-- 2022 has proven to be a year where luxury goods are taking centre stage in the world of coveted investment options, beating out vintage cars and Bitcoin. While their prices may have fallen since the infamous crypto crash, they are still up from the prices in 2019, with people saving up more during the pandemic and investing in watches like Rolex and Patek Philippe. If you’re looking to hop on the bandwagon, here are 10 luxury watches to own in 2022. Let’s find out which other Brand’s will be joining the likes of Patek Philippe and Rolex!
1. Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Ref. 5270
The first Ref. 5270 was born in 2011 and is a product of Patek Philippe’s expertise in watchmaking and the worthy successor of the cult favourite Ref. 5970. Fast forward to 2022, the Ref. 5270 sees yet another variant sporting more than just a new colour and material change. This classic timepiece from Patek Philippe now sports a green dial which gradates to black on the fringes of the watch. The watch also sports a cleaner dial as the designers have removed the tachymeter scale.
The Ref. 5270P-014 is driven by the same Calibre, CH 29-535 PS Q, present in Ref. 5270. The Calibre CH 29-535 PS Q is the first Patek Philippe perpetual calendar chronograph movement that is fully designed and manufactured in-house and it is the most technologically advanced movement of its kind. Despite having been around for 11 years, the Patek Philippe Ref. 5270 remains one of the best perpetual calendar chronographs in production. The Ref. 5270 shows us just how future-proof and timeless Patek’s perpetual calendar chronographs really are. Owning one of these adjust-once-in-a-lifetime timepieces is always a statement because of its price and prestige.
2. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
The original Royal Oak Ref 5402ST was designed by watch designer Gerald Genta in 1971 and then announced at Baselworld in 1972. The watch got its name from the HMS Royal Oak battleships of the Royal Navy. The Royal Oak was also Audemars Piguet’s first sports watch. But despite being a sports watch, it bore the designs of a dress watch, being only 7mm thin. Since the release of the original Royal Oak, the watch has gone through several updates and changes. The latest release of the Royal Oak is the Ref. 15500ST.
While the Ref. 15500ST sports the same design as its predecessors, the biggest update is in its movement. The 15500 comes equipped with the Caliber 4302. The Caliber makes 28,800 beats per hour and has an increased power reserve of 70 hours, up from the previous 60 hours. The watch also has a skeletonized 22k-gold rotor and all parts are adorned with Geneva strips to give these sports watch the glitz and glamour of a dress watch.
3. Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch
Since we’re on the topic of the best luxury watches to own, of course, we had to include the iconic Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch. Made famous by the Apollo 11 moon mission, the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch earned its spot in horological history by being the first watch to be worn on the moon. Throughout the years, Omega has made some changes to this iconic timepiece, yet the Speedmaster Moonwatch remains one of the most reliable, legible and comfortable watches to wear.
The new 2021 Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch sports a co-axial master chronometer movement, a change that was welcomed by many. The Omega 3861 is a manual wound and 50-hour power reserve movement, which helps to keep it true to its original specifications to be flight certified by NASA. The Moonwatch’s movement is now METAS certified, making it extremely accurate and unfazed by harsh temperatures and environments. The new watch also features the reintroduced “Stepped Dial” along with an additional hand-applied Omega logo. The 2021 Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch has a tapered bracelet which is not only a design feature but also adds more comfort to the wearer.
4. A. Lange and Sohne Zeitwerk Minute Repeater
A.Lange&Sohne ticks all the right boxes in classicism and understatement with the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater. According to Anthony de Haas, the Minute Repeater is “a classical minute repeater but made to today’s standards.” The classical personality of the watch is encased within the elegant white enamel dial and a 39mm diameter platinum case. The watch sports several modern upgrades to protect and enhance its mechanisms combined with the brand’s new L112.1 calibre. The L122.1 is the brand’s 69th calibre and displays its signature decorative flourishes such as the hand-engraved balance cock, polished gold jewel-bearing chatons and the untreated German silver three-quarter plate with Glashutte ribbing. It beats at 21,600vph and delivers a 72-hour power reserve.
