Main image source: www.chanel.com

I’ve been obsessed with watches for nearly 15 years and I think it’s fair to say that my tastes have evolved both uniquely and similarly to other collectors.

On one hand my tastes are now truly mine, but on the other hand that is the result of the journey all long-time watch lovers take, from believing “popular” views to be the unmovable truth, to ignoring those views eventually and going their own way.

It should be obvious that the less you care about what others think of your watches, the more choices you have available to you, and the more fun you can have in the hobby, but it takes time to reach that point, and consequently certain views stubbornly persist.

“The Tudor Black Bay 41 is too thick”.

“Everything TAG Heuer makes is trash”.

There are plenty of others, but the one I want to focus on again today is that “fashion watches” are not “real” watches.

I say that I’m focusing on this topic “again” because I’ve been a long-time fan of watches from brands that have traditionally excelled in other areas, and in this article I’d like to present to you specific examples of the models that I would thereotically (but sincerely) be open to buying.

Regular readers of this site or listeners of The Real Time Show will know that over the last year I’ve pared my collection down quite a bit and I can confirm that I am still very happy with my curated handful of watches, but you never know…

These models offer such unique attributes, sometimes at such killer values, that at least one of them just may end up in my collection one day (spoiler: one of them already has!). If you are far enough along in your watch journey to ignore the “fashion watches = trash” trope, you may find yourself wanting to add at least one to your own collection as well.

In no particular order, let’s take a look at some truly horological and, yes, fashionable, watches.

The Cartier Santos De Cartier, Large

Ok, I lied.

There is a little bit of a particular order in that I’m putting the Santos De Cartier first because not only is this absolutely a fashion watch I’d buy, it’s also one that I own!

I remember quite clearly being in a Cartier boutique buying some jewelry for my wife, not having any interest at all in Cartier watches, but having my mind completely changed upon seeing the Santos models in the display case.

This was right around the time that I was starting to consider carving down my collection, so I had neither the desire nor the funds to add yet another watch to my name. I suppose the Santos’ pull was just that strong, because fast forward about 2 years, it’s on my very short list of owned watches and one that I don’t think I’ll ever sell.

Before I share more of my personal views on the Santos De Cartier though, let’s take a step back.

Cartier isn’t the first name that comes to mind in watch circles when you ask about brands with significant heritage. That said, Cartier is probably the one brand listed in this article that you could argue is only tangentially a “fashion” watch, because while the company does make a boatload of money selling jewelry, their watchmaking heritage is indeed legendary.

Of course there’s the iconic Cartier Tank, but you may not know that the pre-cursor to the Santos De Cartier is the Santos Dumont, the world’s first pilot watch. My understanding is that the Santos De Cartier came about in the early 70’s as a result of Cartier wanting something to compete with the then recently released Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, which serves not only as another point of historical significances for the Santos but also proof of just how versatile the design DNA is, going from dress to sports with ease.

What I love about the Santos De Cartier is, well, everything.

• The brilliant bracelet swapping/sizing system that allows you to change the look and size of the watch in seconds.

• The (synthetic) sapphire cabuchon which adds that extra touch of class to the watch and nods to Cartier’s jewelry heritage.

• The wrist presence that comes from the unique shape of the case.

• The “mechanical” look of the watch that comes from the Santos De Cartier’s heritage of being a dirigible pilot’s watch; in my opinion it could be called the original Ingénieur!

You have a fair amount of choice within the Santos De Cartier line so if I had to speak about my choice specifically (the one pictured above), I’d mention the addition of a date window compared to the medium model, the lumed hands which make it a competent sport watch, and the perfect shade of blue (my favorite color) to go with the cabuchon on the crown.

I understand that the Santos De Cartier might not be for everyone; my colleague on The Real Time Show Alon Ben Joseph just does not do Roman numerals on a watch dial.

If, however, you are looking for a watch that gets you 95% of the “vibes” of a Nautilus or Royal Oak without all the baggage - and price tag - of those two models, the Cartier Santos is a fantastic choice.

If the Santos De Cartier still doesn’t interest you, or maybe it’s the idea of owning any watch from a jeweler that turns you off, perhaps this next Cartier will change your mind.

