Pursuing our luxury horologerie lifestyle line, we explore some options on what other alternative indulgences that we can buy instead of a luxury entry-level haute horlogerie watch. This is not a take down on watches at this level, or horology in general, but an exploration of what is possible for similar money.

5 alternatives for your money instead of an entry-level watch

But first, let’s be specific. What is an entry-level haute horlogerie watch? For the purposes of this discussion, we assume a budget below SGD 25k. This is arbitrarily chosen, and judged by us to be an entry level budget to play in the luxury watch market. Some of these popular options in this category include the Rolex Daytona Ref. 126500LN (SGD 22.1k), the Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 (SGD 21.1k), or Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix Self Winding 40mmm (SGD 18.3k), Jaeger-LeCoultre Tribute Reverso Duo Face Steel(SGD 19,100), Piaget Polo Date (on rubber strap retails for SGD 18,600). Among others.

The list of objects, or shall we say alternative pursuits for similar money comprise of items which I have actually bought instead of a watch. So this is at least a use case which is applicable. With that, here we go!

Camera system

First off, photography. My recommendation would be very similar to the system that I have chosen to use on an almost daily basis. This is outlined in my Update to my dual camera strategy article and put into practice in my Watches & Wonders Geneva 2024 kit. My current kit comprise of the GFX 50S II with Hasselblad lenses as I already owned them. The strategy article explains this in detail. But for this list, I will update the system with the latest and greatest from Fujifilm, and one built from scratch.

The camera chosen is the Fujifilm GFX 100 II (SGD 11k), which is the latest flagship from Fujifilm. And the kit will be with three lenses, two of which I have reviewed recently: the GF 30mmF5.6 T/S (SGD 6k) and the GF 110mmF5.6 T/S Macro (SGD 5.3k). These are tilt/shift lenses, and I explored their usage in this article. The first is also excellent for general wide angle use, but really comes to life for shooting subjects like landscape, cityscapes and architecture. The GF 110 T/S make a great mid-range telephoto lens, good for portraits, and with the 18mm MCEX-18 extension tube (SGD 450) is just perfect for macro shots like I typically encounter for watches. To supplement the wide and telephoto lenses will be a lens which is closer to the normal and for this, I retain with my choice of the GF50mm F3.5 WR (SGD 1.5k). This is an excellent budget GF lens with enough performance to meet my needs. The entire kit will come up to SGD 24.23k, just a tad below the target budget.

Road racing bicycle

Next is a road bicycle. Also something which I have invested in place of yet another watch. And one which is part of the keep healthy and exercise philosophy. I have already discussed my Pinarello F10 Disc with Fulcrum Racing wheels and Shimano Dura-Ace groupset. And my recommendation for an all new setup follows the same lines, but with the latest available in the market.

The frameset will remain Pinarello, and is the the latest Dogma F Disc. This has the usual lighter, stiffer, more aero claims by the manufacturer over the last generation. The carbon layup has also been upgraded from T1000 to T1100. For the wheelset, I would pick the Princeton Peak 4550 carbon wheelset. And the groupset will remain with Shimano Dura-Ace, but this time in the latest 12 speed guise with electronic Di2 shifting. Power meter will remain the crank based Dura-Ace setup. Configured as such on the Cicli Corsa site, the bike comes up to EUR 12.5k (about SGD 18k) with enough of the budget left for some good cycling kit, shoes and pedals, and even a cycling computer.

Espresso bar setup

Next is a home espresso setup. Also something which I have invested in, though my major purchases in this department has been about 20 years. My home espresso bar is set up with a artisanal stovetop hand roaster, a modified Mazzer Mini flat burr grinder and the Elektra Micro-casa a leva espresso machine. A setup which can still be assembled today at below SGD 10k. So for this list, we shall strive for better.

At our assigned budget of SGD 25k, this will allow us an end game home espresso setup. We start with the Aillio Bullet Roaster R1 (USD 5k, about SGD 6.5k), and is a powerful personal 1kg roaster which is controlled via software. The grinder of choice will be the Option O Lagom 01 grinder (USD 2.65k, about SGD 3.5k), which is the bigger brother to the D64 that we featured in Brighty’s setup earlier. Our espresso machine of choice is the La Marzocco GS3 (about SGD 11k, depending on finishing) which is also in the setup used by Brighty. We discussed making espresso with his Lagom D64 and GS3 machine in this article. This is a very high end espresso setup for the home, and comes in handily at SGD 21k.

