Leading watchmakers such as Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Cartier tend to dominate luxury conversations but below DWL’s Danny Shahid highlights three collectible timepieces by other notable brands which have stood the test of time:
Jaeger Le Coultre Reverso Night and Day ref. 270.3.63 (featured image)
Designed by Jacques-David Le Coultre in 1931, the Reverso was created to withstand playing polo and is widely regarded as the world’s first sports watch.
The trailblazing model’s iconic case can be opened, slid along its frame, flipped around and snapped back into place, protecting the dial. It can then be returned to its natural position to be displayed when there is no threat to the condition of the watch.
Pictured is a rare variant, the 18kt white gold Reverso Night and Day ref. 270.3.63. The striking black dial features a stunning and rather unusual font as its indices. The asymmetrical dial houses a moon phase complication at 6 o’clock, a night and day indicator at 2 o’clock and a power reserve indicator at 11 o’clock.
The manually wound JLC cal. 823 is exposed behind a sapphire crystal exhibition caseback on the reverse side of the dial and completes this beautiful expression of JLC’s watchmaking talent. Priced at £11,000, this is great value given JLC’s esteemed position as the ‘watchmakers watchmaker’ and history of supplying movements to brands including AP, Patek and Vacheron.
Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch
Released in 1957 and inspired by their earlier chronographs, the Omega Speedmaster is one of the most famous chronographs ever produced.
Named after its functional purpose as a watch designed for racing drivers and pilots, the Speedmaster helps time events and calculate details such as average speed and fuel consumption.
However the Speedmaster became iconic because of winning the NASA contract in the 1960s, eventually being sported by astronauts and securing its place in history as the first watch worn on the Moon.
Since then, the Speedmaster has been on the lunar surface dozens of times, once saving a mission from complete failure and winning it a NASA Snoopy award.
The Speedmaster has a 42mm case and set of twisted lugs that turn inward: a unique design. Encased in heavily domed crystal, it features a signature matte black dial with triple register chronograph layout and heritage-linked cal. 3861, a successor to the original movement that went to space.
Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight
First unveiled in 2012, the Tudor Black Bay collection sits as a reminder of the watchmaker’s love of nostalgia and the place it holds within the context of the industry.
Based on the iconic Tudor Submariner, the Black Bay range is a modern yet heritage-inspired interpretation of earlier dive watches.
Released in 2018, the Black Bay Fifty-Eight (BB58) variant took its design language from the watches that came before it and helped pushed Tudor’s name higher up the list of leading modern watchmakers after a lacklustre few years.
The BB58 changed their trajectory and the model has since become the brand’s signature watch, akin to Rolex’s Submariner. Now offered in blue and black dial variants and in materials such as silver and bronze, the 39mm is increasingly sought after and is tightening its grasp on the buoyant secondary market.
Danny Shahid’s flagship DWL shop is in Mayfair’s Burlington Arcade, the home of luxury boutiques. DWL has more than 13 years’ experience in sourcing rare and big name watches, some of which are subject to lengthy waiting lists elsewhere. Staff are often asked for their expert opinion by fellow jewellers and retailers.
The luxury watch experts’ stock is constantly changing but they have immediate access to more than one hundred exquisite models, most worth between £10,000 and £40,000 but some with a value of up to £350,000.
For more information about DWL, please visit www.diamondwatcheslondon.com and to find out more about Danny Shahid, follow @excellencebydanny on Instagram.