1stDibs ExpertDecember 5, 2024
The Big 4 Watchmakers are Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin. These four watchmakers have long histories of excellence in the industry and account for a large percentage of luxury watch sales. Rolex's two most iconic models are sports watches: the Submariner and the Daytona. Patek Philippe has introduced many well-known models, including the Calatrava, an elegantly minimal dress watch introduced in 1932 and named for the Calatrava Cross, and the Nautilus, the brand’s first sports watch, conceived by legendary designer Gérald Genta in 1976. Audemars Piguet's most famous model is arguably the Royal Oak, the world's first-ever luxury stainless steel watch when it debuted at the Baselworld Watch and Jewelry Fair in 1972. Widely loved models designed by Vacheron Constantin, the world's oldest watchmaker still in operation, include the sporty Overseas and the Patrimony. On 1stDibs, shop a large collection of Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin watches.