First Steps: Top 8 Luxury Watches to Start Your Collection with

Starting a watch collection from scratch is certainly a thrilling and gratifying experience. However, with so many different watches in the market, it can be difficult to know where to start. Building a collection is more than just buying timepieces; it's about creating a legacy that reflects your unique style, interests, and love for horological craftsmanship. Whether you're drawn to the exquisite refinement of dress watches, the rugged functionality of sports watches or the intricate complications of luxury timepieces, this guide will help you identify your niche and kick-start your collection journey.

Frederique Constant Classic Moonphase Date Manufacture

Classic timepieces have a rich history and an enduring appeal, often becoming symbols of craftsmanship, tradition, and personal style. These watches are valued not only for their functionality but also for their design and the heritage they represent. Frederique Constant's Classic Moonphase Date Manufacture now gets a 40 mm stainless steel case. The timepiece also gets a polished bezel and an onion crown at 3 o’clock. There is a silver-coloured, sunray dial with silver-coloured, applied diamond cut hour markers, and hour, minute, and second hands. All these are done in Alpha style. 

At 6 o'clock, a single window brings together two complications: the moonphase and the date window. The moon passes through a starry window at the precise rate of 29.5 days. This date is indicated by a central hand running along a peripheral scale graduated from 1 to 31, with 31 marked in red. Powering the watch is Calibre FC-716 with 72 hours of power reserve. The watch is finished on a blue alligator strap with a folding buckle. 

IWC Portugieser Chronograph 

The Portugieser series, which debuted in the 1930s, is known for its classic elegance and technological accuracy.  The Portugieser Chronograph is distinguished by its balanced dial and precise chronograph movement; this model is both useful and attractive, making it appropriate for both casual and formal wear. The new Ref. IW371624 gets a 41 mm stainless steel case with two pushers and a crown. 

There is a Dune dial with gold-plated hands and gold Arabic hour markers. The minutes are placed at 12 o’clock, while the small seconds are positioned at 6 o’clock. The inner flange is printed with a quarter-second scale in the same colour as the dial. Powering the watch is Calibre 69355 with a 46-hour power reserve. This model is finished on a black alligator leather strap with a stainless steel butterfly clasp.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Small Seconds

A black sunray dial is a fashionable and popular choice for watch faces. This sort of dial has a distinct finish that resembles the way sunlight spreads across the sky. The black colour provides a touch of sophistication and versatility, making these dials suitable for both casual and dressy watches. The Reverso Tribute Small Seconds (Ref. Q713257J) comes in a 45.6 mm pink gold case, and has a black sunray dial and a closed caseback.

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The same material can be found on the lugs, the crown at 3 o’clock, the hour markers, and the dauphine hands. Powering the watch is Calibre 822 with a 42-hour power reserve. The watch is finished on Fagliano Collection interchangeable calf-leather-and-canvas and all-calf-leather straps.

Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen Deep 4810

One of the most critical features of a diver's watch is its water resistance. Typically, diver's watches are rated at 200 metres (660 feet) or more. This 43 mm titanium case watch (Ref. 133268) has a shield protecting the screw-down crown and a knurled unidirectional bezel with black anodized aluminium Super-LumiNova®. 

There is a blue Sfumato glacier pattern dial with white luminescent rhodium-coated Arabic bar-shaped hour markers; a logo inspired by a vintage Minerva export seal rests at 6 o’clock. At 3 o’clock is a date window with a white background and black numerals. Powering the COSC-certified watch is Calibre MB 29.29 with a 120-hour power reserve. Turning the watch over showcases the titanium caseback with a 3D laser colour engraving featuring underwater ice. This timepiece has 4810-metre water resistance. Finishing the watch are an interchangeable black rubber strap with a taper and a stainless steel double-folding clasp.

