Best Luxury Dress Watch
Tank Américaine Automatic Watch
Cartier
Best Luxury Driving Watch
Cosmograph Daytona Oyster Watch
Rolex
Best Luxury Aviation Watch
Big Pilot’s Monopusher Automatic Watch
IWC Schaffhausen
Best Luxury Diving Watch
Seamaster Diver Chronograph Watch
Omega
Best Luxury Tactical Watch
1858 Geosphere Automatic Watch
Montblanc
Best Luxury Digital Watch
Connected Calibre E4 Smartwatch
Tag Heuer
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Best Luxury Dress Watch
Tank Américaine Automatic Watch
Cartier
The French-founded luxury goods manufacturer is renowned for its opulent jewelry pieces, which explains why its watches look just as polished. The first Tank model—inspired by the shape of WW1 military tanks—was conceived by Louis Cartier in 1917. This version of the iconic watch, the Tank Américaine, was launched in 1989. The rectangular steel case, bold Roman numerals and sword-shaped watch hands are instantly recognizable. The matching blue alligator strap adds the perfect finishing touch.
Rolex
Though born as a British brand, Rolex is—like most luxury watch manufacturers—Swiss made. The Cosmograph Daytona is named after the motorsports-loving city in Florida, with the first model launched in 1963. This one’s made from stainless steel and includes the watchmaker’s popular Oyster bracelet with 18-karat gold center links. The automatic watch is adored for its tachymeter—a watch complication that measures a driver’s speed. We see why actor and race car driver Paul Newman was such a big fan of the watch.
Best Luxury Aviation Watch
Big Pilot’s Monopusher Automatic Watch
IWC Schaffhausen
The 154-year-old Swiss watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen is celebrated for its pilot watches, so its homage to the much-loved Le Petit Prince character of French writer and aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry makes for a magical match. The timepiece—fitted with a transparent back, blue dial, luminous hands and brown calfskin strap—is also the brand’s first Big Pilot watch with a chronograph (timer) function. The Monopusher, as its name suggests, has a single pusher that’s incorporated into the crown. With only 500 pieces available, collectors will be following this one closely.
Omega
As the official watch brand of choice for the Olympic Games, NASA’s Apollo 11 mission and the James Bond franchise, Omega needs no further introduction. This stainless steel and 18-karat gold Seamaster is crafted with a see-through back case and boasts Omega’s exclusive Co-Axial movement. The sleek laser-engraved wave detailing makes up the black ceramic dial, which also includes a date window. The timepiece is equipped with a black rubber strap that’s as chic as it is suitable for diving up to 1,000 ft.
Montblanc
Tactical watches are designed for extreme situations, whether that includes military operations or outdoor adventures. Montblanc may be famous for its Meisterstück line of pens, but the German luxury goods company also designs brilliant watches to complement the life of explorers—like this 1858 Geosphere in a stainless-steel case that’s designed with mountaineering in mind. Its complications include turning northern and southern hemisphere globes, a second time zone indicator plus day and night displays.
Best Luxury Digital Watch
Connected Calibre E4 Smartwatch
Tag Heuer
Some luxury watch aficionados might argue that a digital piece hasn’t earned credible collectible status yet. But Tag Heuer was the first ever luxury watchmaker to develop a smartwatch—forcing competitors to catch up—so we think it’s indicative of where connoisseurs will inevitably end up heading. Tag’s latest version of its Best Smartwatches for Men
What to Look for
The world of luxury watches can get rather complicated, so we’ve done our best to get down to the basics. If you’re saving up for that big-ticket timepiece, here are a few things to consider first.
There are luxury watches for every imaginable activity (and personal taste), but generally speaking, they’re regularly reduced to two types: dress watches and sports watches. Dress watches (often paired with a fancier strap, like leather) are traditionally associated with formalwear, so they’re typically slimmer, finer, more elegant and minimalist in nature.
On the other hand, sports watches were originally designed for certain professions—think diving, racing and flying—so they boast functional specifications. Though all luxury watches are designed from top quality materials, sports watches place an emphasis on hardier, more resilient materials that can withstand any additional bumps and scratches that may arise from an active lifestyle.
Mechanical vs. Quartz Movements
Very simply put, the watch movement refers to the parts of a watch that allow it to tell time. Watches with mechanical movements require several pieces (springs, wheels, escapements, oscillators etc.) in order to keep time. Mechanical watches can be further broken down into hand-wound and self-winding (automatic) watches.
As for watches with quartz movements, these are powered by batteries and quartz crystals to tell time without all the moving bits. Even though quartz movements are more accurate than mechanical movements, many watch collectors appreciate the craftsmanship of mechanical watches.
