10 Must-Have Watches for a Social Man
1.Patek Philippe Nautilus
Among the “unfindable” watches, we can add the Nautilus to the Rolex Daytona. Because the CEO of the best watch brand, Thierry Stern, stopped production of the brand’s first steel sports watch, the Nautilus, in 2021 because it “received too much attention.” This did not end the incredible popularity of the watch, on the contrary, it increased it. If you find the Nautilus 5711, signed by Gerald Genta, the greatest watch designer of the twentieth century, do not miss it and buy it; if you cannot find it, take a look at the Cubitus, the brand’s first new collection in 25 years.
2.Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
We know that the word “icon” is often used, but few things deserve it as much as the Royal Oak. That’s why the subtitle of the book written for the model’s 50th anniversary was “From iconoclast to icon.” Designed and produced by Gerald Genta in 1972 as Audemars Piguet’s first steel sports watch, this model is one of the most classic models. The ancestor of luxury steel sports watches with integrated bracelets, this watch has been produced in thousands of copies, and all of them have attracted attention. Its octagonal case and screws are always attractive.
3.Vacheron Constantin Overseas
In the 70s, the Nautilus and Royal Oak luxury integrated steel sports watches came onto the scene, while another model of the future joined their ranks: the Vacheron Constantin 222. Jörg Hysek’s design also inspired another luxury steel sports watch series, the Overseas, which was produced for the brand’s 222nd anniversary and launched in 1996.
Designed as a luxury travel watch, the series was later diversified with materials such as gold and more complex models, and after three eras, the design reached its iconic form today, with its first campaign reading: “Overseas. Born from centuries of experience. Designed to withstand all weather conditions. The world is at your feet.”
4.Rolex Day-Date Everose Gold
Even those who do not follow watchmaking closely know that Rolex was founded in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf to produce wristwatches. He followed such a visionary strategy and produced such consistent, functional watches that today they have become the address for the most desired watches in the world. The most classic model of Rolex is the Daytona, but it is known for its rarity. If you prefer Everose Gold with a chocolate-colored dial and baguette-cut diamonds among the Submariner, Pepsi, Batman GMT models, let us state this: The Day-Date is the first wristwatch model to display the date and day on its dial.
5.Rolex GMT-Master II “Sprite”
Isn’t it nice that the two-tone bezels are called Sprite, Pepsi, Starbucks and Batman by its followers, not by the brand itself? Moreover, the new Sprite, introduced in 2022, was made for left-handers, which made us left-handed editors even happier.
The Rolex GMT watch, which displays two separate time zones, was first produced in 1955 in collaboration with Pan Am Airlines and was brought together for the first non-stop transatlantic flight from New York to Moscow. A journalist’s statement is very true about the model, which was revamped as the GMT-Master II from 1982: “Perhaps not the first GMT watch, but a model that defined GMT watches.
6.IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph
The history of the pilot watches produced by the Swiss watch brand, founded in 1868, for aviation dates back to the 1930s. Although many brands have pilot watches, we can say that there are very few brands that are as synonymous with aviation as IWC. In fact, IWC was one of the 5 brands that produced watches for the German Air Force during the war years and was the only Swiss brand among them. Although we chose Pilot’s Watch, the brand has many aviation watches from Spitfire to March 11, Top Gun (let’s also add the watches produced in the name of the author of The Little Prince, who is known to be a pilot).
During the period when world wars took place, aviation reached its peak and the first transatlantic flights were made, IWC’s legible, voluminous, phosphorescent and large wind-up watches with inverted triangle markings at 12, designed for use in pilot cockpits, formed the basis of pilot watches. Today, it is possible to find models in many colors, features and varieties.
7.Omega Seamaster Diver 300M 007 Edition “No Time to Die”
The model we chose from Omega, the watch brand that James Bond has been using since the 1995 film “Golden Eye”, is the Seamaster Diver model that Bond wore in the 25th and Daniel Craig’s last Bond film “No Time to Die” and in which he personally participated in the design process. It has been stated that Craig wanted the titanium watch to have a retro design and a mesh bracelet.
As for the reason why the Seamaster series was chosen for the James Bond series: The Seamaster 300 was a diving watch produced in 1957 with military divers in mind; the costume designer of the series chose this model because James Bond, a former Royal Navy commander, needed to wear a stylish watch that would be suitable for his naval career. In other words, if James Bond were a real person and not a fictional character, he would have worn an Omega in those years.
8.Richard Mille RM 07-01 Automatic
Richard Mille is a brand that renews traditional and centuries-old Swiss watchmaking with its contemporary and extraordinary watches. We chose this model of the brand, which has been producing watches that it calls “wrist racing machines” in its 24-year history, because it embodies the characteristic features of Richard Mille: The watch, which is ultra-light and robust with durable TPT carbon fiber, has a special appearance with a mixture of ceramic, gold and carbon. The skeleton dial, the vaulted case and the screws on the bezel and the special bracelet structure are among the Richard Mille signatures.
9.Cartier Tank Américaine
We will use the word “iconic” once again. Because this rectangular case watch has continued to fascinate men and women of all generations since 1917. According to the story, the model, which took its name from the Renault FT-17 tanks during World War I, continued to expand with versions such as Chinoise, Asymétrique, Française, Normale, Cintrée, Américaine. The Américaine, which we mentioned under this title, was also introduced in 1989.
Considered a wider, thicker and curvier watch as part of the “voluminous” watch trend at the time, the Américaine was the continuation of the Cintrée. Pierre Rainero, the brand’s director of image, style and heritage, explains why it was called Américaine: “You know, everything is bigger in the American version. And let’s not forget that American General John J. Pershing wore a Cartier Tank during World War I.”
10.Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic
Another proof that the octagonal case is a great idea. According to Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Bulgari’s creative director, he created the minimal and modern Octo Finissimo, which was the prototype of Gerald Genta’s wonderfully designed octagonal case, using a pencil and paper sketch. The Octo Finissimo broke records with many models such as the world’s thinnest tourbillon, the thinnest automatic minute repeater, the thinnest chronograph GMT, and broke its eighth record by producing the world’s thinnest watch at the time, which was 1.80 mm thin. Although it no longer holds this record, it will continue to claim it. The series, which is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary, includes today’s most “designer” stylish watches, especially with perpetual calendar models and series such as the Tadao Ando.
