Men love their luxury designer watches and despite global economic upheaval they are still in high demand. A well-made luxury watch can often be handed down to family members for generations. They become a status symbol for the head of the family much like a signet ring and can be a worth while investment. Here’s our pick of the top selling luxury watches for men, as reported by askmen.com:
Number One – Girard-Perregaux – Opera Three
WATCH SPECIFICATIONS
| MAKERS | Girard-Perregaux |
| MOVEMENTS | Manual |
| CASE MATERIAL | Platinum |
| FEATURES | Lower Reserve, Sub Seconds, Hour Strike |
| DIAL COLOUR | Silver, Silver |
| STRAP | Alligator Strap |
| CRYSTAL | Sapphire |
| CASE DIAMETER | 43 mm |
| GUIDE PRICE | £250,000 + |
Girard-Perregaux produces only a few watches per year. Their motto of “watches for the few since 1791” is indicative of the rarity of their products. Priced at over £250,000 these watches are still in high demand.
Number Two – Vacheron Constantin – Skeleton Minute Repeater
WATCH SPECIFICATIONS
| MAKERS | Vacheron Constantin |
| MOVEMENTS | Manual |
| CASE MATERIAL | Platinum |
| FEATURES | Repeating hour, quarters & minutes on demand |
| DIAL COLOUR | Silver |
| STRAP | Crocodile Leather Blue |
| CRYSTAL | Scratch Resistant Sapphire |
| CASE DIAMETER | 44 mm |
| GUIDE PRICE | £370,000 |
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The watch is custom crafted. It features a 30-jewel motor and has a 34-hour power reserve. It does not have a lot of unusual features, but it makes up for it in simple elegance and craftsmanship. There are very few made each year. At a price greater than £370,000 this is not a watch for the common man.
Number Three – Breguet – Double Tourbillon Classique Grande Complication
WATCH SPECIFICATIONS
| MAKERS | Breguet |
| MOVEMENTS | Manual |
| CASE MATERIAL | Platinum |
| FEATURES | Breguet Caliber 588, contains 69 jewels |
| DIAL COLOUR | Silver, Silver |
| STRAP | Alligator Strap |
| CRYSTAL | Sapphire |
| CASE DIAMETER | 44 mm |
| GUIDE PRICE | £205,000 |
This is a watch that kings and queens through the ages have desired. The company started in 1775. It has had prestigious customers such as Marie Antoinette and Napolean Bonaparte. The Tourbillon design is a patented to protect the unique way it compensated for gravity, which improves the accuracy of the watch. It boasts 50 hours of power reserve and a 69-jewel movement. At a mere £205,000 per watch everyone will be wearing one.
Number Four – Parmigiani Fleurier Bugatti Type 370
WATCH SPECIFICATIONS
| MAKERS | Bugatti |
| MOVEMENTS | Automatic |
| CASE MATERIAL | 18 ct white gold |
| FEATURES | Double spring barrel plates with circular graining |
| DIAL COLOUR | Dials 4 variants |
| STRAP | Hermès calf with folding clasp |
| CRYSTAL | 6 sapphire crystals |
| CASE DIAMETER | 32.4 x 52.5 mm |
| GUIDE PRICE | £190,000 |
Parmigiani Fleurier Bugatti Type 370 retails for £190,000. With its unique display, this watch is for the forward thinking man. The display allows the wearing to check the time without having to move his wrist. The six sapphire crystals are held by and eighteen carat gold case. This watch easily marks a man as a modern visionary confident in his life.
Number Five – Richard Mille – RM 002-V2 Tourbillon
WATCH SPECIFICATIONS
| MAKERS | Richard Mille |
| MOVEMENTS | Manual |
| CASE MATERIAL | Rose Gold |
| FEATURES | Hours, Minutes, Power Reserve & Torque Indicators, Function Selector, Tourbillon |
| DIAL COLOUR | Black |
| STRAP | Alligator Strap |
| CRYSTAL | Transparent Sapphire |
| CASE DIAMETER | 45mm x 38.3mm |
| GUIDE PRICE | £140,000 |
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This watchmaker is new to the market but is making a splash that cannot be ignored. This carbon nano-fibre construction presents the latest and greatest in design and construction. The watch projects and avant-guarde impression with its £140,000 price tag.