Calibre De Cartier dive watch

Unfortunately, the entire Calibre De Cartier line (which also includes some interesting-looking 38 mm and 42 mm watches) has been discontinued, including the dive watch.

I suppose that the Venn diagram between people who want a dive watch that is also a Cartier can’t be that overlapping; after all, if you want a Cartier, there are other, far more iconic models from which to choose, and if you want a diver, your options from more established dive watch manufacturers are almost endless.

Then again…

How beautiful does this watch look?

If you’d asked me what a Cartier dive watch looked like before this watch was released, I think my eyes would go cross-eyed, because as I implied above, a Cartier dive watch isn’t really supposed to be a thing.

And yet it is!

I have to congratulate the watch’s designers who managed to make a truly robust dive watch - it’s ISO 6425 compliant - that you would absolutely know is a Cartier if you saw it without a logo on the dial.

I love the juxtaposition between the watch’s tough capabilities and the presence of aesthetic the blue cabuchon, and in a world where watch buyers were a little more adventurous this might have been an ongoing success.

It was not to be, but I would love to own this one day.

The Piaget Polo S 36 mm

I’m cheating a little bit again here because while Piaget is a jeweler, they take their watchmaking very seriously, and it’s not uncommon to hear the news they have once again bested their own (or someone else’s!) record for the thinnest watch ever.

Consequently, watch lovers do for the most part hold Piaget in high esteem, but some may still discount them because they aren’t named Rolex, Omega, Patek, etc., so I’d like to bring up a watch that piqued my interest heavily when it was first announced: the 36 mm Polo S.

The Polo is a heritage line, and when it was reintroduced, the 42 mm seemed to be received rather luke-warmly. Someone at Piaget listed and/or saw the sales figures, and a few years ago we were lucky to see the release of a 36 mm model.

The size is no longer an issue, but the price…ouch. This is definitely a watch I’d try to buy pre-owned or via the grey market, and even then I could still see this being a five figure watch, a price level that presents you with many, many other options.

Still, I like it a lot, so much so that I would consider it is a candidate for a “One Watch Collection”.

Also, if you want an example of a watch that is somewhat polarizing but undoubtedly a beautifully made piece of jewelry, check out the Piaget Upstream with its swing-arm bezel/bracelet.

The Monsieur De Chanel

Ok, now we’re truly into “fashion watch” territory, with Chanel more likely to evoke thoughts of handbags and glamorous dresses rather than watches.

But then again…

The J12, with its all-ceramic construction, is a watch industry icon, so perhaps Chanel is just one more example of the vicious cycle that plagues it and every other brand on this list: they do everything else so well that those items (perfume, bags…) get the spotlight, people assume there’s no way that attention to detail could transfer to watches, so no one can even fathom how good those watches actually are.

Yet, as I’ve written previously, these brands have absolutely no incentive to be lazy in any category as that will erode their overall brand entity; if they do something, they must do it well, and with a legendary brand such as Chanel, the only logical expectation is that its watches will be epic as well.

I’ve also written previously that with their long-term business strategies and enormous war chests, fashion brands are well placed to nurture brands in a way that just isn’t possible in the hypothetical case where they are independent or owned by a publicly traded firm.

In fact, did you know that Chanel is actually a behind-the-scenes major player in the watch industry, to the extent that they own stakes in Bell & Ross, Romain Gauthier, FP Journe (yes, FP Journe!) and as of very recently MB&F?

Those some are some insane bona-fides, and once you know this it’s probably not suprising to learn Chanel will occasionally collaborate with some of these brands, which is exactly what happened leading up to the creation of the Monsieur De Chanel.

First announced in 2016, I was instantly struck by how beautiful this watch, created with input from Romain Gauthier himself, looked.

Just look at it: it’s strong, very unlike the J12, and yet it’s beautiful, and beautifully sized, coming in at 40 mm wide and 10 mm thick.

And then you see what the back looks like, and the watch just shoots to the moon.

I’ve heard some say they wish the text on the dial wasn’t there, and I agree with that, but if I were fortunate enough to buy one of these, I could definitely live with it.

Some of the watches on this list are prime candidates for purchase second-hand, but this isn’t one of them. As I write this, I can only see one for sale on Chrono24, and it’s very close to the MSRP announced in 2016.

