We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
Mindful spending matters more than ever right now. With the economy fluctuating and more of us now increasingly conscious of our impact on the planet, less interested in fleeting, fad-like trends, consumer focus has shifted to buying less, but buying better. It's now about investing in considered purchases that will stand the test of time – and for that, nothing is more fitting than luxury watches and jewellery.
It's a mindset that's been gathering momentum for quite some time. Indeed, Sotheby's reported a 30 per cent increase in bidders and buyers at their auctions back in 2021, when the company pivoted to be able to offer smaller and more frequent online auctions during the pandemic, with previews available by Zoom. At the time, the category that attracted the highest number of new clients was watches, and demand hasn't really slowed since.
A beautiful timepiece represents a classic investment buy (read our comprehensive guide to investing in luxury watches, here): they can be as visually pleasing as a piece of art, expertly crafted from exquisite materials and built to be loved and worn for years. Choose wisely and maintain your watch well, and your timepiece should hold on to its value, too, should you want to pass it on or sell it in the future.
So, whether you're marking a special occasion, anniversary or a birthday this year, these are the luxury watches that are sure to delight – for now, and for many years to come.
And, if you're after a vintage watch, see our round-up here, and check out the most beautiful celestial-inspired timepieces here.
Omega
Available in an impressive range of sizes, metals and dial finishes (and therefore prices), Omega’s new Constellation represents the perfect day-to-night watch. It’s practical, sporty looking and robust enough to suit everything from workwear to workout gear, but also dressy enough to wear with cocktail attire.
Omega 29mm Constellation in Mother of Pearl, £30,800, Goldsmiths
Van Cleef & Arpels
Beloved by queens of the silver screen (including Jessica Alba, Elizabeth Taylor and Reese Witherspoon) as well as actual royalty (including Grace Kelly, the Princess of Wales and Queen Camilla), the Van Cleef & Arpels’ iconic Alhambra motif is now available in an elegant bracelet watch, embellished with carved blue agate and engraved gold quatre-foils.
Van Cleef & Arpels Sweet Alhambra watch in yellow gold and agate, £17,000, Van Cleef & Arpels
Bvlgari
Unveiled just in time for the Year of the Snake, Bvlgari’s emblematic Serpenti now comes in seven new versions, each boasting an automatic calibre, designed and produced entirely in-house specifically to fit within their Serpenti’s small, snake-like heads. No more battery, no more quartz movement (a staple part of many jewellery watches, as they are usually much smaller in size), this is now a seriously sophisticated, and still very beautiful, horological masterpiece.
Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori 34mm (ref. 103898), POA, Bulgari
Bulgari Serpenti Seduttori 33mm, £31,400, Goldsmiths
Cartier
‘Obsessed’ is how every watch aficionado reacted when Cartier unveiled the latest iteration of its elegant Baignoire, which was first launched in 1957. A sleek and stackable gold bracelet, beautifully balanced proportions and a handsome oval dial make this timepiece an absolute future classic.
Small Baignoire de Cartier watch in yellow gold, £17,000, Selfridges
Louis Vuitton
Available in rose gold or platinum, Louis Vuitton’s new Tambour Convergence is a unisex watch with a difference: it boasts no dial or hands. Instead, the 37mm displays time through two windows placed at the 12 o’clock position, which indicate hours and minutes, as directed by a lozenge-shaped pointer.
Tambour Convergence, POA, Louis Vuitton
Hermès
Launched only last year, Hermès' stylish 36mm Cut watch features an unusual but supremely elegant shape, described by the brand as "a circle within a round". A smooth, pebble-like case, supple link bracelet (which is easily interchangeable for any one of eight colourful rubber versions), and a fuss-free dial make this a timeless investment that will go the distance.
Cut watch, from £5,980, Hermès
Longines
The latest addition to Longines' excellent Mini Dolce Vita family may just be its most beautiful yet. The slinky new iteration features the Mini Dolce Vita’s characteristic square profile and lovely articulated bracelet, but in a jewellery-worthy 18k yellow gold (and is also available with or without diamonds).
Mini Dolce Vita in yellow gold with diamond bezel, £22,850, Goldsmiths
Rolex
A modern classic, the Rolex Datejust comes in a variety of metals and dial colours, so it’s guaranteed to go with every outfit. Strong, stylish and reliably accurate, it’s a true workhorse that also happens to look as good as a champion thoroughbred and has just as impressive a pedigree.
