In the world of horology, certain models have stood the test of time – not just for their craftsmanship and design, but also for the rich history and stories they carry. These timepieces aren’t just instruments for telling time; they’re symbols of style, prestige and timeless elegance.
For the serious collector, acquiring these watches is about more than just ownership; it’s about becoming part of a legacy that spans decades, sometimes even centuries. However, the downside to this desirability is often availability.
With that in mind, these are the five watches that would take pride of place in any collection, and some options available today on both the new and preowned market.
Rolex Daytona
Let’s start with one of the most sought-after watches in the world: the Rolex Daytona. Modern Cosmograph models have waiting lists for their waiting lists, no matter which retailer you go to, while historic movements in the price of vintage can make some models potential investment pieces.
Go back a decade or so and you can still find them for decent – if not exactly inexpensive – money. If you want to imitate the screen icon that is Paul Newman, however, with the sought-after black/white contrast dial Daytona, you’ll be severely out of pocket. Then there’s the grail-level model that any collector would sell their grandmother for: the 6265.
They’re all available on the second-hand market; you just need to know where to look.
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Patek Philippe Nautilus
If you thought the waiting list for a new Daytona was bad, wait until you try to get a Nautilus. Patek Philippe’s porthole-inspired steel icon is slightly less in demand but has far, far lower production. This duality means the watch is hard to find, even pre-owned—it’s not a piece you let leave your collection without good reason.
The only real positive is that the Nautilus hasn’t changed much since Gerald Genta (of Audemars Piguet Royal Oak fame) created it in the 1970s. Sure, there are occasional high-complication models, but the standard references tend to maintain the same muscular shape and deck-inspired dials.
It’s less about which Nautilus you have and more about the fact that you have one that matters – meaning if you do see one that is available immediately, snap it up. You never know when you’ll have another opportunity.
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Cartier Tank
At the opposite end of the spectrum from the Nautilus we have Cartier’s most famous timepiece. Inspired by a WW1 tank in its rectangular shape, it’s one of the longest-running watch models in existence and is still a mainstay of the French jeweller’s horological offerings today. It’s also a model Cartier isn’t afraid to play around with.
There have been a lot of variations on the Tank over the years, some relatively simple and refined, some weird and wacky. They range from slim to huge squares of metal, though they all tend to share the white dial with Roman numerals.
Personally, we love the Française versions, but there’s more than enough to choose from if you don’t share our classical sentiments. Oh, and it helps that the Tank is invariably well-priced.
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Omega Speedmaster
In case you hadn’t heard – or insist Stanley Kubrick produced the whole thing – it’s been 50 years since man first landed on the moon, and if there’s one watchmaker that can’t tell you enough, it’s Omega. Still, we can’t blame them; when Buzz Aldrin followed Neil Armstrong onto the lunar surface, he had an Omega Speedmaster on his wrist.
The classic Speedmaster has remained almost the same ever since, at least aesthetically. The movements have been modernised, but the black look with white indexes is still everywhere. If you want that particular watch, it’s worth going to a retailer. But Omega has an obsession with limited editions and, over the years, has created many off-kilter Speedmasters.
With overt tie-ins to every Apollo mission, subdials replaced by meteorites, and the Alaska Project (a watch with a removable outer case designed to survive sub-zero temperatures), it’s easy to forget that there’s a lot more to the Speedmaster than NASA certification.
Available Now
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
Gerald Genta had a way with watches. Not only did he design the aforementioned Nautilus, but he also created one of the (at the time) most revolutionary timepieces ever built: the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.
Back in 1972, a steel watch with a luxury price tag was ludicrous and unheard of. Now, it’s the watchmaker’s most successful piece, and unless the Code 11.59 somehow gets itself together, it always will be.
It’s not hard to see what’s so great about the Royal Oak: the octagonal bezel with its visible screws, the integrated bracelet and its sheer audacity of design make it the perfect watch for anyone that needs a watch to match their yacht.
Here at Ape, we prefer the time-only models with their tapisserie dials, but if you’re after a sportier look, there’s always the Offshore – big, bulky and equipped with a chronograph.