It’s a shame that some of these watches will be going to people buying them solely to get in line for whatever Chanel’s hot handbag is, but hopefully a majority ends up on the wrist of true connoisseurs.

Plus, if they sell out, I really don’t care who they go to if that encourages Chanel to keep producing other beautiful watches in the future.

Watches such as…

The Monsieur De Chanel Superleggera Intense Black Edition

Wow.

Just, wow.

That’s what I remember thinking when I read about the Monsieur De Chanel Superleggera Intense Black Edition via Time & Tide.

The outlet called this 2024 release “the most masculine watch Chanel has ever produced”, and while I don’t think we really need to “gender” watches anymore (after all, it’s the 21st century and the world is on fire, so wear whatever you want), it is another break from the traditional elegance that we picture when we think “Chanel”.

Whereas the original Monsieur was already very strong, watch dials that up with an all-black, ceramic-coated steel case and just the perfect amount of red accenting on the dial. I think again dial text could have been removed but it is cut-down from the original.

Also, I wish the case could have been sub-40 mm, but I remember reading somewhere that all-black watches look smaller on-wrist than they actually are, so designers have to increase the actual size to maintain visual impact.

Maybe take that with a grain of salt, but as for me, if I had the cash and the opportunity to purchase one of these, those extra millimeters would not stand in my way.

Richard Mille should watch out, Chanel is now in the business of making “racing machines for the wrist”.

The Louis Vuitton Tambour

I would totally understand if you thought that Louis Vuitton watches were traditionally “ugly”, but I’d also push back with the argument that they looked exactly like something a client of Louis Vuitton would want.

Take the Tambour Smartwatch.

It’s logo’d out, just like their bags, and the brashness of the famous LV monogram is no doubt a key driver behind Louis Vuitton’s out-sized influence on the overall LVMH portfolio.

Pretty much all of Louis Vuitton’s other watches followed the same design codes, and though I am a fan of watches from luxury brands outside of the world of horology, these just never did much for me as they lacked the refinement of offerings from brands such as Hermès.

That was until I saw the new Tambour.

On one hand, this latest Tambour is not exactly daring, but on the other hand, that’s exactly the point.

No one can fault this watch for being “in-your-face”, and as far as execution, it is conventionally proportioned at 40 mm wide, with a very nicely finished movement built by LVMH-owned La Fabrique du Temps.

I’m probably going to offend some of you when I write that for me, the only thing missing is a date. Besides that, I think this is an extremly well-done offering from a brand that is sometimes referred to as the “McDonald’s of Luxury” (Those like me in the more advanced stages of life may agree with me that the Tambour is LVMH’s “Arch Deluxe”…).

There’s nothing halfway done here, and if I had the money on-hand, I’d probably go for the two-tone model as my blue-dial needs are already covered by my Santos De Cartier.

Beyond its attributes, it’s worth mentioning that the Tambour, while sharing a name with older Louis Vuitton models, is meant as a reset for the whole line. Indeed, upon the new watch’s announcement, Louis Vuitton also declared it was cutting almost all of its current models to focus on the direction set forth by the Tambour.

If that’s the case, I’ll be paying close attention to what comes from Louis Vuitton’s atelier in the future.

The Ralph Lauren Ralph and Ricky Polo Bear Watch

I have written and spoken extensively in the past about my love for Ralph Lauren and Ralph Lauren watches, and this model does nothing other than grow my appreciation for the brand and its timepieces.

The main critique against this line is that you pay about 2,000 bucks for a watch equipped with a standard Swiss movement.

My response to that is…

“And?…”

It’s not as if Ralph Lauren is the first brand to upcharge consumers for a standard movement, and with this watch -and the Polo Bear line generally - the movement is not the point.

I’ve heard it said that with Cartier, the brand’s design is itself a complication, and in the same way that I’m ok with the idea of a quartz movement in a Tank because the iconic design is the focus, so too am I fine with this watch and its pricepoint.

The Polo Bear is an established icon, and giving him his own collection of watches, all featuring different Polo outfits, is a well-thought out strategy.

Furthermore, it’s not as if the dial is slapped into a generic case; here you get a watch that has classic “Americana” undertones, with the crown, stirrup lugs and hands referencing not only the equestrian codes that figure heavily in Ralph Lauren’s brand universe, but also classic railroad pocket watches of the early 20th century.

