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Departures Readers' Favorite Luxury Survey - Watch
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If I could wear any watch to the black-tie benefit, I'd wear a:
1. CARTIER
Cartier jeweled watches are so exquisitely made it's hard to remember they are functional, too. New designs include the gently serpentine Himalia in white gold, its dark face set off by rows of brilliant-cut diamonds and black sapphires, with a black alligator band ($26,300). But the most striking and memorable creation is the Déclaration watch, a black bracelet of toile poudrée encircled by ten movable white-gold bands, each set like an eternity ring with tiny pavé diamonds. Slide the rings up and a delicate square diamond-studded watch face is revealed; slide them back down and the watch disappears, unveiling a single radiant diamond above ($32,500).
2. BULGARI
3. TIFFANY & CO.
4. CHOPARD
5. HARRY WINSTON
6. BOUCHERON
7. VAN CLEEF & ARPELS
8. BUCCELLATI
9. CHANEL
For every day, I can't live without my watch from:
1. PIAGET
In the 1960s, Piaget was the first brand to design watch dials of colored stone. This year the company reinvents its popular Polo watch with dials of shimmering onyx ($21,500), mauve jasper ($16,900), and meteorite, a rare stone with a distinctive crosshatched texture ($18,900). The regal blue lapis lazuli set in 18-karat yellow gold is particularly handsome ($18,800). The most dramatic new technological introduction is Piaget's first flying tourbillon complication, found in the men's Emperador watch. Three years in the making and a mere 3.5 mm thick, it is being released in a limited edition of 20 ($91,000).
2. GIRARD-PERREGAUX
3. BREGUET
4. FRANCK MULLER
5. VACHERON CONSTANTIN
6. IWC
7. AUDEMARS PIGUET
8. BLANCPAIN
9. HUBLOT
When I want to dazzle them, I wear my watch by:
1. PATEK PHILIPPE
Since 1839, family-owned Patek Philippe has been one of the most revered watchmakers in the world, known for everything from pioneering Swiss quartz wristwatches in the 1950s to mastering grand complications. (The Graves watch, one of their greatest triumphs, was custom-made in 1933 with a record 24 complications and auctioned off in 1999 for $11 million, making it the most expensive watch in history.) The ultimate new jet set complication is their World Time watch, which has only two hands yet shows the time anywhere in the world ($19,850-$29,500).
2. ROLEX
3. CARTIER
4. PIAGET
5. JAEGER-LECOULTRE
6. OMEGA
7. CHOPARD
8. GUCCI
9. HERMES
10. BEDAT
11. DAVID YURMAN
12. DE GRISOGONO
When I want a watch with classic style, I buy a:
1. ROLEX
Founded by a 24-year-old Bavarian a century ago, Rolex broke ground on two fronts in 1931 with the Oyster Perpetual, the world's first water-resistant self-winding watch. This fall the company introduces new versions of several of its classics. For a sporty look, there's the Submariner diver's watch with a jaunty apple-green rotating bezel ($4,250). Or dress things up with the Cellinium, ringed in a smooth circle of platinum with a crisp black dial and black crocodile strap ($12,500).
2. PATEK PHILIPPE
3. BREITLING
4. GIRARD-PERREGAUX
5. JAEGER-LECOULTRE
6. FRANCK MULLER
7. BREGUET
8. BLANCPAIN
9. IWC
10. AUDEMARS PIGUET
11. PARMIGIANI FLEURIER
12. CHANEL
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I am not sure if all of you heard about Departures Magazine. Departures is a magazine exclusively for the members of American Express Platinum Card and Centurion Card, which are typically "by invitation only" after a few years' membership of American Express Gold Card. Departures conducts survey among its readers every year - from favorite resorts to favorite shoes. Although we don't know exactly what kinds of people hold the membership, we can probably guess that the percentage of high-end watch owners among those members is much higher than the percentage of general public. Just for your entertainment.
BTW, while we were just debating about the style of ROLEX, ROLEX was considered the "most classic" by these people.