BTW, we will be featuring Stanley’s home espresso setup which comprises of a Lagom Casa grinder and Rancillio Sylvia Pro X espresso machine soon. Watch out for that on these pages soon.

Attend Watches & Wonders Geneva as a collector for 2025

OK, this is watch related. And with this budget, we can live a little. So my choice is to fly First Class. I have flown on Singapore Airlines First Class Suites in 2016 to Baselworld, but I used my then expiring miles to redeem the entire flight. So this is something that I have not done with my own money.

As of this afternoon, the price on Singaporeair.com website lists the Suite Class fare at SGD 15.4k. Flight prices may change due to the yield management system of the airlines. This are the prices which came up for these flight chosen today:

• SQ26/LH1216 SIN-FRA-GVA on 29 March, 2025
• LH2045/SQ25 GVA-FRA-SIN on 7 April, 2025

Hotel in a reasonably comfortable hotel in Geneva arriving on Mar 30 to April 5 can be expensive, ranging from SGD 2k up to more than SGD 20k. We pick one in the lower range. I have stayed at Hotel Cornavin several times from SIHH to WWG. It is a conveniently located right next to the main Geneva train station. For these dates, our search today yielded a room for 6 nights at about SGD 4.3k. Again, hotel booking sites use a yield management system, and prices may change depending on what the forecasted demand is like. For the period of WWG, prices are elevated over regular Geneva rates.

After the hectic days at Watches & Wonders, I normally would take the weekend off, and go for a retreat in Burgundy. I normally rent a car in Geneva and drive. Rental of a small house in one of the small towns in Burgundy is not expensive, typically less than EUR 200 a night. Add some meals with good wine at about EUR 150 for lunch and EUR 250 for dinner. The two nights will come up to EUR 1,200 (about SGD 1.7k). Car rental from April 4 to 7 is SGD 860 for a BMW 3 Series Touring from Sixt.ch.

This totals to SGD 22.26k. Add tolls, parking and fuel, and we should be still within SGD 25k.

High end audio system

OK, this is a tough one. This last recommendation is not one which I have personally indulged in, though I have experience in owning and using high end audio systems. But I have had rather extensive experience, though some 20 plus years ago, with high end audio. I ran a system comprising of an Esoteric CD transport, Wadia 2000 DAC, Jadis electronics and Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy speakers. I later switched to a fuss free all digital system comprising of the Meridian Audio 500/562V/565 and DSP 6000 main speakers with DSP5000 center speakers.

The task of selecting a high end audio system within budget is another challenge. Top level audio components are often priced at the SGD 20k mark for each item, making typical high end systems cost from SGD 60k upwards for a basic digital source (CD player or Streaming system), amplification and speakers. But there is a way to obtain high end audio without spending more than our arbitrary SGD 25k budget allows. And the way to do that is to go head-fi. That is to dispense with the loudspeakers and go with headphones. With it, you will save some money on loudspeakers and also on the amplification system as well. I must say my own personal experience with this head-fi system is rather limited. My daily use system comprise of a rather old CD player with a Stax SR-001 Mk 2 electrostatic earbuds.

In view of this, my pick for this is the safe choices which I have experience with friends’ systems. And for the budget I choose to remain with components that I am familiar with. For the source, I pick a versatile one…a streamer, and my choice is the Naim Audio Uniti Atom Headphone Edition (SGD 5.2k). This will feed the Stax SR009S Ear Speakers (SGD 6k). The SR009S is not the current flagship Stax model, but an excellent over the ear headphones. I will opt to power this with the HeadAmp Blue Hawaii Electrostatic Headphone amp (SGD 10.5k). This brings a system total of SGD 21.7k, leaving enough for a few years subscription to HD audio services like Spotify, Apple Music, TIDAL and Qobuz.

Concluding thoughts

So what do you think? Spend the SGD 25k on a watch, or one of these other boy’s toys?

My thinking is that if you are just starting out on your watch collecting, then the watch should be priority. But if you have been collecting for a while, and perhaps moved on from the SGD25k budget range, and have already acquired or starting to acquire watches from SGD 50 to 100k range, then you might be ready for some of these distractions. The flip side, of course is that if you spring for one of these alternative spends, you will be left with less to pursue that higher priced watch. But I guess, you pays your money, you makes your choice. For me, I have reached a stage in my watch collecting journey that these alternatives do make sense. What about you? Do you indulge in other hobbies?