TIMEPIECES
Paul Newman Rolex Reference 6239 Cosmograph Daytona. Photo credit: Phillips auction house
F.P. Journe Sonnerie Souveraine. Photo credit: Phillips Auction House
6 MUST HAVE WATCHES ON EVERY CONNOISSEUR’S BUCKET LIST | BY ANTHONY DEMARCO
Some of the most collectible watches worldwide are not always highly complicated or expensive when first issued. They become decidedly in demand due to celebrity promotions, time on the market, and other reasons that sometimes defy logic. Below are six timepieces considered essential for anyone who wants a respectable watch collection. But these are not the only timepieces deemed indispensable to create an entire collection. There are many ways to amass a noteworthy watch collection based on budget, personal style, and other factors. What ties five of these timepieces together is their mass appeal, a sense of history, and the fact that many of the models are still available in some form today. At the same time, the most important are largely unattainable. The sixth timepiece is an exceptional example of contemporary high watchmaking.
PATEK PHILLIPPE-TIFFANY NAUTILUS REF. 5711/1A-018 The Patek Philippe 5711, a seemingly simple steel watch with an unusually shaped bezel and “big ears,” as most people call the sides, became a phenomenon for reasons that are difficult to explain. The original Nautilus was created in 1976 by legendary watch designer Gérald Genta in response to the quartz watch era. The 42mm steel case (large for its time) featured a soft-angled rounded octagonal-shaped bezel inspired by the portholes of a transatlantic ship and an integrated steel bracelet. The Nautilus 5711/1A came into existence in 2006. This 40mm steel case version with a deep blue dial is the one that caught the imagination 39 | UPSCALE LIVING MAGAZINE | APRIL 2023 23
