From the moon to the meeting room, these are six of the best luxury watches you can buy today
So why should the modern man wear a classic, automatic watch? After all, he can just as easily tell the time on his ever-present smartphone or get a new-fangled smartwatch. While no longer a necessary tool for telling time, a watch has always been the closest a man has to an article of jewellery. In addition to that, watches are often capable of going places your phone may not accompany you to, like the top of Everest, and the cold hard vacuum of space (hey, you never know!). Here are six luxury watches, iconic and new models, that are sure to turn heads.
For the diver: Tudor Pelagos
Whether you’re an actual diver exploring the deep blue or simply a desk-diving Walter Mitty, this impeccably designed and rugged diving watch is sure to turn heads. The Pelagos is a tool watch through and through and offers water resistance to 500 metres, a helium escape valve, ceramic bezel insert, and at the heart of it all – Tudor’s new Manufacture Calibre MT5612 movement that provides and impressive 70-hour power reserve. Now surely you must be imagining a massive chunk of steel on your wrist, but the Tudor Pelagos comes in a very compact (and light) 42mm steel and titanium case.
Tudor Pelagos, approximately $6,000.
For the astronaut-at-heart: Omega Speedmaster 1957 Trilogy Limited Edition
The Rolex Explorer’s made it to the top of Everest and the Tudor Pelagos has plunged to the deepest depths of the ocean, but the Omega Speedmaster Professional holds the distinction of being the only watch flight-certified by NASA for EVA activities (spacewalks). In celebration of the iconic time piece’s 60th anniversary, Omega has released a 1957 Trilogy Limited Edition model that harkens back to the pre-NASA model. The new commemorative model features several unique changes (or reversions) like a 39mm case, straight lugs, a faux tropical dial, and of course, the broad arrow hour hands. This is as close as you can get to the original 1957 Speedmaster.
Omega Speedmaster 1957 Trilogy Limited Edition.
For the racer-at-heart: TAG Heuer CARRERA Heuer-01
“Swiss avant-garde” indeed – the CARRERA Heuer-01 is certainly the most modern watch on this list with its aggressive styling, chronograph function and the skeletonised dial reminiscent of an exposed race car engine. At 43mm, the watch is a chunky one and features a rather busy dial, but it’s thoughtfully designed and never feels over-the-top. The watch comes in a plethora of different colour-ways and styles, and buyers have the option of leather, rubber or steel bracelets.
TAG Heuer CARRERA Heuer-01,$7,300 (centre model).
For the adventurer: Rolex Explorer II
Accompanying Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay on their ascent of Everest was the original Rolex Explorer. While Rolex has gone from the everyday man’s reliable Swiss watch brand to a luxury watch brand, its roots have not been forgotten. The modern reinterpretation of the original Explorer take its predecessors’ DNA and packs it into a more contemporary 42mm 904L stainless steel case. The Rolex Explorer II also distinguishes itself with the addition of a 24-hour GMT hand, a feature that allows explorers to tell night from day in subterranean caverns and the polar darkness.
Rolex Explorer II, $10,880.
For the sharp-dresser: Longines Master Collection Blue Dial
Eye-catching but certainly not over-the-top, this Longines Master Collection’s model offers a beautiful shimmering blue dial set in a contemporarily-sized 42mm case that’ll easily slip under a dress shirt sleeve. The watch is kept simple with a date window as the only complication. A chapter ring with five-second denominations adds just a hint of sportiness to this otherwise dressy watch. Keep it casual with a steel bracelet or dress it up a bit with a bold leather strap.
Longines Master Collection Blue Edition, $2,990.
For the one-watch-man: Montblanc 1858 Manual Small Second
If you’re all for minimalism in your lifestyle, you’ll probably want a single, high-quality, do-it-all watch that’s just as fit for the boardroom as it is for a night on the town. The Montblanc 1858 Manual Small Second is a simple watch with a “contemporary vintage” styling that might bring vintage flieger-style watches to mind. The 44mm watch features large Super-LumiNova filled cathedral hands (my favourite feature on this watch), luminescent Arabic numerals, and a railway track. Unlike the other watches on this list, this beauty features a manual wind movement (MB 23.03) for a little old-school charm.
Montblanc 1858 Manual Small Second, $5,100.