Want to buy yourself a fancy watch? Want to pick one manufactured by a luxury watch brand? Confused with the multiple choices? Read this article to choose a watch that fits just perfectly in your budget and your style.
Watches are to men what diamonds are to women. They symbolize class. The watch a man wears, shows us his position in society. Whether that’s right or wrong, we can never say. But, one thing we know for sure―your watch is who you are. An outcome of miraculous engineering, a watch is always priced. In this article, we’ll check out the very best―luxury watches that have made a difference. Basically, there are four types of designer watches that are categorized under the luxury class―high-end luxury, luxury, pseudo luxury, and basic luxury. Let’s understand these types individually.
High-end Luxury Watches
These watches are very expensive with intricate designs and high-end craftsmanship. They are either ultra conservative or highly expensive, and partially or completely handcrafted timepieces. They are available only at a few specialized dealers and in a limited number. Due to this fact, these luxury watches are always valuable in their new, used, and vintage forms. They are available in steel and gold models, with leather straps and/or gold straps. You can call them the world’s most expensive watches.
Popular brands under this category: A. Lange & Söhne, Breguet, Franck Muller, Alain Silberstein, Audemars Piguet, Blancpain, Patek Philippe & Co., Vacheron Constantin, etc.
Luxury Watches
Many manufacturers offer a special range of luxury watches. This category is the largest and most well-known. Watches belonging to this category are elegant and stylish. They are designed in extremely trend-setting and distinctive designs. Similar to high-end luxury watches, these have a great resale value for new, used, and vintage models. They are available in steel and gold models, with leather and/or gold bands. People who can’t afford the pricey high-end luxury watches, opt for these watches since they are modestly priced and are also said to have better durability.
Popular brands under this category: Rolex, Breitling, Ebel, Société Cartier, Omega, etc.
Pseudo Luxury Watches
This category offers watches to people who are interested in purchasing luxury watches in moderate pricing. These watches are stylish and affordable but are mostly designed as per popular models of the high-end and famous watch brands. They are widely available at malls and departmental stores. They are also available as low-end luxury watches at leading jewelry stores. Their relatively better market position fails to attract customers once they’re used. Since these watches are not ‘sufficiently’ durable, most models do not last enough to be labeled vintage. These are also available in steel and gold models.
Popular brands under this category: Baume et Mercier, Raymond Weil Genève, Tag Heuer.
Basic Luxury Watches
Basic luxury watches are at the beginning tier of the luxury class watches. They are stylish, but their designs are highly influenced by top selling luxury brands. Similar to pseudo luxury watches, these watches are available in departmental stores, malls, and jewelry stores. Unlike high-end luxury watches, these watches are produced in large quantity and are made using inexpensive detailing and parts that are easily replaceable. New basic luxury watches are popular amongst masses and those who want them at a really low cost. Used basic luxury watches have an extremely limited market. As far as vintage heritage of these watches is concerned, they do not stay in a good shape for long as they are subject to easy wear and tear.
Popular brands under this category: Fortis, Oris, Epos, Movado, etc.
Top 10 Most Expensive Watches
- Joaillerie 101 Manchette: Made by Jaeger-LeCoultre, these watches have 576 diamonds and an 18 carat white gold body. This watch also has a diamond, gold, and silver cabochon. Price of this watch depends on the number of jewels and the embellishment adorned on it.
- Tour de I’lle: Manufactured by Vacheron Constantin, these are limited edition watches. They are made with 18 carat and pink gold. This is an advanced timepiece with features like sunset timer, second time zone, tourbillion, and minute repeater.
- Big Bang Chronograph: Manufactured by Hublot, Bunter SA, these diamond studded watches are made specially for the elite class. The intricate setting of these watches hides all the other components of the watch and allows only the diamonds to appear.
- Classical Billionaire Tourbillion: Manufactured by Corum, this watch consists of around 850 diamonds, with dazzling skeleton hands and dials. It has a power reserve of around 90 hours. Only 10 hand wound pieces are manufactured of this precious watch.
- Tecnica Skeleton Chronograph: One of the popular high-end watch brands Parmigiani Fleurier has manufactured. This blue timepiece is made of platinum and gemstones.
- Grande Complication: This Blancpain luxury watch comes with a crocodile wristband and some really advanced functions.
- Opera One: Manufactured by Girard-Perregaux, these watches are designed with advanced features like a minute repeater, 75-hour power reserve, manual winding, etc.
- Double Tourbillon: This is a hand engraved watch, manufactured by Breguet. Made of 95% pure platinum, it has a design of the solar system.
- Titanic Watches: Manufactured by Swiss jewelry brand Romain Jerome, these watches are made using steel obtained from the Titanic’s hull, along with other shipbuilding steel.
- Zadora Timepieces: Manufactured by Andreas von Zadora-Gerlof, this gold and platinum watch contains a bee which is made of oxidized pelladium and micro pave. The watch is further embellished with canary yellow, black diamonds, and pear-shaped emeralds.
These watches are timeless pieces. Owning one of them is like owning something very unique, which only a few people in this world can obtain.