« Each one unique and remarkable in its own way »
There is no shortage of expensive watch brands around the world. In top 10 rankings, the order may shift depending on the criteria used. But the same manufactures tend to land near the top, and they share a great deal: they love visionary ideas just as much as traditional watchmaking craftsmanship, and most of them are based in Switzerland.
Rolex – the popular status symbol
When it comes to prestigious luxury, Rolex instinctively gets the top spot on any list of watch brands. That holds true even for people who neither know much about exclusive timepieces nor identify with them. This unrivaled popularity rests on the blend of tasteful aesthetics and practical value that the Geneva luxury brand has stood for since its entry in the commercial register in 1913.
Sometimes it took a while for a new Rolex to win hearts – the stainless steel Daytona chronograph, for example. It generated little enthusiasm at its debut in 1963 and sold at a rather modest price. Today it ranks among the hugely popular models from the top 10 watch brands. An original once owned by Paul Newman, auctioned in 2017 for around €16 million, helped make that happen.
Avant-garde bestsellers from Le Brassus – Audemars Piguet
Soon after its founding in 1875, Audemars Piguet was counted among the best watch brands, prized for masterpieces with lavish decoration in precious metals and gemstones. Its breakthrough, however, came with the exact opposite: in 1972, the Royal Oak was one of the first luxury watches with an unmistakably sporty design. As revolutionary as its stainless steel construction was the octagonal bezel with the same number of screws, cheekily stealing the spotlight.
When it comes to expensive watch brands, Audemars Piguet earns its place in the top 10 because the laid-back Royal Oak made design history. The company founded by Jules-Louis Audemars and Edward August Piguet is one of those watch brands whose luxury status isn't obvious to many laypeople. It is precisely this understated exclusivity that appeals to so many watch enthusiasts.
Omega – the high flyer among the top 10 watch brands
Ask adventurers to name expensive watch brands for a top 10 ranking, and Omega will come out near the top. Ever since the brand name was registered in 1894, its timepieces have been valued for their technical sophistication. Early on, the manufacturer impressed with precision records. These advances earned its masterpieces leading roles on expeditions that tolerate no inaccuracy or material weakness whatsoever.
The Speedmaster Professional, selected by NASA for the first missions to the Moon, alone has earned Omega a permanent place among the top 10 watch brands. While other collections from the brand are just as remarkable, the Moonwatch has a particularly large fan base.
The French emperor's first choice – Breguet
Napoléon Bonaparte treated himself to three pocket watches from the Breguet manufacture. Other expensive watch brands in the top 10 charts can only turn green with envy at a résumé like that. Yet more significant to watch enthusiasts than the famous clientele are the groundbreaking ideas with which Abraham Louis Breguet paved the way for the first functioning wristwatch between 1780 and 1810.
The Breguet overcoil, the pare-chute shock protection, or the delicate hand with a circle near its tip: the inventions of this gifted watchmaker still define handcrafted masterpieces from Breguet and other luxury brands. The manufacture's appealing philosophy: it aims to preserve time and stay ahead of it – for example with the Tradition collection, which invites you to study the movement from both sides.
Zenith – top 10 timepieces with pioneering movements
When relentless innovation is the focus, Zenith has to be counted among the top 10 watch brands. Ultra-thin, high-frequency, or accurate to a hundredth of a second: the timepieces from Le Locle house movements that leave experts amazed.
Zenith achieved its international breakthrough in 1969 with a world first: the first automatic chronograph movement. Today, high-frequency movements are a matter of course for the Swiss chronograph specialist, which ranks among the best watch brands overall.
Top 10 design house for jewelry watches – Chopard
Expensive top-tier watch brands with jewel-like aesthetics you can't help falling for: if that's what you're looking for, Chopard is the place to go. Founded in 1860, the brand offers high-quality men's watches, but it truly hits its stride when creating enchanting women's watches.
The Happy Diamonds collection lives up to its name: from subtle to expressive, sparkling brilliant-cut diamonds define these playfully designed timepieces. Chopard is one of the watch brands that interpret luxury with passion and variety. Necklaces or rings to match your cocktail watch? The prestigious brand fulfills wishes like these with its multifaceted jewelry range.
Blancpain – the underrated top ten pioneer
The manufacture founded by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain in 1735 really ought to be one of the universally known top 10 watch brands. The first self-winding wristwatch (1926), the dive watch pioneer Fifty Fathoms (1953), or the smallest automatic movement for the elegant Ladybird women's watches (1956): time and again, the ambitious manufacturer crossed the finish line on landmark innovations at the same time as or just ahead of its competitors. When it comes to important watch brands, Blancpain simply can't be missing from the list. That view was shared not only by ocean explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau but also by Marilyn Monroe.
Horological extravagance from Lake Geneva – Hublot
If you favor unconventional accessories and expensive watch brands, a top 10 spot is reserved for Hublot. Since its debut in 1980, the bold mix of materials has shaped the brand's signature design just as much as the case shape reminiscent of a porthole. In 2005, the manufacturer unveiled the Big Bang chronographs for the first time, whose look – quite literally – goes off with a bang. That applies to the rich contrast of materials and the extroverted decoration, which at times feels a touch over the top. Does your heart beat for purist timepieces? Then Hublot probably won't make your personal list of top watch brands.
Breitling – high flyer from the Bernese Jura
Léon Breitling was fascinated by measuring instruments that perform professional tasks in scientific, sporting, and industrial settings. The manufacture he founded in 1884 quickly delivered advances in watch technology that impressed a major pilots' association, which recommended the Navitimer as a pilot's watch. On land, underwater, or in the air: Breitling ranks among the top 10 watch brands valued for brilliant engineering and refined functionality.
Patek Philippe – masterfully complicated or simply beautiful
Its passion for complicated timepieces ensures that Patek Philippe regularly claims first place in rankings of top watch brands. Hand-finished decoration, an ingenious reversible case, and 20 complications, some of which you can enjoy acoustically: one look at the watchmaking sensation auctioned in 2019 for more than 30 million Swiss francs is enough to understand the brand's reputation. Today, the Grandmaster Chime graces the collection in strictly limited numbers.
Just as coveted as the complicated watches are uncomplicated evergreens – the ultra-thin Ellipse, for example. These elegant dress watches show only the hours and minutes, since any more information seems superfluous amid the savoir-vivre of an evening out. Since its founding in 1839, the manufacture has produced fewer watches than other luxury brands sell in a single year. That's why Patek Philippe is irresistibly beautiful, but hard to get hold of.
