Tiffany Patek Philippe Nautilus

Catering to the glitterati of Europe in their early days, Patek Philippe’s Antoni Patek and Jean Adrien Philippe counted among their clients Tolstoy, Pope Pius IX and the Countess Koscowicz of Hungary, for whom they created the first Swiss-made wristwatch in 1868. As Patek Philippe had their eye on the American market, in 1851 the watchmaker entered an arrangement with Tiffany & Co., one of the most prominent purveyors of luxury goods in the United States. That partnership is still in effect. 

Today, Patek Philippe Tiffany watches are rare and highly collectible — Patek Philippe Tiffany & Co. Nautilus watches are especially coveted by watch enthusiasts all over the world. And while dials in various shades of navy and ultramarine are having a moment, the interest in Patek Tiffany watches with blue dials has substantial staying power — in 2021, a Patek Philippe Tiffany & Co. Nautilus 5711 fetched more than $6.5 million at Phillips New York.  

It shouldn’t be surprising that a Patek Philippe holds the world auction record for a watch ($31.2 million for a Patek Grandmaster Chime, sold at Christie’s). Known for impeccable craftsmanship and some of the most complicated timepieces ever created, the brand is considered by many to be the height of fine watchmaking. Collectors simply love Patek Philippe watches. The house was founded in Geneva in 1839 by Polish expats Antoni Patek and Franciszek Czapek. Czapek left the firm, and in 1845, Patek partnered with French watchmaker Jean Adrien Philippe. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Tiffany & Co. was established in Connecticut in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young. Charles had launched the company’s famed catalogue, the Blue Book, and, with it, the firm’s signature robin’s-egg blue in 1845. In 1853 — not long after the house entered into a partnership with Patek Philippe — Tiffany and Young shifted their focus to fine jewelry. It earned its place in jewelry history with the iconic six-prong Tiffany Setting, introduced in 1886. Since then, Tiffany has indeed been an important arbiter of style in the design of diamond engagement rings, and the designers whose pieces have filled their trademark light-blue boxes include visionaries such as Jean Schlumberger, Elsa Peretti and Paloma Picasso. 

From the beginning, Patek Philippe has opted for quality over quantity — a decision that has resulted in another lure for collectors: rarity. It’s estimated that fewer than one million Patek Philippe watches have been produced since the company’s founding.

Some of Patek Philippe’s most famous models include the Calatrava, an elegantly minimal dress watch introduced in 1932 and named for the Calatrava Cross (the company’s logo since 1887), and the Nautilus, the maker’s first sports watch, conceived by legendary designer Gérald Genta in 1976. The brand's pieces are understandably attractive to counterfeiters, too — make sure you know how to spot a fake Patek Philippe watch, which, if manufactured after 2009, will bear the Patek Philippe Seal.

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Antique, vintage and luxury wristwatches have captured the hearts and minds of all manner of watch collectors as well as the watchmakers themselves — it's time you found your own.

Certain vintage watches for men and iconic watch designs for women are sought after not only because of their graceful proportions or innovative materials but also because of the illustrious histories of the houses that created them, histories that they stylishly embody.

Bulgari’s legendary Serpenti watch was on everyone’s list after the collection’s bold bracelet, which technically debuted after the timepiece, graced the wrist of actress Elizabeth Taylor. If anything, elaborately crafted timepieces — the unmistakably boxy silhouette of Cartier Tank watches, the elegant and minimal Calatrava designed by legendary Swiss house Patek Philippe — are even more effective than the shape we associate with traditional wristwatches.

Form watches — the all-encompassing moniker bestowed upon non-round watches — are making headlines and completing contemporary fashionable ensembles the world over. At the same time, both casual fans and careful collectors are drawn to the unbeatable charm of vintage styles, such as the icons designed by Omega that even James Bond can’t resist.

In the early days of watchmaking, watches were fragile enough that they necessitated protection from the elements. Now, wristwatches made of gold and steel can withstand the harshest climates — even 100 meters underwater, in the case of Rolex’s Submariner. Designer Gérald Genta, whose range of clients included Rolex, created for Audemars Piguet the first luxury sports timepiece to be made from stainless steel. First introduced in 1972, the Royal Oak was a perfect choice for blending the form and function that are now synonymous with sports watches.

Are you shopping for a wristwatch? It’s good to keep your needs as well as your specific personal style in mind: A smaller, subtle timepiece is a good fit for small wrists. When will you be wearing your new accessory? There’s a versatile model out there for everyday wear, while a rugged, feature-heavy watch is a safe bet if you’re prone to embarking on all-weather activities in the great outdoors.

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