Top 10 Best Luxury Watches for Men Reviewed – Classical Dress Watch Focus

Top 10 Best Luxury Watches for Men Reviewed – January, 2024

The old saying “you are what you wear” is still true, particularly if you hang out with power players or are trying to impress ladies who appreciate style.

It is not just shoes which make the man, it’s also his watch. Here are the top 10 luxury watches for men in January, 2024 worth checking out if you want to make a real statement.  This top 10 list is focused primarily on classical dress watches.

Groom+Style have created another list of sport-focused luxury mechanical watches – please check it out.

Tip: If these watches are a bit pricey then feel free to check out our best affordable luxury watch list.

Characteristics of a Luxury Watch

A luxury watch is an indication of status as well as a timepiece. In evaluating the top options, the primary characteristics you should consider are:

• Brand
• Construction quality
• Features
• Style and complications
• Price

It may not sound like common sense, but watch features and extras are really the least important characteristics of a luxury watch. To be blunt, all the timepieces Groom+Style checked out are of extremely high quality, and the differences in their performance are minute (if you’ll pardon the pun). That’s why appearance, brand and price really determine the true value of each of these luxury watches.

Top 10 Luxury Watch List – Classical Dress Watch Focus

IMAGE	PRODUCT
	Cartier 18k Rose Gold & Diamond Tank Anglaise Extra-Large Model Case diameter is 46 millimeters 18 carat rose gold Water resistant to 100 feet 5-year warranty Designed with a rectangular case and face Vertical exterior is lined with two rows of diamonds	OUR #1 PICK VIEW LATEST PRICE →
	Patek Philippe & Co. 5078R-001 Analog mechanical functionality Self-winding Black watch arms and numbering Secondary seconds counter at the base of the face Beautiful enamel dial in a 38-millimeter case Sapphire crystal case backing	VIEW LATEST PRICE →
	Blancpain Le Brassus Minute Repeater Carousel 0235-3631-55B Carousel minute repeater Unparalleled performance Watch case is 18 carat gold White grand feu enamel dial Case is 15.35mm by 45mm Secured with a brown alligator leather strap	VIEW LATEST PRICE →
	Rolex Yacht-Master II Best known brand in luxury men’s watches Great introductory watch for the newly-successful man 44mm stainless steel casing Analog mechanism Blue Cerachrom insert 18 carat gold	VIEW LATEST PRICE →
	Vacheron Constantin Patrimony 85180 Self-winding analog function Convex face design Gold hour markers Silver minute markers Transparent back Calendar date recorded at 6 o’clock position	VIEW LATEST PRICE →
	Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 18-carat pink gold or silver case Face in a choice of onyx black or pearl white Movement thickness with a module of 4.26 mm Total diameter of 26.6 mm Bidirectional automatic winding 60-hour power reserve	VIEW LATEST PRICE →
	Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 More exclusive than other Swiss brands Available in silver, black or white Brown or black leather bands Case with all Girard-Perregaux timepieces Made by Girard-Perregaux on site	VIEW LATEST PRICE →
	Ulysse Nardin Maxi Marine Diver Chronometer Marine chronometers Round stainless steel body Titanium and rubber strap Striking deep blue watch face Analog arms Sapphire crystal glass cover	VIEW LATEST PRICE →
	Jaeger- LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon 39 High-quality materials Uncluttered round face Analog time mechanism Calendar date indicator Face of the watch is an off-clam color Silver hour markers	VIEW LATEST PRICE →
	TAG Heuer Men’s Kirium F1 Perpetual calendar Digital & analog displays Tracking for a second-time-zone Sapphire crystal covering Striking backlighting Made from stainless steel	VIEW LATEST PRICE →

Needless to say, creating a top 10 list is a subjective process and opinions will differ. However, the review team believes all of these luxury men’s watches are exceptional from a functional and material perspective, while also looking impressive – sometimes, even artistic. You will notice a distinct Swiss influence in the list.

Once you have main your choice it would be worthwhile to read the Groom+Style’s article on how to service, maintain and care for your luxury mechanical watch which includes a section on the need to buy a watch winder to care for your new purchase.

The watches are listed from 10 to 1.

10. TAG Heuer Men’s Kirium F1

Founded by Edouard Heuer in 1860 in St-Imier, Switzerland, TAG Heuer has a distinguished history of offering luxury timepieces designed for use by the “active man”. Furthering this brand identification, the company has been long been associated with the finest in sailing and auto racing, and is a premier sponsor of Formula 1.

