When you look at the catalogs of many of the most renowned watch companies, you’ll realize that they usually include a few classics whose names have been around for decades. Rolex, for example, does not introduce new models but improves on their core collection over time. Other manufacturers continue to offer new adaptations of styles that have been profitable for many years, keeping history alive. Here is a list of the few watches worth purchasing to identify, understand, enjoy, and recommend those watches that are “living legends.” To be more precise, a watch must have rich historic roots and continue to be manufactured today to be considered a true treasure.
Omega Speedmaster
Irrespective of price, status, history, or innovation, this Omega classic watch is universally regarded as the archetypal sports chronograph. If you want a magnificent but unobtrusive chronograph with a great heritage, a distinctive style, and a long enough lifespan to support numerous variants, a Speedmaster is a watch for you. The Omega Speedmaster was deemed suitable by NASA, and one was worn by Buzz Aldrin on his 1969 moonwalk.
The Moonwatch is essentially the Submariner of chronographs; there are numerous varieties, many of which are available on the used market; they retain their worth well and have changed very gradually. You can’t go wrong with the revised co-axial automatic Speedmaster 9300, a manually wound 3570.50, and you’ll possess a piece of horological history.
Rolex Submariner
Rolex first introduced the Submariner in 1954, and the watch business has never been the same thereafter. The Submariner was never intended to be a luxury item, but rather an experienced diver’s wristwatch that anyone could appreciate. It achieved a cult reputation as a mighty fine sports watch, and then in the 1980s, when the mechanical watch earned a more luxurious status, Rolex started its long journey becoming the world’s most sought luxury watch brand.
For excellent purposes, the Submariner is their most dominant product. Its smooth style is sturdy and readable, and it is most significantly suited for nearly any man and many women regardless of appearance, taste, or age. The Rolex Submariner’s dependably good design is alive and strong in its newest iterations, which include 40mm wide casings available in two-tone, steel, or 18k yellow or white gold.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
Struggling financially amid the quartz era, the Royal Oak is the watch that rescued Audemars Piguet and transformed it into the brand it is now. Audemars Piguet hired Gerald Genta to create a timepiece that would expose the company to a larger market, recognizing that they required innovation rather than progress. Genta manufactured the AP Royal Oak ref 5402ST, which debuted in 1972 with a price tag so low that it not only out-priced all of its competitors, but also most gold timepieces on the marketplace.
The world had no precedent for a steel super sports watch, so Audemars Piguet went all-in with the Royal Oak. While the Royal Oak was a divisive concept from the start, it gave birth to a new watch archetype, the luxury steel sports watch, and popularity expanded quickly enough to keep Audemars Piguet in business, and the unique Genta form is now a vital part of their brand image.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso
The Reverso was introduced in 1931 as part of one of the first collaborations between Jaeger and LeCoultre, which joined forces to form a single brand. The Reverso was designed from the start to be a high-end timepiece for individuals of Britain’s aristocratic society to wear while playing polo in then colonial India. While the flipping case concept appears straightforward by contemporary standards, it was difficult to modernize at first. To secure itself, the rectangular case was initially flipped to reveal a solid metal rear.
The angular timepiece’s art deco style and attractive characteristics earned it a fast hit amongst high-society persons, particularly in Europe. Reverso manufacture ceased in the mid-twentieth century, and it wasn’t until the 1980s that it began to reappear. It was notably true in the last two decades. Its stylish design is, of course, traditional, but it is also everlasting and essentially manly. To cater to the majority of luxury watch clients, Jaeger-LeCoultre has also produced a bewildering assortment of Reverso sizes and styles. Jaeger-LeCoultre manufactures the Reverso casing and movement entirely in-house.
TAG Heuer Monaco
The Heuer Monaco was introduced in 1969 as one of the earliest automated chronographs and was named after the famed Monaco GP Formula One track by Jack Heuer. Monaco was even spotted on Steve McQueen’s wrist in the 1971 film Le Mans, with its square casing and currently known Calibre 11 automatic movement. Monaco, an instant masterpiece in the chronograph industry, was withdrawn after only a few years, but the style and concept were reissued by McQueen in 1998 and again revived by TAG Heuer in 2003.
Historic and limited edition Monacos are highly sought for and command high prices on the used marketplace. Whether you’re emulating Steve McQueen or Walter White, a Monaco will give you one of the most distinct wrist presences available today.
Glashutte Original Senator Navigator
Aside from diver-style timepieces, the most prestigious sports watches are pilot-style timepieces, of which there are a plethora. Pilot watches were among the earliest big watches, and it is difficult to say who invented them. People generally think that many of the early ones were German and Swiss, dating back to the 1920s. This iconic style has been replicated by hundreds of brands and is popularly known as the B-uhr.
The Original Senator Navigator by Glashutte Original symbolizes this classic living legend timepiece even though there is no evident living parent to the style. Glashutte Original produces a few items in their Original Senator Navigator pilot watch line, with a price of around $7,000, and they are exceptionally outstanding while being difficult to find even when Glashutte Original timepieces are offered. Other brands that sell this design charge rates ranging from a few hundred to thousand dollars.
Final Thoughts
Each of the watches mentioned has its own timeless and beautiful beauty, dramatic and passionate history, as well as functional precision and functionality. There are more watches with the same story but these six are outstanding for specific reasons. Ready to buy? You can check them out at WatchShopping!
