Roger Smith. Kari Voutilainen. Laurent Ferrier. Philippe Dufour. If there were four individuals that represented the absolute finest in independent, hand-made horology, it is these guys. Last fall, the four of them got together thanks to the Hour Glass Singapore's "Grandmaster" event. Here, a group of collectors asked the four masters a range of questions, but perhaps the most interesting was when they were asked what watch they would recommend under $10,000. Revolution Online was there to record their answers. Consider that not a single of these four men produce a watch even close to this price point. Their answers might surprise you, but we'll give a hint: two of them mentioned a brand that starts with an "R" and ends with an "x".

This is what they had to say:

Philippe Dufour: "I would say that you could buy at this price, maybe a bit less, a very good watch in terms of value and quality. It’s not Swiss — sorry — [but] a German brand called NOMOS. I found that this brand makes a very serious product. I like these watches, and for somebody who wants to start, I think this will be a good [choice]: not too expensive and good value for money."

Kari Voutilainen: "It’s a tricky question. In this case, perhaps I would buy a Parmigiani to support my village. That is perhaps the best solution, because it will bring wealth to the area where I’m living.

Laurent Ferrier: "If I could only buy one, I would go for a Rolex Daytona. If you really want to start a collection, it’s probably going to have to be with something simple, so the best way is to go to an auction and try to find original 50-year-old pieces that are still in good condition. That’s a very easy way to start."

Roger Smith: "I don’t know if this would surprise people, but personally, it would have to be a Rolex. They are exceptional watches and what impresses me about Rolex is that they’re not very adventurous, which is good, because they know they have a great movement. The movements that they use are tried and tested. They’ve been around forever — why change the wheel? They have a watch that you can use for dress, sports, and it’s a great all-rounder. Put one on your wrist and you’ll probably die with that watch on your wrist. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I look at the mechanics of a watch, the case and how all the components are constructed; to me, [the Rolex is] bulletproof, and I don’t think you can get much better than that. They don’t sponsor me, by the way."

Pretty incredible, no? You can read the full story on Revolution here. The image above comes from Billionaire.com's story on these incredible four men.

READ MORE: Laurent Ferrier / Philippe Dufour / Kari Voutilainen / Roger Smith