WOLVES OF WALL STREET
WATCHES THAT WORK OVERTIME
“Within the category of concertedly formal time-tellers, there are a few true icons of not only dress watches, but horology as a whole. Cartier’s Tank is one of them. ”
The mechanical dress watch, while simple enough in appearance, is the most complicated horological endeavor a manufacturer can undertake. As a result, there are only a handful that strike the right balance of a thin case and rich dial, coupled with an elegant strap and subtle branding. These watches speak more to a man’s place in the world than any Rolex or Panerai ever could.
If a single characteristic defines a quality mechanical dress watch, it’s slightness of case. No Swiss manufacture has contributed more to the study of thinness than Piaget, which holds no less than seven titles for the world’s slimmest complications. At the very core of the Piaget collection is the Altiplano, most subtly shown in white gold with a black dial and stick markers. Designed to be paired with a traditional tuxedo, this hand-wound watch features the in-house caliber 430P, which is an astonishing 2.1 mm in total thickness. Despite the incredible profile of this ultra-dress watch, inside the Swiss-made movement there are over 131 individual components, each hand-finished to the highest standards of Swiss watchmaking.
“While the Swiss have long maintained a dominant position in haute horology, there’s one singular hope rising out of the Glashütte region of what was formerly East Germany. A. Lange & Söhne’s no-nonsense, high-end watchmaking is earning die-hard fans by the day.”
Vacheron Constantin’s almost three-century history of uninterrupted production is longer than any other Swiss factory’s, so it’s no wonder that its watches are considered among the finest on the planet. One of the most sought-after Vacheron lines today is the Historiques collection, which harkens back to historically significant watches from the twentieth century. The Les Historiques Ultra-Fine 1968 is an exceptional timepiece for several reasons: its square, 18k gold case is surprisingly modern, the silver-grain dial is superbly finished, and, most uncommon of a truly elegant watch, it boasts a self-winding movement. In fact, it features the caliber 1120, also famously used in the original Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, which elevates this limited-run watch to true collector’s status.
Within the category of concertedly formal time-tellers, there are a few true icons of not only dress watches, but horology as a whole. Cartier’s Tank is one of them. This 2013 update to the watch made famous by General Pershing in World War I is a continuation of the Louis Cartier line, first designed in 1922 as “the ultimate watchmaker’s manifesto of elegance and timelessness.” Inside beats the very same ultra-slim Piaget caliber 430P found in the Altiplano. It’s traditional Swiss watchmaking inside a perfectly French case.
