FeatureWatch 101: What makes a watch a Collectible?

At the outset I must point out all great watches may not be collectible and for good reasons. I remember visiting the residence of a very famous CEO in Switzerland, who manages the fortune of many big brands for a group. After spending a couple of hours, he showed me his private collection of watches worth millions. I was surprised to find a majority of them were by Patek Philippe. On being asked why his own brand was missing from his collection, he clarified while his brand was great to wear, and he had many lovely ones for daily use, but they were not meant for collection. He also mentioned he never collected masterpieces, but only museum pieces. In short, if he didn’t have a particular timepiece, most probably a famous watch museum would. This gives us a peek into a collector’s mind.

Legacy

The biggest reason a watch gets collected is the legacy of the brand. The number of years of existence, the quality of movements and know how exhibited over the years, the unblemished existence and service capabilities of the manufacture are very important for collectors. You will not buy a 100,000 CHF watch without being sure that the manufacture will take care of its servicing 100 years down the line. No wonder marquee brands which exist for centuries fetch good prices for their top lines.

Favre-Leuba, celebrating its 280^th anniversary this year, brings back a mechanical classic from the early 60s- Bivouac 9000, capable of measuring altitude at 9,000m. The 60s version had set records those days for being able to measure air pressure and altitude of up to 3,000m. Collectors like this kind of lineage.

Storytelling

Consumers connect to stories and not necessarily to technical specifications of products. I am not for once suggesting product quality isn’t important but it’s great stories which make products legendary. The blue and square dial of Monaco 69 launched by TAG Heuer was made popular by the legendary Steve McQueen in the movie Le Mans. The watch survives even after four decades and still is in great demand by aficionados and common buyers alike. The same brand revisited a 1962 classic, Jack Heuer’s creation- the Autavia, and launched it at Baselworld this year in the presence of Jack, group CEO Jean-Claude Biver and ambassador, Patrick Dempsey. I am sure the new Autavia watches will fly off the shelf faster than they are delivered.

Breitling’s legendary aviation watches get an extra leg when the brand reinforces its relationship with aviation by owning and flying a galaxy of aircrafts from the aggressive C-39 Albatros jets to the gentle DC-3. The brand’s association with carmaker Bentley for over a decade now establishes a strong pull for their Breitling for Bentley timepieces. There are many examples of classic car-watch associations. The fans of both partners often grab these special timepieces.

Celebrating Landmarks

Classic brands never forget to celebrate landmarks that mark their eventful history and launch commemorative models in limited numbers and with special packaging. We have had some great launches this year, notable among them being the 1957 Trilogy by Omega in a special wooden presentation box. Individually sold as well as a part of a collection, the 60th-anniversary Railmaster, Speedmaster and Seamaster 300 watches are a treat Omega collectors were waiting for.

Similarly, Jaeger-LeCoultre and its romance with Reverso- the watch which turns over, celebrated its 85^th anniversary in 2016. On the special occasion, we saw the master watchmaker from Le Sentier launch three lines- Classic, Tribute and One. The special bond which an Indian collector shares with Reverso is unparalleled because the product was born at the polo grounds of Jodhpur, way back in 1931.

Another watch I particularly liked at Basel is the Oris Big Crown 1917 Limited Edition. Tracing back its roots of creating the first wristwatch and a pilot’s watch in 1917, the new watch respects the original design codes and comes in a travel pouch with an extra leather strap with twin rivets. Needless to say, the watch is limited to 1917 pieces only.

Craftsmanship

What’s in a collector’s watch without some handcrafted artistry? The Panther comes alive in Cartier Metiers d’art pieces through various dial-making techniques, Cartier being among the few Maisons to have mastered them. We have seen difficult techniques like wood marquetry, gold filigree, damascene or granulation from Cartier over the years. This year at SIHH, Geneva Cartier stunned the collectors with yet another version of a Panther dial in a flamed gold dial. The craft requires a perfect mastery of intense heat since precise temperatures are needed to elicit the colours: the hottest flame produces blue; the coolest beige. These artistic pieces fetch a good price in the market as they are individualistic, almost following the buying pattern of art by renowned painters.

Passion

Also high on the collector’s checklist is passion. You can’t be a collector without passion. Imagine being a huge fan of David Bowie and Raymond Weil comes up with a special watch in his honour, it’s unlikely that you will not pick that up. Raymond Weil chose it’s most free-spirited model- the Freelancer in a 42 mm diameter case for the limited edition Bowie Freelancer watch launched at Baselworld 2017. The dial resembles a vinyl record with identifiable signs of the legendary artist. Produced in a 3,000-piece limited and numbered series, the Bowie watch will surely be a sell-out.

In case you are an automotive fan I guess you don’t need an introduction to Peter Brock, one of the greatest automotive designers of our times. He was roped in by Baume & Mercier 50 years after he designed the legendary Cobra Daytona Coupe, to create the Clifton Club Shelby Cobra Limited Editions which were launched at SIHH, Geneva early this year. You don’t need to see it up-close, look across the room, and you can appreciate the Daytona Coupe in its original form and purpose.

Auctions

Last but not the least, auctions have strong connects with the collectors. Brands like Breguet, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, etc are regularly seen being traded in big auctions, with astronomical bids from museums and private collectors. However, the prices are always high for special products- either linked with famous personalities, special occasions or limited batch runs. The common collector may not afford the million dollar pieces but the demand for regular products from those brands keep moving up.

All the above watches can be arranged by special order at Ethos Watch Boutiques. Simply call +91 8725028900 and they’ll do the needful!

Does your watch qualify as a collectible? Which collectible watch do you own? Let me know in the comments section below!