Like many other minute repeaters, the Richard Lange Minute Repeater uses a slider on the left case flank to activate a chiming mechanism using a mechanism programme with two different gongs. The hours are chimed at a lower pitch, quarters chime with a double tone and the minutes elapsed since the last quarter chimes with a high-pitched tone. While the watch looks magnificent from the front, the view from the caseback is equally gorgeous. You’ll get to see the gleaming mirror-polished gold counterweights of the governor and the elegant ‘S’ structure, all being held in place by a ruby. Going back to its beginnings, the Richard Lange Zeitwerk Minute Repeater is also produced in platinum
5. Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante
In January 2021, Parmigiani Fleurier appointed a new CEO, Mr Guido Terreni. Since the announcement, the newly appointed CEO wasted no time in making his mark. Just seven months later, he unveiled a new range of models at the Geneva Watch for Days, the Tonda PF Collection. The collection consisted of four models, including a two-hander with a date, an annual calendar, and a split-seconds chronograph. Fast forward to this year’s Watches & Wonders 2022, we saw the first expansion of the Tonda PF line. Parmigiani certainly did not hold back and the star of the lineup was certainly the new Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante.
Parmigiani dubbed this release as featuring a “world’s first complication” for its cleverly implemented dual time-zone complication within its sleek and slim frame. A pusher is tucked neatly integrated into a teardrop-shaped button. By pushing the button, the white-gold hour hand starts to jump ahead in one-hour increments and unveils a second hour hand in rose gold that was previously hidden. This allows you to set the white-gold hour hand to whatever timezone you desire. Terreni emphasised that the focus when creating his new complication was on beauty, romance and simplicity. The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante is not for someone looking to invest in their first watch. Rather, it is for someone who already has everything and is looking for another beautiful piece to add to their massive collection.
6. Rolex “Destro” GMT-Master II
This is Rolex’s most radical release ever, and we mean this in the best way possible. It is the first left-handed Rolex GMT Master II released in a new green and black bezel. The “Destro” is made with the crown on the opposite side of the watch so lefties can have a Rolex to be worn on their right wrist comfortably. Moving the date and crown took several technical adjustments in terms of the movement and the Superlative Chronometer certification, as well as other protocols and final tests, had to be adapted.
The GMT-Master II also features a bi-coloured Cerachrom bezel, which helps GMT-Master wearers to keep track of two different time zones during international flights with its fourth hand. The familiar black gloss dial layout is also seen in this watch, but the arrow-tipped GMT hand is now in a classic Rolex green to match the theme of the watch. Housed inside a 40mm stainless steel case is an in-house 3285 automatic GMT movement that offers 70-hour power reserve. It also has a shock-resistantParachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock absorbers. Like other GMT Master II models, this model is also water-resistant to 100m. The watch is currently available in either an Oystersteel or Jubilee bracelet.
7. Bulgari Octo Finissimo
Bulgari has made their mark in Haute Horlogerie with yet another record-breaker. After exploring ultra-miniaturisation in the fields of automatic movement as well as the minute repeater, chronograph and tourbillon, Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo perpetual Calendar is the slimmest in the world. This new record-breaker comes in its customary titanium case as well as a platinum case, another first for Bulgari. The thinness of the watch is also a crucial design element for the Octo Finissimo as it balances the dynamics between aggressive styling and supreme elegance. As Bulgari’s design director explains, his goal was to bring something to watches that the world has never seen in terms of the proposition. The Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar still contains no less than 408 components, packed in its 5.8mm frame.
The watch uses a 2.75mm calibre and Bvlgari also had to find a new way of casing their watch with the movement. The final product sees the movement placed into a monocoque case from the front, with screws that run from the bezel through to the caseback to hold the watch together. Bvlgari’s Octo Finissimo is definitely a must-have in every watch collection. This horological complication is imbued with a sense of magic. The perpetual calendar symbolises mankind’s relationship with time, the fluid concept that gives rhythm to existence and to all human activities and which has never been entirely tamed.
