The act of wearing a watch is inexplicably empowering, even if just for the addition of weight to your wrist. Beyond that, though, there’s a form of cultural capital attached to the ownership and of watches, whether you attribute fashion-related value to that thing on your forearm or monetary value.
Of course, there’s a seam of luxury that runs through the watchmaking industry; luxury typified by a small number of key brands. If you’re starting out in your watch-collecting journey, you might be feeling a little undereducated on what it means to own a given brand – in which case, this beginner’s guide may be the ideal primer.
1. The Origins of Luxury Watchmaking
The emergence of luxury timepieces can be traced back to early innovation in the nations of Switzerland and France – where watchmakers truly began to wield their talent can experiment with precision. Northern Europe would become a valuable exporter of precision instruments in its own right over the coming decades, with numerous brands (Suunto amongst them) staking their claim to innovations in the world of precision computing and compass engineering.
This fertile ground was bound to give birth to something special – and so it did, as a number of brands in Northern and Western Europe emerged from the primordial soup of experimental horological engineering.
2. Patek Philippe: The Pioneer of Haute Horologerie
Patek Philippe is quietly one of the most luxurious brands on the luxury-watch docket, and a brand thoroughly steeped in horological history to boot. Founded in 1839, Patek Philippe is a Swiss brand born of Polish watchmaker Antoni Patek and French watchmaker Adrien Philippe.
Philippe was responsible for the invention of the keyless winding mechanism which came to disrupt the watchmaking industry, and which featured in an early Patek Philippe model bought by none other than Queen Victoria. The Patek Philippe brand, meanwhile, has innovated in countless ways over the decades, from innovating the double-chronograph to creating the first all-electronic clock.
3. Rolex: The Symbol of Prestige and Performance
Though Patek Philippe holds a great many accolades, it is still Rolex which holds the most public favour. This household-name brand is much-vaunted, and for many good reasons – reasons which make this brand one of the most healthily-traded brands on the pre-owned market.
Rolex was founded in Geneva in 1905, by brothers-in-law Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis. From these inauspicious beginnings came innovation and ubiquity, through the innovation of the weatherproof Oyster case and the engineering and invention of wearer-powered Perpetual movement.
4. Audemars Piguet: The Legacy of Innovation
Audemars Piguet is another quiet luxury amongst watch fans, and one of few brands which is very much allowed to rest on its laurels. This was the first brand to develop a minute-repeating movement for the wristwatch, and a brand which continues to innovate well into this generation. Its historic watches fetch a pretty penny, and so too do its latest releases.
Also Read: Why Buying Used Luxury Watches is a Smart Investment
