The Best Luxury Watch Labels of 2022
Courtesy of respective brands
A valuable timepiece is one of the most tacit expressions of style and opulence that we can adorn ourselves with. Rolex, Patek Philippe, Hublot, Cartier, and a limited few more have been perfecting the wristwatch for decades. And as time ticks by and technology becomes more complex, these labels have not only kept up with global tech developments, but also continued with their own respective ingenuity. In doing so, luxury watch purveyors have a track record of leading the progression of the design-meets-tech world.
Related: 6 Stylish Smartwatches for Women That Actually Look Good
Even after years of design development and progression towards perfection, this industry still pays homage to haberdashery and the roots of fine attire. While multiple new styles launch each year from each designer, there are some styles that stand the test of time and are still — year after year — more than worth the investment.
Our favorite, Patek Philippe's Aquanaut Luce displays two time zones simultaneously to keep any traveler seamlessly connected.
Without further ado, these are the best luxury purveyors of timepieces and their newest designs.
Patek Philippe
Aquanaut Luce
Courtesy of Patek Philippe
This sparkly timepiece collection is for women who wish to combine sport utility with elegance. A perfect travel watch, the Aquanaut Luce tracks local time as well as that of your home base, all while wrapped in exquisite feminine expression. Now, you can stay in touch with family or business partners no matter where your next destination takes you. Still not convinced? This watch is water resistant up to 120 meters.
Audemars Piguet
Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet
Courtesy of Audemars Piguet
Swiss luxury watch purveyor Audemars Piguet's newest timepieces feature a new self-winding chronograph and modern two-tone casing design, pairing 18-carat pink or white gold with a deep black ceramic middle case. Powered by Calibre 4401, the label's latest in-house integrated chronograph, the new models are enabled to restart the chronograph without stopping or resetting it first, making shifting time zones during travel unprecedentedly painless.
Vacheron-Constantin
American 1921
Courtesy of Vacheron-Constantin
A tribute collection marking 100 years of outstanding craftsmanship, the limited-edition American 1921 is reminiscent of the roaring 20s with script-style numbering and is entirely sculpted in platinum. It's dedicated to haute horlogerie connoisseurs' and only available in Vacheron Constantin boutiques.
TAG Heuer
Tag Heuer Connected
Courtesy of TAG Hueur
In keeping with the progression of technology and in acknowledgement of the benefits of smart watches, TAG Heuer's Connected timepiece combines the heritage of horlogerie with qualities that keep up with active, modern lifestyles. This watch is built for movement and celebrates style, allowing it to suit (and set) the schedules of intrepid travelers.
Rolex
Oyster Perpetual Explorer
Courtesy of Rolex
Returning to the size of the original Explorer model of 1953, the Oyster Perpetual Explorer combines Oystersteel and 18 carat yellow gold and is built to service even the most extreme adventures. The hour marker illuminates dark environments and shines supremely brightly in daylight courtesy of a Rolex exclusive luminescent material. A mainstay among travelers, Oyster watches have outfitted expeditions across the globe, including the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
Hublot
Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire
Courtesy of Hublot
A "fragment of light encapsulated on the wrist," Hublot's new model features an automatic winding system with ball bearings, which are revealed by the newly-developed transparent sapphire material that envelops it. Designed to display the innermost workings of the timepiece itself, the Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Sapphire model is available in four transparent hues and pays homage to one of the most revered technological mechanisms to exist.
Cartier
Tank Must de Cartier
Courtesy of Cartier
This extra-large Tank Must de Cartier model, as part of a new, innovative take on the jeweler's legendary Tank collection, features the classic qualities of the well-known model (not-so-) simply dialed up in size. Its iconic, rectangular facade features the Tank's classic roman numeral clock as well as steel sward-shaped hands, bracelet, and case.
IWC Schaffhausen
The Big Pilot's Watch 43
Courtesy of IWC Schaffhausen
The latest IWC Schaffhausen chapter of its cultural icon The Big Pilot's Watch 43 is named for its ergonomic 43mm stainless steel case and features a quick-change ability for a variety of strap options. An aviator's perfect timepiece, this new model is a style chameleon, making it ideal for travel
Piaget
Altiplano Ultimate Concept Watch
Courtesy of Piaget
The 2mm case of the Altiplano Ultimate Concept is fused with the mechanism itself, making it the world's thinnest mechanical hand-woven watch. This year, Piaget dedicated a special version of the award-winning model to the Swiss Jura village of La Côte-aux-Fées, where Piaget was founded and a necessary destination for any horlogerie buff.
Breitling
Super Chronomat BOI 44
Courtesy of Breitling
This supercharged watch is designed to service your every venture, from sports to all types of travel. This Super Chronomat is made from 18 carat red gold, offering a unique hue that compliments exceptional style. Created for some of the top aerobatics, this timepiece is designed to withstand g-force, so it'll be there to service you on your every intrepid endeavor.
Omega
Seamaster 300 Master Chronometer
Courtesy of Omega
Omega's new vintage-inspired collection, a reimagination of the legendary Seamaster, features classic stainless steel and a bold 41mm frame, domed with sapphire glass and treated with anodized aluminum for enhanced hardness. Popular among divers, militaries, and scientists working at sea, the original Seamaster was built for performance and is improved by today's technology in Omega's latest rendition.
Bremont
Bremont E-type 60th
Courtesy of Bremont
To celebrate 60 years since the 1961 launch of the sublime Jaguar E-type, Bremont has created a special edition (limited to 120) box set, which includes one of two different colored bezels — green and grey — and an exclusive, unique driving experience hosted by Jaguar. Notably a "watch for all occasions," the Bremont E-type 60th timepiece is designed to accelerate your style and offer tribute to the E-type itself by matching the iconic vehicle's instrument gauges.
Kendall Cornish is an e-commerce editor at Travel + Leisure. She's never lived anywhere longer than three years, but currently resides in Brooklyn with her cat and beloved Dyson vacuum. You can follow her on Instagram at @kendall.cornish.
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