Number Six – IWC – Grande Complication
WATCH SPECIFICATIONS
| MAKERS | IWC |
| MOVEMENTS | Swiss Automatic |
| CASE MATERIAL | Platinum |
| FEATURES | Chronograph, Perpetual calendar, Four-digit year display |
| DIAL COLOUR | 4 variants |
| STRAP | Platinum |
| CRYSTAL | Anti reflective Sapphire |
| CASE DIAMETER | 432.2 mm |
| GUIDE PRICE | £150,000 |
There are only fifty of these treasures made per year. At a price of £150,000, this 75 jewel self-winding watch will quickly become a family heirloom. It has all types of functions that make it the only watch a man will ever need. It will chime on the quarter-hour, has a crown activated rapid calendar advance and a perpetual calendar and moon phase display among the other functions it can achieve.
Number 7 – Patek Philippe – Celestial
WATCH SPECIFICATIONS
| MAKERS | Patek Philippe |
| MOVEMENTS | Automatic |
| CASE MATERIAL | 18ct White Gold |
| FEATURES | Solar & Sidereal Time, Lunar Days & Lunation |
| DIAL COLOUR | Blue |
| STRAP | Leather – Black Crocodile |
| CRYSTAL | Sapphire – Scratch Resistant |
| CASE DIAMETER | 43.1 mm |
| GUIDE PRICE | £140,000 |
This is a self-winding model with sky chart face that shows moon phases, lunar orbit and meridian passate. It is water resistant to 25 meters. It is the perfect watch for the modern man. The current retail price is £140,000. It makes for a usual and easily recognised watch to match a uniquely unusual and recognised man.
Number 8 – Bvlgari – Ergon
WATCH SPECIFICATIONS
| MAKERS | Bvlgari |
| MOVEMENTS | Automatic |
| CASE MATERIAL | White Gold set with Diamonds |
| FEATURES | Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Date |
| DIAL COLOUR | Silver Baton |
| STRAP | Black Alligator |
| CRYSTAL | Sapphire |
| CASE DIAMETER | 40 mm |
| GUIDE PRICE | £ 21,200 |
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This watch is proof that it does not have to cost six figures to be a watch that families will cherish for ages. The Bulgari Erfon retails for $15,000. It is water resistant to 30 meters. It features a scratch resistant sapphire crystal and crocodile band. The stainless steel case adds class and elegance to it’s design. This watch is filled with functions that the wearer can customise. This watch is sure to be passed down to a man’s sons through many generations.
Number 9 – Jaeger-LeCoultre – Reverso Classique Grande Automatique
WATCH SPECIFICATIONS
| MAKERS | Jaeger-LeCoultre |
| MOVEMENTS | Hand-winding |
| CASE MATERIAL | Stainless Steel |
| FEATURES | Hours, Minutes |
| DIAL COLOUR | 4 variants |
| STRAP | Stainless Steel |
| CRYSTAL | Sapphire |
| CASE DIAMETER | 37 x 26mm |
| GUIDE PRICE | £ 2,500 |
Jaeger-LeCoultre is a master at mixing design and functionality. The stainless steel case can be swivelled or reversed. The automatic movement has multiple features that can be customised by the wearer. Water resistant to 30 meters this watch will carry a man through work and play. Retail price is £2,500.
Number 10 – TAG Heuer – F1
WATCH SPECIFICATIONS
| MAKERS | TAG Heuer |
| MOVEMENTS | Quartz Analogue |
| CASE MATERIAL | Stainless Steel |
| FEATURES | Hours, Minutes, Days, Calendar, Digital Display |
| DIAL COLOUR | Various |
| STRAP | Stainless Steel |
| CRYSTAL | Quartz |
| CASE DIAMETER | 43 mm |
| GUIDE PRICE | £ 600-1,500 |
The simplicity of the design has universal appeal. It offers seven functions and has both analog and digital displays. It is water resistant to 200 meters making it the ideal watch for all occasions. At £600 there is no need for another timepiece. This watch is sure to become a cherished heirloom that will stay with a man day and night.