Oyster Lady Datejust 28 mm in Oystersteel, Everose gold and diamonds, £17,700, Mappin & Webb
Piaget Polo 79
A bestseller in the 1980s, Piaget’s super-glamorous version of a sports watch, the Polo, has just been relaunched to much fanfare – and it’s easy to see why. It’s a handsome unisex timepiece, with elegant proportions, a sleek satin finish, and an all-new self-winding movement that makes it more accurate and reliable than the original.
Polo 79, POA, Piaget
Jaeger Le-Coultre
Jaeger Le-Coultre’s most famous Art Deco design, the Reverso, now comes in three new iterations, led by a stainless-steel Reverso Tribute Monoface. At almost the same size as the original from 1931, this unbeatably stylish unisex timepiece is slim, refined and now boasts a 42-hour power reserve.
Reverso Tribute Monoface in steel, £8,150, Jaeger Le-Coultre
Vacheron Constantin
At 37mm, this unisex watch may be on the slightly larger side compared to many other women’s models, but it’s a true collectors icon from one of the most venerated Swiss makers – a real ‘IYKYK’ timepiece. A reissue of a heritage 1970s model, it boasts the same handsome looks of its predecessor, but with a more streamlined contemporary vibe.
Historiques 222 in steel, £30,800, Vacheron Constantin
Breitling
Rarely does a watch inspired by a sports event end up looking so stylish. But the new Breitling Chronomat Six Nations timepiece is simply that – a great everyday timepiece that just happens to have been inspired by Six Nations rugby. The Chronomat 32mm three-hand model is a great size, with matte and horizontal brushed finishes across its dial, a sleek steel bracelet, elegant gold hands and diamond-accented hour markers.
Chronomat 32 Six Nations (England version), £3,950, Goldsmiths
2021 marked the centenary of Gucci and, to celebrate the occasion, the house unveiled an all-new ultra-slim watch called the 25H inspired by the sleek forms of contemporary architecture.
The unisex watch features a sporty-looking chain-link bracelet and case, plus a dial complete with engraved GG motifs. There are several iterations to look out for, including steel, pavé-set diamonds, and platinum.
25h watch 30mm in 18k yellow gold and steel, £1,460, Goldsmiths
Chanel
Relaunched in 2022, Chanel's beautiful Première Originale is a modern take on the fabulous Eighties' model – with a leather and chain link bracelet modelled after the house's iconic handbags and an octagonal dial that references the stopper on its most famous fragrance bottle, No.5.
Première Edition Originale watch, £5,400, Goldsmiths
Patek Philippe
Renowned for its heirloom-quality timepieces, this contemporary Aquanaut Luce is Patek Philippe's foray into less formal, more everyday watches. But with a dual time-zone facility, self winding chronograph movement, moon-phase window and a new annual calendar mechanism, this high precision 'casual' timepiece still comes fully loaded...
Aquanaut Luce 5261R in rose gold, POA, Patek Philippe
Dior
20 years after the debut of La D de Dior, the house has reinterpreted this bestselling watch design with a touch of its signature cannage pattern – a graphic interpretation of the pattern on the chairs at Christian Dior's beloved Avenue Montaigne flagship in the 1940s.
La Mini D My Dior watch, £5,600, Dior
Blancpain
Bright green hour markers on a shimmering mother-of-pearl dial help Blancpain's elegant Ladybird watch stand apart from other dress watches. It's available with quick-change leather straps, so you can match the hue of your watch to your every mood.
Ladybird Colours Collection watch, £30,500, Blancpain
Audemars Piguet
Audemars Piguet's classic Gerald Genta-designed Royal Oak watch could hardly get more alluring (the man himself supposedly described it as the 'masterpiece' of his career). Or so we thought, until we spotted the brand new Royal Oak Self-winding yellow-gold model with a slice of natural turquoise for a dial. It's now on so many must-have lists, it's tricky to even find one to try on.
Royal Oak Selfwinding 37mm watch with turquoise dial, £55,000, Audemars Piguet
Harry Winston
For the ultimate in precious jewellery watches, Harry Winston has returned to its roots as New York's 'King of Diamonds'. Its handsome 'Avenue' collection is a sparkling ode to New York's Fifth Avenue and includes Art Deco design touches that evoke the jeweller's flagship salon.
Avenue Classic watch in 18k white gold and diamonds, POA, Harry Winston
Chopard
Sandwiched between thin panes of sapphire crystal, five free-floating gems instantly link this dainty wristwatch with its maker's legendary diamond expertise. Available with a steel or rose-gold case and with a pastel-hued assortment of leather double-strap options, it's a chic way of making an instant statement.
Happy Sport watch in Lucent Steel, £4,410, Chopard