TAG Heuer offers iconic watch which are as appropriate for an evening spent in the Casino de Monte-Carlo as they are for a day of sailing the America’s Cup course in San Francisco Bay.

The Kirium F1 incorporates the qualities men have come to expect from TAG Heuer over the last century and a half. This TAG Heuer offering is made from stainless steel and is clasped to the arm with a soft leather band. The black face is backlit and covered with a sapphire crystal cover which provides great protection for the silver analog dial while eliminating reflected light which could make the face of a watch difficult to read while on the water.

9. Jaeger- LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon 39

Jaeger-LeCoultre is a luxury watchmaker based in Le Sentier, Switzerland, and has been making watches since 1833. The company is known for offering luxury men’s watches which incorporate high-quality materials in a refined design.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Moon 39 is one such masterpiece. This timepiece incorporates an uncluttered round face with an analog time mechanism and calendar date indicator. The calendar date recorder also maps the phases of the moon as time passes.

The face of the watch is an off-clam color, with silver hour markers and watch arms contrasted against a blue second counter.

The watch is secured with a black leather band. At just 4.9 millimeters, this watch is as thin as it is sleek. A brown version is available as well.

8. Ulysse Nardin Maxi Marine Diver Chronometer

Ulysse Nardin is an old-school luxury timepiece maker. Founded in 1846 by Ulysse Nardin, the company has continuously produced watches ever since, remaining open despite two world wars. Unlike other watchmakers, this company not only still operates in the location where it was founded, Le Locle, Switzerland, but it still makes its watches in the original building.

Ulysse Nardin specializes in marine chronometers. If you find those styles attractive, your search for a luxury men’s watch should begin and end with the Maxi Marine Diver Chronometer.

This timepiece incorporates a round stainless steel body secured by a titanium and rubber strap (remember, this is designed for use on and around the water.)

The face of the watch is a striking deep blue with analog arms maintaining the minute and hour count. The day of the month is recorded at the base of the face. The watch has a screw-down crown with a sapphire crystal glass cover to protect the face of the timepiece and is water resistance to 300 meters.

Perfect for the man who has an affinity with the ocean.

7. Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945

Girard-Perregaux is one of the top luxury timepiece companies in the world. Founded in 1856 through the merger of two smaller Swiss companies, Girard-Perregaux has a well-earned reputation for producing exceptional, luxury mechanical men’s watches.

Many view their watches as a bit more exclusive than other Swiss watch brands because the company produces fewer of them a year than most other shops.

The Girard-Perregaux Vintage 1945 is the company’s best-known offering, and it’s a stunning watch. There are four variations of the timepiece, but all incorporate a square face design containing an analog dial mechanism.

Watch faces can be selected in silver, black or white. The watch is supplemented with the choice of either a moon phase or calendar date indicator. Bands come in brown or black leather. As has always been the case with all Girard-Perregaux timepieces, each of the watch’s components is made by Girard-Perregaux on site.

6. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak

Audemars Piguet is a Swiss watchmaker unique among Swiss brands: continuous ownership. Founded in 1875 in Le Brassus, Switzerland, Audemars Piguet is the nation’s only luxury watch brand that has not been sold off to a corporate master. The families of Jules Audemars and Edward Piguet, the original founders still own the company.

Without experts working in a specialized facility, it’s nearly impossible to objectively detail the quality of all of the watches we’re listing here. However, it says a lot for Audemars Piguet that Cartier and Bulgari purchase the company’s watches and then rebrand them as their own products.

5. Vacheron Constantin Patrimony 85180

Founded by Jean-Marc Vacheron in 1755, Vacheron Constantin is the oldest Swiss watchmaker in the world. The company is based in Geneva, and operates with the motto: “Do better if possible, and that is always possible”. Over the centuries, this has translated into elegantly restrained designs which are a marvel of craftsmanship.

The Vacheron Constantin Patrimony 85180 is a beautiful timepiece. This watch is obviously exquisitely crafted but incorporates a clean and simplified design extremely pleasing to the eye.

4. Rolex Yacht-Master II

Rolex is arguably the best known brand in luxury men’s watches, and is a great introductory watch for the newly-successful man. While Rolex is known as a Swiss brand, many are surprised to learn the company was actually started in England in 1905, by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis.

