex to Feeling

Plenty of collectors have owned, and then let go of, their Royal Oaks and Nautiluses. Not because they didn’t enjoy them, but because those watches eventually start to feel like someone else’s taste. When a piece becomes more about status than connection, it can lose its appeal.

There’s a growing shift in mindset. It’s no longer about being seen. It’s about finding a watch that says something personal, something with substance beyond the name on the dial.

According to Caroline Castets, co-founders of WRK Timepieces, that shift is playing out in real time. “Some clients remain loyal to their Royal Oak,” she said. “It’s a safe investment, they know exactly what to expect. But others—and this is something we’ve heard in many recent conversations, are increasingly drawn to independent brands. Not only for the tailored customer experience, but also for the opportunity to personalize their watch and feel more involved in the creative process. They’re looking for watches that are more unique, less mass-produced, and that reflect a more personal story.”

That sentiment is particularly strong among younger collectors. “Buyers are gravitating toward brands that speak to their values and communities,” Castets added. “Some are drawn to traditionally crafted, low-production pieces made by a single watchmaker. Others want futuristic, crazy designs and aren’t thinking of the watch as an asset. There’s a fatigue with high-volume luxury and a belief that small is beautiful.”

Castets also noted that the relationship between collector and brand has never mattered more: “For many of these clients, there’s a growing desire for direct interaction and a sense of being heard.”

That shift is echoed across the industry. As Jacopo Corvo of GMT, one of the main independent retailers in Milan, said during the Milano Watch Week: “The classic birthday gift used to be a Rolex Submariner. Now, the younger generation are asking more and more for independents like Ressence or MB&F.”

How One Collector Stepped Off the Grail Treadmill

One collector who fully embraces this evolution is Omar Traboulsi, known to many in the community as @thewrongwrist on Instagram. He has owned more than his fair share of grail-worthy pieces from the big names, but his focus today is very different.

“I’m no longer driven by chasing big-name brands,” Traboulsi said. “What truly inspires me now is building real connections. The independent world has become more accessible, and that’s what changed everything. You can meet the makers, hear their stories, and form genuine relationships grounded in trust, passion, and authenticity.”

For Traboulsi and a growing number of collectors, it’s not just about what’s on the wrist. It’s about what it means. “What drives the passionate watch lover is the pursuit of uniqueness,” Traboulsi added. “A bold, contemporary expression of timekeeping that defies convention and embraces rarity.”

This is where the energy in collecting is moving. Not away from greatness, but toward something that feels more personal. More collectors are realizing that the next truly exciting piece might not be one everyone else is chasing.

Echoed From the EWC Sales Floor

This shift is unfolding in real time at European Watch Company. Clients who used to ask about the usual suspects are more curious, more open to surprise, and looking for something that genuinely excites them again, not just something that ticks the prestige box.

But it’s not a full-scale changing of the guard. According to Justin MacDowell, one of the Sales Managers at EWC, plenty of collectors are still circling back to the classics. “We are seeing many clients move back towards the big-name brands now,” he said. “For a brief period right at the tail end of Covid, buyers got very interested in independents and the newer brands that popped up around that time.”

That moment, he explained, was real, but for some, it didn’t last. “The market burned hot,” MacDowell told us. “And those same clients have circled back around to the Patek, Vacheron, and Breguets of the world.”

Still, he doesn’t believe the indie moment is over. “A few independents have shown real staying power. Think Rexhep Rexhepi, Simon Brette, Romain Gauthier. But overall, most of our buyers are back to looking for more traditional pieces these days.”

And that’s really the point. It’s not about taking sides. Some collectors want that sense of certainty. Others want a deeper connection. Either way, the focus now feels less about flex and more about feeling.

What to Buy Next

Czapek Antarctique

Try on a Czapek Antarctique and everything just clicks. The brushed steel, the crisp bevels, the bracelet that hugs the wrist—it’s a love letter to integrated design that never feels like a copy. The standout feature is the SXH5 movement, a beautiful micro-rotor caliber that’s as original as it is beautiful. Choose a clean dial for understated flair, or go full skeleton with the Antarctique Revelation.

In a market saturated with recycled ideas, Czapek offers something different. For collectors tired of seeing the same watches everywhere, the Antarctique feels like a genuine discovery. You won’t spot many in the wild, and that’s definitely part of the charm.

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Ultra-Thin

The Overseas Ultra-Thin isn’t a show-off watch. It’s the kind of piece only another serious collector might notice, and sometimes that’s exactly the point.

Inside is the 1120 movement, an ultra-thin marvel with just the right touch of Genevan heritage. After years of Royal Oak and Nautilus saturation, this feels like a return to quiet quality.

If the time-only version feels too restrained, there’s plenty more to explore. The Overseas collection includes a tourbillon, a perpetual calendar, a minute repeater, and even models that combine multiple complications. It’s a versatile platform that rewards collectors who look beyond the obvious.

Laurent Ferrier Sport Auto

The Sport Auto is what happens when a former Patek Philippe watchmaker and Le Mans racer creates his own vision of a sports watch. It feels organic and intentional, with a case that melts into the wrist and a dial that balances clarity with quiet charm.

Inside is a beautifully finished micro-rotor movement that speaks to Ferrier’s roots. It’s technical, but not loud. Refined, but never sterile.

This is a watch that doesn’t try to impress. It just does. For those moving past the big-brand flex, the Sport Auto delivers elegance and personality in equal measure.

Urwerk UR100V

Urwerk isn’t for everyone, which is exactly why it fits here. The UR100V is a sharp departure from the steel sports norm. With orbital hour indicators and displays that track Earth’s rotation and orbit, it feels more like a wrist-bound spacecraft than a watch.

It’s also become a surprisingly flexible canvas. Recent iterations include carbon fiber, yellow gold, and vibrant blue and green editions inspired by Mayan and Sumerian cultures. Each one feels like a new chapter in Urwerk’s ongoing story.

It’s fun, a little strange, and a reminder that high-end watchmaking can still be playful. For those who feel they’ve seen it all, the UR100V offers a very different kind of thrill.

WRK Timepieces ACF-002

WRK’s ACF-002 is where the brand truly finds its voice. Designed in Italy by a husband-and-wife team with deep roots in high-end watchmaking, including experience at Richard Mille, the brand knows exactly how to build a high-performance luxury sports watch.

The aesthetic is bold, modern, and deeply influenced by motorsport, both in spirit and execution. From the aerodynamic case to carefully exposed mechanics, everything feels shaped by speed, tension, and precision.

For collectors burnt out on chasing the same models as everyone else, the ACF-002 is a reminder that intelligent design still matters. For collectors looking beyond the mainstream, it’s a smart and highly original choice.