8. Rolex Sky Dweller
The Rolex Sky Dweller is by far one of the most complicated watch, in terms of mechanical complexity, Rolex has ever made. When it was first introduced in 2012, it was only available in precious metals and it was intended to be an extremely practical watch – easy to use and durable to even the most turbulent skies. But Rolex made this watch even more accessible in 2017 when it introduced new versions of the Sky Dweller – one in Everose and on a strap, and another in white-gold on a white-gold bracelet. This watch has evolved into a real statement piece with Jay Z even seen sporting this watch on several occasions.
The Rolex Sky Dweller is a combination of two complications: a GMT complication and an annual calendar. The former allows your two time zones to be displayed simultaneously and it has an hour hand that can be independently set in one-hour increments. The hour hand can be adjusted from the crown and re-set to a new timezone without stopping the entire watch, a feature that only “true” GMT watches have. The Sky Dweller also has an annual calendar and compared to a perpetual calendar, it is less mechanically complex and also less likely to be damaged by mishandling. The Rolex Sky Dweller remains uncontested in terms of its design and the inclusion of the annual calendar as well as the dual time zone display. Plus, the Ring Command Bezel really elevates the class and elegance of the watch, making it a must-have in any collection.
9. Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon Skeleton
The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillon Skeleton is something relatively new to the brand. The watch also features the Calibre 2160 SQ’s hand drawn flanks and polished bevels as well as the perfectly horizontal grooves on the main plate and bridges. With the watch on your wrist, you’ll be mesmerised by the amount of thought put into making every line on the movement. Paired with the unobtrusive peripheral rotor makes this watch the epitome of Vacheron’s skeletonization abilities. On the front, you’ll be able to keep track of every running second as the Tourbillon rotates once per minute. This visibility is largely thanks to one of the four screws that holds the Maltese cross carriage. The escapement also has a new balance spring that is designed in-house.
While the watch weighs about 20 percent less thanks to skeletonizing the movement, wearability wise, it’s hard to even tell the difference, given that titanium alone is pretty light. The watch also has a 5.6mm-thick movement and coming in 10.4mm in total thickness which provides some heft to the watch’s silhouette to help make sure it doesn’t disappear completely on your wrist. If you’re someone who prefers a watch that is more technical and aggressive, then the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Tourbillion Skeleton is a timepiece you need to have in your collection.
10. Chanel J12 Diamond Tourbillion Caliber 5
Chanel is more famously known for its fashion accessories like clothes, jewellery and handbags, rather than its watches. Recently, Chanel has proven itself to be more than just a fashion house. In 2022, Chanel released the J12 Diamond Tourbillon, a watch that is dressed fully in black and paired with studded diamonds. The watch is powered by a Tourbillon which seamlessly blends fine jewellery with high high-end horology. The deep black dial on the J12 Diamond is real attention stealer and it comprises of two overlapping circular displays. The upper and larger display features a chapter ring with a printed railroad designed hour and minute track that can be read using the diamond-studded block hands. To further captivate your eyes, the watch also has a open-work to reveal the inner mechanical fixtures that power this timepiece.
The lower display on the other hand is home to the flying Tourbillon and features a beautiful solitaire diamond fitted in the centre, surrounded by multiple diamonds fitted on the cage on the outside. Powering the watch is Chanel’s Calibre 5, which is designed in-house. The calibre 5 is a manually wound movement that comprises of 29 jewels, a flying Tourbillon, and offers about 55 hours of power reserve. To match the all black aesthetic, the movement is completely blacked out and can be enjoyed through the sapphire case back. All in all, Chanel’s J12 Diamond Tourbillon Calibre 5 is a real work of art which is aesthetically pleasing and doesn’t compromise on readability. Even if you’re not a lover of Chanel, you’ll be mesmerised by this one.
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