It takes a beautiful watch that does more than just tell time to appreciate the wonders of horology. Instead of saying that they don’t make them like they used to, here are five timepieces that would definitely help ignite your love for the art of watchmaking.l
IWC's Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia
IWC Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia ($850,000)
To start this horological list is a piece from International Watch Company (IWC). Since they first combined cutting-edge American engineering with Swiss craftsmanship in 1868, it has continually pushed the boundaries of the luxury watch industry.
The Sidérale Scafusia is part of IWC’s iconic Portuguese collection. It has over 500 components with 56 jewels and its power reserve can last up to 48 hours. One of its sub-dial special feature displays a sidereal time, measured by the apparent motion of the Earth from distant, so-called fixed, stars, as distinguished from solar time, which corresponds to the apparent motion of the Sun. To add the cherry on top is its constant force tourbillon.
The Opus 14 (photo from harrywinston.com)
Harry Winston Opus 14 ($600,000)
Harry Winston, Inc. is an American luxury jeweler and producer of Swiss timepieces. By partnering with Franck Orny and Johnny Girardin, two visionary watchmakers, Harry Winston provided an exceptional chance to push the limits of the imagination even further. As part of the Opus saga, the incredible Opus 14 timepiece takes its inspiration from a rock and roll symbol of the 1950s—the jukebox.
The Opus 14, which just has 50 pieces in production, rings in 1066 components and 124 jewels, with a power reserve that would last you 68 hours. By its name, this timepiece features a jukebox mechanism which can select and play one of three discs namely, the GMT, date complication, and the more decorative disc featuring Harry Winston’s signature.
Greubel Forsey Grande Sonnerie (photo from greubelforsey.com)
Greubel Forsey Grande Sonnerie ($1,200,000)
With 11 years of research and development, filing of two patents, and perfecting an acoustic resonance cage made from titanium, it is with no doubt that the Grande Sonnerie represents the quintessence of Greubel Forsey’s expertise and of its ideal in terms of watchmaking excellence.
Assembled with 935 parts, 85 jewels, with 72 hours of power reserve, this model holds the brand’s first chiming complication. It has three modes to choose from: Grande Sonnerie, which strikes the hours and the quarters in passing; Petite Sonnerie, which strikes the full hours in passing; and, lastly, Silence, which does not strike in passing.
A. Lange & Söhne's Grand Complication (photo from alange-soehne.com)
A. Lange & Söhne Grand Complication ($2,100,000)
Taking its inspiration from a pocket watch that dates back to 1902 stamped as “Grand Complication No. 42500,” A. Lange & Söhne presented its most complicated wristwatch in 2013, the Grand Complication that is just limited to six pieces.
This model encases 876 components, 67 jewels, and 30 hours of power reserve. It also has seven rare complications—la minute-repeater, perpetual calendar with moonphase, a rattrapante-chronograph function with flying seconds, and grand and small strike complication to rival notre-dame itself.
The Grandmaster Chime in a complete package (photo from patek.com)
Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175 ($2,600,000)
In 2014, to commemorate their 175th anniversary, Patek Philippe created a collection of limited-edition commemorative timepieces. The center piece was the Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175, a grand complication wristwatch. Only seven examples of were made, one of which is displayed in the Patek Philippe Museum, Geneva.
Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175 (photo from patek.com)
This model encapsulates 1,366 components, 108 jewels, a 30-hour power reserve, with no less than 20 different complications. More than 100,000 hours were devoted in developing and assembling this masterpiece in over eight years—the movement alone required 60,000 hours to perfect.
