With summer now in full swing, you might be planning an exciting trip somewhere. We all know that choosing what to pack is important. For watch collectors, having the right watches for the trip is a critical part of packing. If you’re headed somewhere special this summer, you’ll want to bring watches that will complement both your destination and your wardrobe. Using eBay is one of the easiest ways to find a just-right timepiece for your trip. With its escrow service, eBay takes the guesswork and risk out of buying a watch online. Buyers of wristwatches sold by U.S. sellers for $10,000 or more (after seller discounts but before shipping and taxes) will have the option to pay via Escrow.com, including items that qualify for local pickup. eBay even covers all of the Escrow.com fees.
This means that, for up to seven days after you receive the watch, the funds will be safely held by Escrow.com. This gives you time to inspect it and ensure that it arrives in the condition described. If you decide to return the watch, you’re guaranteed to receive your money back via this secure and fully traceable payment method (as long as the purchase is eligible for return). Visit this link to learn more about eBay’s escrow service and watch the video below for more information.
We’ve picked out a few of our favorite escrow-eligible vacation “flex” watches, choosing watches that will go with a range of possible summer vacation activities.
Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time
If your vacation will take you to a different time zone, you’ll need just the right travel watch. Our recommendation is the Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time. It uses the same 324 S C FUS movement from other Patek travel watches, giving it the ability to jump the hour hand (and date) forward or backward across time zones by simply pushing its buttons. It’s one of our favorite travel watch movements for this reason. It is also one of the easiest-to-read methods of displaying two time zones, which means that you’ll be able to make that connection on time. Once you adjust to local time, a skeletonized hand will emerge, keeping track of the time at home. If you do need to check in with work, this hand, paired with day/night indicators for both time displays, will help you to keep tabs on what is going on in the office.
This watch ruffled a lot of feathers when it debuted because its bold style and 42mm size were big departures from the typical offerings from Patek. The large dial, together with its luminous hands and markers, makes it easy to read no matter how jet-lagged that you are. Plus it is an instantly recognizable watch from a brand that many believe is the pinnacle of watchmaking. Click this link to see eBay’s selection of Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time watches that can be purchased through the escrow program.
Rolex Yacht-Master 42
As soon as you check in to your hotel, you’ll likely be changing clothes (and watches) and heading to the pool. For poolside lounging, we recommend the Rolex Yacht-Master 42. The obvious choice might be the Submariner, but the “YM” is our pick. It packs all of the specifications and durability that you expect from Rolex, including the updated caliber 3255. This gives it the same 70 hours of power reserve and magnetic and shock resistance of the Sub but in a larger and higher-end watch. Its matte-black 3D ceramic Cerachrom bezel insert looks more expensive, but the Oysterflex bracelet will still pair well with any casual swimming attire.
The Yacht-Master’s 100 meters of water resistance should be plenty for the deepest of deep ends, and having a chunk of white gold on your wrist should put you in the right mood to relax. To view eBay’s selection of Rolex Yacht-Master 42 watches that are eligible for the escrow program, click this link.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph 41mm
Once you’ve finished at the pool, you’ll probably head back to your room to get ready for dinner. You’ll want to wear something that is more restrained, but also something that feels really special on your wrist. We chose the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph 41mm version for this situation, as it has a bit more presence than the standard model. And there aren’t too many shapes more recognizable than the Royal Oak with its octagonal port-hole bezel complete with exposed bolts. ABTW’s own Ariel Adams once described the RO as “men’s jewelry,” and he meant that in a good way. The beautiful Tapisserie dial and distinctive brushed and polished bracelet would be a joy to wear even if it didn’t tell time. The number of hours required to finish each piece also makes it worthy of the “jewelry” moniker.
Despite using a chronograph module, AP’s in-house caliber 2385 is still quite thin. The watch measures a slim 11mm-thick, which is excellent for a chronograph and only 3mm thicker than the three-hand version. These watches are very much in demand at the moment, but luckily, eBay currently has a number of them available. Browse eBay’s selection of Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph 41mm watches here, and choose the escrow option at check out.