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Breitling Aerospace B70 Orbiter

Aerospace watches are specialised timepieces that are created to suit the exacting standards of aviation professionals and enthusiasts. These watches include a variety of functions designed to meet the demands of pilots, navigators, and those involved in the aerospace sector. The new 43 mm titanium-cased watch features a crown at 3 o'clock, two pushers at 2 and 4 o'clock to manage the watch's functions, and a 60-minute bidirectional ratcheted bezel. The Aerospace B70 Orbiter 25th anniversary edition also features a vivid orange dial, which matches the colour of the Orbiter 3 spacecraft. The dial bears the Breitling Orbiter 3 mission logo at 3 o'clock and the Aerospace Chronometer at 9 o'clock. 

The Arabic hour markers and hands are covered with luminescent Super-LumiNova®, making them visible even in low-light conditions. The 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock, and 9 o'clock numerals are also reminiscent of Endurance Pro, another well-known Breitling series. The iconic "wings & anchor" insignia remains on the dial at 12 o'clock, but it now appears above the LCD panels rather than in between them. Powering the new Aerospace is the B70, a thermo-compensated SuperQuartz movement. The watch is finished on a metal bracelet or on a black rubber strap with a folding clasp.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II

GMT watches, which are popular among travellers and pilots, have a dual time zone system, which is extremely beneficial for keeping track of time in two separate time zones simultaneously. The new 40 mm Oyster case gets a grey and black Cerachrom bezel, while a black lacquer dial bears the inscription “GMT-Master II” in green, echoing the colour of the triangle-tipped 24-hour hand, with a combination of dotted and triangular hour markers. The date with a Cyclops lens at 3 o’clock matches the local time.

Calibre 3285 features a self-winding technology with a Perpetual rotor. Because of its barrel architecture and the escapement's greater efficiency, the power reserve of this movement is around 70 hours. The GMT-Master II in Oystersteel with grey and black Cerachrom bezel insert is available on an Oyster or a Jubilee bracelet.

TAG Heuer Carrera Date

Copper has a unique colour that stands out. Over time, copper develops a patina, which can add character to a watch. This ageing process is valued by many enthusiasts for its antique appearance. The new Ref. WBN2350.BD0000 comes in a 36 mm brushed polished stainless steel case, with a rose gold polished bezel and a rose gold crown at 3 o’clock.

The timepiece gets a copper snailed brushed dial with a gradient track on the outer periphery of the watch face. This track can either be a minute or a seconds track. There are 18 ct rose gold-plated faceted polished hour markers, and hour, minute hands with white Super-LumiNova®; the watch also gets a rose gold polished central second hand. The date window at 6 o’clock is angled. The watch is powered by the Calibre 7 automatic movement with a 56-hour power reserve. Finishing the watch is an 18 ct rose gold H-shaped brushed polished steel bracelet with a polished steel double-folding clasp featuring double safety push buttons and a TAG Heuer shield.

Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Powermatic 80

Combining basketball and watches might seem unconventional at first, but there's a fascinating intersection between the two that centres around style, precision, and high performance. The new Seastar features a 40 mm stainless steel casing with a screw-down crown guarded at 3 o'clock. The watch has a notched unidirectional rotating bezel that highlights the countdown area in a different colour depending on the movement. To emphasise the brand's significance in American basketball, the countdown area is calibrated to 24 minutes, marking the 24-second shot clock time on the shot clock bezel with timing graduation.

The Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA Powermatic 80 model sports a black dial with a circular brushed finish. In line with its dive watch credentials, the applied hour markers are both dotted and bar-shaped with a triangular 12 o’clock; the hour and minute hands are coated with SuperLumiNova. The central second hand is orange-coloured, with a luminescent tip and a T-shaped counterweight. The dial is completed by a framed date window with a black backdrop and a white numeral at 6 o'clock. This model is powered by the Powermatic 80 calibre. The movement operates at a frequency of 21,600 vph and has an 80-hour power reserve. Turning the watch over reveals the engraved caseback, which features the three brands, WNBA, Tissot, and Wilson, while the see-through glass over the movement reveals a basketball silhouette.