The company originally built watches using components imported from Switzerland, before changing its name to Rolex in 1908 and moving to Switzerland in 1919 to avoid exceedingly high wartime taxes.

Whatever the company’s origin, the Rolex Yacht-Master II is a statement of sophisticated manliness. This watch is clearly an accessory for the man who is both successful and powerful.

First offered in 2007, the Yacht-Master II has a 44 millimeter stainless steel casing which incorporates gold, typical of a Rolex watch. The watch is analog with a blue Cerachrom insert made from a ceramic material, and it comes with a stainless steel bracelet. The hour markers are 18 carat gold and contrasted with beautiful blue watch arms.

3. Blancpain Le Brassus Minute Repeater Carousel 0235-3631-55B

Launched in 1735, Blancpain is based in Biel, Switzerland and is known for its “supreme quality” brand. The company has a reputation for making high-quality watches for the discerning man while also taking a unique approach to their products’ visual appearance. The faces are often transparent, showing the time-keeping mechanism in great detail.

The Blancpain Le Brassus Minute Repeater Carousel 0235-3631-55B is a perfect example of the timepieces produced by Blancpain. It incorporates a carousel minute repeater with a one-minute flying carousel, to provide unparalleled performance. The watch case is 18 carat gold, with a white grand feu enamel dial which provides a transparent view of the inner workings of the timepiece. The case is 15.35 millimeters by 45 millimeters and secured with a brown alligator leather strap. This is truly an amazing watch and one of our real favorites.

2. Patek Philippe & Co. 5078R-001 – Rose Gold – Men – Grand Complications

Patek Philippe & Co. is a Swiss timepiece maker based in Geneva. The company has made luxury timepieces since 1852 and is quite possibly the foremost luxury brand in the field. Their watches are of such quality that they have long been the choice of royalty, including Queen Victoria of England and Hussein Kamel, the former Sultan of Egypt.

A Patek Philippe timepiece also holds the world record for the highest-priced watch ever sold; a Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication watch was purchased by Sheikh Saud Bin Mohammed Bin Ali Al-Thani of the Qatari royal family for just over $11 million.

The Patek Philippe & Co. 5078R-001 – Rose Gold – Men – Grand Complications does not come with an $11 million price tag, but does offer the quality associated with the company’s brand.

1. TOP CHOICE: Cartier 18k Rose Gold & Diamond Tank Anglaise Extra-Large Model

Our selection for the top men’s luxury watch comes from the French brand Cartier, who (surprise, surprise…) chose to manufacture their watches in Switzerland. Founded in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier, the Parisian jeweler has long been known as the dominant luxury brand in the world.  Their venture into modern watchmaking began via a partnership with the Swiss company Ebel – and once it proved successful they decided to purchase the business, and now operate out of La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Men’s watches have been part of the line of luxury products offered by Cartier for nearly 100 years, with the “Tank” line originating in 1917; the inspirations for these watches were the French tanks used in World War I.

The Cartier 18k Rose Gold & Diamond Tank Anglaise Extra-Large Men’s Watch screams luxury. The timepiece is designed with a rectangular case and face. The case diameter is 46 millimeters and made of 18 carat rose gold with a diamond bezel. The vertical exterior is lined with two rows of diamonds on each side of the body running the full length of the case. The gold and diamond frame is offset by a beautiful silver lacquered face and a blue watch arm mechanism which also contains a calendar date mechanism.

This timepiece is water resistant to 100 feet and comes with a 5-year warranty.

Most Frequently Asked Questions

Other best watch brands that are considered to be among the best in the world include Rolex, Omega, and Breitling. These brands are also known for their precision, durability, and design. They are also well known for their reputation, brand awareness, and status symbol.

Ultimately, the best watch is a matter of personal preference and depends on your budget and the specific features you are looking for. It’s important to research different brands and models and to consider what you will be using the watch for before making a purchase.

Conclusion

As a discerning gentleman in the watch industry, you know your appearance is a statement of your personal status and success. There is really very little difference in the quality of any of the luxury watches discussed in this article; all are built to the highest standard and will impress. That is why emphasis should be placed on the style of the brands you are considering and how they match your own personal taste and personality within the watch industry. Identify a match – and you have found your perfect watch.

Of course, if you decide to indulge in one of these watches, your partner will be expecting a present as well.  With this eventuality in mind, the team has prepared a list of the Top 10 Best Luxury Watches for Women.