Top 2 Luxury Watch Classics to Add to Your Collection

12 April 2023

Wearing luxury watches shows respect for the past and acknowledges the technological advancements that led to navigation, deep-sea exploration, aviation, and even space travel. Many brands have preserved tradition by focusing their collections on classic models. Consider the Rolex watch, for instance. Rolex upgrades its core collection rather than releasing new models every few years. Future watchmakers will be inspired by watches like the Datejust and Submariner, which have been around for generations.

In this post, we’ll examine the historical classics, those designs that profoundly impacted the world. Each watch on this list has a long history, is still manufactured today, and can be a great addition to your collection.

Rolex Submariner

René-Paul Jeanneret, a dedicated diver, served on the Rolex board of directors in the early 1950s. Jeanneret, a close friend of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, believed that there was a demand for a diving watch that could be sold to the general public. When scuba diving first became popular in the 1950s, divers mainly relied on their watches to determine how long they could stay at certain depths. Once Cousteau’s counsel was sought, Jeanneret created the Submariner, a professional diver’s watch that complied with all the requirements.

In September 1953, Rolex had grand plans for the Submariner’s premiere. With his deep-diving submersible Bathyscape, Auguste Piccard plunged 3131,8 metres. The ship’s hull was covered with a watch that Rolex had attached, with its emblem and illuminated dial that was clearly visible. The Rolex was still working well when the Bathyscape came out of the water. It’s not surprising that the Submariner model, which Rolex started selling to the public in 1954, quickly achieved cult status after such a dramatic introduction.

Omega Speedmaster

Not only was the Omega Speedmaster the first contemporary chronograph ever built. Also, it was the first timepiece an astronaut wore during the Apollo 11 space trip, and it helped with the infamously unsuccessful Apollo 13 lunar expedition. The Speedmaster Professional is still one of a select few timepieces approved by NASA for spaceflight. Given its historical connection to space travel, you could assume that the Omega Speedmaster was initially created for extra-terrestrial use. It wasn’t, though. Early Omega timepieces from the 1920s and 1930s paved the way for the Speedmaster, a high-performance sport and racing chronograph. Omega honed its chronograph during the 1940s and 1950s, setting the bar for the contemporary chronograph dial and its defining 12-hour, triple register layout in particular. In other words, Omega set out to produce a trustworthy and robust wristwatch for racing, but they had no desire to create a watch for space flight.

Space enthusiasts can now own an Omega Speedmaster in various styles, from classic versions from the past to the newest “Dark Side of the Moon” chronographs made of black ceramic. You can also check out our list of the most affordable Omega watches to consider as a new collector.

These are the two most iconic classic watches that are still available today. When you need watch repairs, know that Ken Ross Jewellers is a reliable watch repair and jewellery service provider in Melbourne that you can trust. You can confidently wear your luxurious watches, knowing that our experts got you whenever something wrong happens to your precious timepiece. Our 64 years of expertise and experience can guarantee you quality workmanship like no other. Contact us now at (03) 9885 1833 for more enquiries.

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