What Makes A Watch A Classic?

Iconic watches tell great stories that we love to re-tell. There are some watches that seem to draw you into a narrative, inviting you to begin your own journey with them – take the watch worn by Neil Armstrong when he took one big step onto the moon in 1969, watched by over 60 million people worldwide (the Omega Speedmaster Professional), James Bond’s favourite watch (the Rolex Submariner according to author of the original James Bond novels Ian Fleming - or the Omega Seamaster 300 metre Diver Chronometer according to multiple blockbuster movies), or the watch worn by racing legend Steve McQueen in the classic 1970 racing film Le Mans (the TAG Heuer Monaco). See TAG Heuer Monaco for more information on the collection.

A split second is all you need to recognise some classic watches – if only you know what to look for. Think of the Rolex Oyster cyclops magnifying lens date display at 3 o clock, Breguet’s metallic blued hands with a bubble near the top, Hublot’s screws round the bezel inspired by portholes on yachts, Chopard’s Happy Diamonds which float freely around watch dials, and Jaeger-Le Coultre’s Reverso, with its case that flips round to conceal the dial, originally designed for British officers in India who craved an elegant watch they could wear while playing polo.

To start collecting, take a look at the range of our luxury and classic watches at TIME².