Editor?s Note: I?ve been genuinely impressed and surprised at the creativity of your 3 watch collection for $5,000 submissions, and as for Mr. Bauer here, well, he and I are on the same wavelength. This is a fantastic three watch collection, and while some may be tricky to find at retail, he?s in the right frame of mind to take up the challenge. 
If you?d like to submit your own 3 watch collection for $5,000 can you do so at the form right here.

The reader may rightly criticize that I have included watches that are either difficult to buy or difficult to buy at the original list price provided. On the other hand, the selections hold true to the original intent of this feature, which is to showcase the type of value that you can get with a certain limited amount of money. This takes a combination of knowledge, strategy, taste, experience, and a huge dose of luck. This, to me, is the essence of collecting watches, rather than just buying them.
Grand Seiko SBGV245 – $3,000

When I first saw the W&W review of this watch, I knew this was the Grand Seiko for me.  Since I started getting into watch collecting, I have always admired the brand. However, their more typical case designs never spoke to me. The lines for the SBGV24x series are so different and distinctive, yet still carry that strong GS design language. Not to mention that more wallet-friendly price tag for a GS watch. The dial color of the SBGV245 is also unique, not only in the GS line but ...