We asked ten of the world’s finest watchmakers to nominate a timepiece which they believe will stand the test of time.
“When one thinks of an heirloom, one of the first objects people think about is a watch,’” says John Reardon, Christie’s International Head of Watches.
“Nothing better represents the passing of time or value from one generation to the next more than a timepiece ,” adds Mr Reardon.
We asked representatives from ten of the world’s finest watchmakers to nominate one piece from their collection that they believe will be worthy to pass down the generations. Here’s what they came up with.
Patek Philippe Calatrava
Officers’ watches have been a tradition at Patek Philippe since the early 20th century. The outbreak of the First World War meant that gentlemen needed a more accessible place to keep a watch than in a pocket. The iconic design, heritage and exceptionally skilled manufacture of the Calatrava ensure its status as a wear-forever heirloom. Mark Hearn, managing director
£23,460 – www.patek.com/Calatrava
Rolex Day-Date
In 1956, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date made its debut. Available only in precious metal, it was the first wristwatch to display the date and day of the week—a technical feat at the time. Rolex’s signature President bracelet was created especially for the Day-Date and is still reserved solely for that particular model. Faye Soteri
£42,300 – www.rolex.com/DayDate
Parmigiani Toric Chronomètre
The Toric Chronomètre pays homage to the design that founded the brand; it’s the result of the wealth of my observations of Nature, math-ematics and architectural geometry. Michel Parmigiani
£15,600 – www.parmigiani.com
Hublot Big Bang
The term ‘Big Bang’ is based on the ‘art of fusion’ concept, where we combine materials that never traditionally appear together, such as gold and rubber, ceramic and steel, denim and diamonds. These surpri-sing combinations required a case that was different to classic three-part models – the Big Bang case has 70 components. Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO
£11,200 – www.hublot.com/en/collection/big-bang
Chopard Happy Sport
The moving diamonds are very much part of Chopard’s DNA. Since launch, we have created many reinterpret-ations, including models with floating fish, stars, animals and more. Caroline Scheufele, artistic director and co-president
£16,800 – www.chopard.com/uk/happy-sport
Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Automatique 5367
Abraham-Louis Breguet is acknowledged as one of the greatest horologists of all time. In 1801, after a long list of inventions, he patented the tourbillon, the device that would cement his fame. Emmanuel Breguet, historian and archivist, general manager
£110,600 – www.breguet.com
OMEGA Speedmaster
The Speedmaster was the first watch worn on the moon in 1969. If you want a watch that will remain special and relevant for generations, I would say that the ‘Moonwatch’ is definitely it. Raynald Aeschlimann, president and CEO
£4,160 – www.omegawatches.com/watches/speedmaster
Bremont MBII
In 2009, we were approached by British ejector-seat manufacturer Martin Baker to produce a watch to celebrate the lives that they had saved. With a special red barrel, the MBI is only available to those who have been ejected. It was subject to two years of testing to ensure it could survive the ejector seat. Nick English, co-founder
£3,795 – www.bremont.com
Cartier Tank
The shape embodies the watch’s pioneering personality—to be a square watch in a time of round watches was revolutionary. I bel-ieve it’s the most important design in the history of watches; its innovation lies within its simplicity. Pierre Rainero, style director
£12,100 – www.cartier.co.uk
Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Duo
There’s a natural synergy between Casa Fagliano, the polo-boot manufacturer and the Reverso, which was originally created in 1931 for British Army officers in India to protect their watches when playing polo. The combination of the hand-stitched leather strap and the geometric simplicity of the dial is understated and timeless. Geoffroy Lefebvre, deputy CEO
£19,200 – www.jaeger-lecoultre.com/UK/Reverso
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