Hublot Big Bang Unico Titanium Ceramic
After dinner, you’ll want to change again into something more trendy to check out the local nightlife. You need a watch with some attitude, and Hublot is a brand known for making just that. For after-hours activities, we recommend the 42mm Big Bang Unico Titanium Ceramic.
The brand’s in-house HUB1280 movement features a column-wheel chronograph with a flyback function and 72 hours of power reserve. Hublot even developed a revolutionary new double-clutch mechanism that is more reliable and consumes less energy. The Unico’s lack of a full dial, complete with a skeletonized date wheel and winding rotor, means that you can get a good look at all sides of the movement and judge for yourself. A generous amount of lume also makes it easy to read after the sun goes down. The low weight of the titanium and ceramic case guarantees that it will be comfortable during a long night of dancing (or whatever else you might get into). A variety of Hublot Big Bang Unico watches are available through eBay’s escrow program at this link.
IWC Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun
Even if you had a late night, you’ll want to get up early the next day and find adventure. Perhaps you’ll just go on a hike or do something more exciting like rock climbing or skydiving. Whatever you choose, you should definitely bring along a watch that can handle anything. IWC’s Top Gun watches are made from ceramic, which is nearly impossible to scratch. It’s often difficult to read the time, let alone the date, on a perpetual calendar watch, but IWC created a very logical and high-contrast dial layout for the Top Gun. This means that despite being packed with information, the Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Top Gun also has fantastic legibility. This makes it a great choice for outdoor adventure.
IWC’s Perpetual Calendar watches feature its in-house calibre 52615, which is made from 386 parts. This powerhouse of a movement displays the day, date, month, numerical year, and moon phase. Despite a relatively high beat rate of 28,800 vph, it will run for seven days when fully wound (the status of which is also displayed on the dial). If you still somehow let its power reserve wind down, a stylus is not needed, as everything can be adjusted with the crown, unlike most perpetual calendar watches, which can be very tricky to adjust. Luckily, eBay has a number of them available through its escrow program.
Richard Mille RM 028 Diver
Sometimes people also use a vacation as the impetus to try out scuba diving. If you plan to do that, you don’t want to wear just any watch. You’ll want to make sure that you have a serious diver strapped to your wrist (you know, in case you get really good at diving really quickly). With a locking bezel, variable inertia rotor, and 300 meters of water resistance, the ISO-certified Richard Mille RM 028 is a great choice for a vacation dive watch. The model number and hour markers are printed right on its sapphire dial, giving a great view of the movement. The brand takes its construction even more seriously, however. Countless proprietary (and tiny) titanium screws hold the watch together, and the contours and finishing of the case are next-level stuff.
Richard Mille creates a lot of buzz by sponsoring professional athletes — not only does this make them extremely recognizable, but it also proves that the brand builds watches that stand up to abuse. If your watch can survive a Formula 1 crash, it can surely handle whatever you’ll throw at it on vacation. Some people might balk at strapping a 47mm-wide by 15mm-thick red-gold dive watch to their wrist, but the appeal for many of RM’s customers is their easy recognition. The analogy of the supercar that you can strap to your wrist definitely applies here; it’s also very comfortable for such a large watch. This is due to a thick, well-integrated rubber strap and a curved case back (complete with curved sapphire crystal display) that controls its mass by keeping it tight to your wrist. To see eBay’s available selection of Richard Mille dive watches, click this link.
eBay’s Escrow Program
Wearing a watch while traveling somewhere special attaches a story to that watch and makes it truly yours. Every time you strap on that watch, you’ll be reminded of the great memories created during that trip. With its escrow program, eBay is a great resource for safely and conveniently acquiring the perfect timepiece to make your summer vacation even more memorable. For more information on eBay’s escrow program, please visit this link.
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