Introduction
When it comes to accessories, I’m of the opinion that men should keep it simple. When I was young, I was taught that jewels are for women. On the other hand, men should keep it simple. There are different reasons for that:
- Too many accessories will steal attention to your look.
- Less is more when it comes to men’s fashion. Keep it simple.
- Unless you are a rapper, probably putting too many accessories will not look nice in your daily activities.
From what you have read, you may already guess that I am not a fan rings, earrings or necklaces on men’s looks. However, a watch is something that every man should try to wear.
Affordable or exclusive, some watches are undeniable icons and pieces of art. In next posts, I will talk about more affordable watches and modern classics. However, in this one we focus on models with some history and that unfortunately the price may also be exorbitant in some cases. This means that they are not for all pockets and even if so, you may prefer to spend that money in something else or investing as explained in this article.
Here it is a small description of each watch, but you will not see any price listed. Please note that for some of them, there is a waiting list which could be excessive.
Rolex submariner
Introduced in the 1950s, the Submariner Is probably the most famous watch in the luxury models. Although it had seen several improvements in terms of movements and water resistance, it has kept is essence. Due to its versatility and the good marketing, many brands used this design to create similar divers.
One of the most know famous campaigns was in the James Bond movies: Dr No and From Russia with Love. It remains a classic nowadays and there are different versions, material, and colors of it.
Apart from inspiring models from other brands, Rolex has also created new models out of the Submariner. A clear example of this is the Sea-Dweller introduced in the late 1960s.
For the stated reasons, it is probably one of the most recognizable watches in the planet. Since it’s a classic, it may take some time until you can buy it from your authorized dealer. On the other hand, we have already said that many brands have used this model as inspiration. For this reason, there are some alternatives in case you are looking for something more affordable
- Orient Mako
- Casio Duro
- Omega Seamaster
The Rolex Sea-Dweller is the muscled version of the Submariner
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
The watch house from Le Brassus owes too much to the Royal Oak model. Mainly, because without this model, the company would probably not exist today. In the 1970’s the Swiss company realized that they would go bankrupt if they did not introduce a disrupting model. It was in full era of the quartz crisis, triggered by Japanese makers when Audemars Piguet realized that they had to disrupt the market.
At that time, the watch company hired Gerald Genta to create something unique and completely different to previous watches the house had created. This was the creation of a steel sports watch, integrated into a bracelet and completely in stainless steel.
Although Audemars Piguet had already a reputation back then, and focused on classic dress watches, the Royal Oak is the insignia from this house. Today, there are multiple versions of this watch, such as limited editions. Furthermore, other companies have taken inspirate from this model. Initially just in stainless steel, you may find different variations of this model in precious metals, alligator, or rubber strap.
The Royal Oak has appreciated in the last years and the waiting list average is 8 years. For that reason, these are some alternatives in different price ranges.
- G Shock GA-2100 (Casioak)
- Tissot PRX Powermatic 80
The model with the blue dial is the most iconic version of this watch
Zenith el Primero
Although it is not considered in the top tier list of watches, it’s one of the most famous watch companies and Zenith has indeed a lot of horological history.
However, as it occurs with many topics, the model we are discussing today was a total failure on the early stages and there are different reasons for this unsatisfactory project.
Zenith started developing some years before the release the first automatic chronograph. They released it finally in 1969, with a total project duration of 7 years. Just before the release, on the same year, other two companies release a Chronograph, being Seiko and Chronographic in that order. For that reason. It is not correct to call it “El Primero” (the first one). Nonetheless, out of these 3 chronographs, El Primero is the most sophisticated and complex one. That’s why it included in the history books, and you can find today different versions and reinterpretations of it, such as the Skeleton version.
It’s not as sporty as the other models, but you can put it with almost anything. In case you would like to buy it, it is less exclusive than the other ones listed in this post. You can even buy it from Mr Porter, shop that was included in this postpost. If you want to look for alternative chronographs, some of models that are similar to El Primero are the following ones:
- Rolex Daytona - this is pricier than the Zenith Model and we will talk soon about it.
- Orient panda
Multiple reworks and versions of El Primero exist today
Patek Philippe Nautilus
Having seen the success of the Royal Oak, another member of the Holy Trinity (the other member being Vacheron Constantin) did not want to be second to none and they asked the creator of the AP model, Gerald Genta, to design a steel and sports watch. If you know about the company from Geneva, you will know that they have and were focused on more classic models such as the dress watch Calatrava.
Genta was inspired in a ship’s porthole to create the Nautilus, name also linked to Captain Nemo’s submarine in the Jules Vern Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea novel. When it was created in the mid 70s, the watch looked huge and for that reason the success was not immediate. However, the undeniable elegant, sporty, and modern design grew slowly on watch lovers and has finally become a legend.
Therefore, today’s price is even higher than the one of Royal Oak (not going into details about the price) if you can afford it. As it occurred with the Royal Oak, during these years, there have been different versions of the watch in terms of size, caliber, and different limited editions. Another top model from this house is the Aquanaut model, which has
The Nautilus is by far the most exclusive watch in this list, but again, we are not talking about the price. Furthermore, the waiting list may be comparable to the one of the Royal Oak.
Although the design of the Nautilus is unique, here are some alternatives, although these ones are not precisely cheap.
- Girrard Perregaux Laureato
- Bulgari Octo Finissimo
The Nautilus is the most famous model of the house and there is a model for every taste
More classics to come
We have been talking about classic sport watches that you could wear in almost every occasion. You may have noticed that there are no dress watches in this list. Although I really like them, like happened with the video killing the radio star, sport watches seem to have killed the dress watches.
Maybe not killing, but the presence of classic dress watches has been reduced considerably in the last years. Who knows if they will be on the top again in a few years from now? However, for the moment, we have described 4 more sport watches that can also fit with any look. If you wear one of these or their alternative modes, there is no need to at all to add any jewel or extravagant accessories to your look