I chose this particular Polo Bear watch for two reasons. First, whereas all the other watches are sized at 42 mm (yes, I do agree with the criticism that these should be smaller), this one comes in at 38 mm.

Second, owing to this smaller size, I do believe this watch could easily be shared with my wife, and the husband-and-wife Polo Bear team certainly leads me to believe that was the intent behind this release.

Unfortunately, I get the impression that this watch and the other Polo Bear watches are moving towards discontinuation as they are hard to find online, but perhaps (hopefully!) they still feature prominently in Ralph Lauren’s flagship boutiques.

Overall, no, it’s not a “serious” watch, but let’s be honest, watches aren’t meant to be that serious either. If you’re looking for a fun, charming watch that was still conceived with obvious care, check out the Ralph and Ricky Polo Bear watch and the rest of the watches in the Polo Bear line.

The Hermès Dressage

Hermès is a tough brand to write about because on one hand, it can be the height of trashy, conspicuous consumption (no amount of Birkins owned by some reality television stars will ever convince me to see them as anyone to aspire to), but on the other hand, it is the absolute pinnacle of good taste, elegance and quality.

Though I’ll likely never furnish and decorate my house with Hermès, it is that latter consideration that earns them a special place in my heart, and to the extent their careful approach carries over to everything they do - watches included - you’re about to see several options from Hermès.

The Hermès Dressage line was introduced in the early 2010’s and its the type of watch you bring up when you want to gently point out watch snobbery in the community.

In-house movement?

Check. Hermès owns 25% of the Vaucher Manufacture (no relation to me) and they contribute to what you see behind the see-through caseback.

Distinctive design?

Check. Hermès is known for its distinctive designs and in the cushion case of the Dressage you see clearly the equestrian themes that started the maison, especially on a strap which showcases a sort of stirrup-shaped lugs.

Quality?

Check. I mean, come on, this is Hermès.

These retailed for five-figures upon introduction and now, depending on the model you are looking for, they can be found for literally pennies on the dollar (even the ingenious Heure Masquée, while still, expensive, can be found for a relative bargain, especially when compared to similar watches from “respected” watch brands today).

The Slim d’Hermès

Among those in the watch hobby who’ll acknowledge the place of luxury houses in horology, the Slim comes up frequently as an example of a “fashion watch” done properly.

Again, like with the Dressage, the pre-requisites are done very well: an in-house movement, good proportions (if perhaps a little large for a traditional dress watch at 39.5 mm) and that absolutely unimpeachable Hermès heritage and design language.

It’s worth dwelling on that point, because Hermès went so far as to commission its own font for the Slim!

This alone should settle once and for all the debate about whether or not Hermès belongs in the conversation about “serious” watchmakers because, let’s be honest, how many times have traditional brands been called out for not sweating the details?

And yet, Hermès does it.

The Hermès H08

When the Hermès H08 was announced in 2021, I knew instantly that the brand had created something special.

With all due respect to their previous watches and those who birthed them, it seems to me that this is the watch that Hermès really wanted to create all along, almost as if the others were “practice runs”.

The H08 embodies perfectly everything that makes Hermès, well, Hermès: sporty luxury, light-hearted design that is nevertheless meticulously thought-out, with the whole package executed in a way that only a world-class organization such as Hermès can pull off.

And the price!

Granted, there is nothing “cheap” in luxury watches, but unlike, say, their handbags which are indeed very, very expensive, the H08 is merely expensive, and there are absolutely deals to be had if you seek one out on the pre-owned market.

I should come clean and say that I’m - kind of - lying when I tell you I’d absolutely spend my money on this fashion watch.

Don’t get me wrong, I love it, but the overlap with my Cartier Santos De Cartier is just too great, so until that changes, I’ll just admire the H08 from afar.

That said, I could not write this article without mentioning this watch, so if you are in the market for a sports watch that’s off the beaten path yet absolutely respectable, please do yourself a favor and check out the H08.

The Hermès Clipper Dive Chronograph

We’re back to the deep cuts, in more ways than one.

First, there’s the obvious fact that other than the Slim and the H08, almost any Hermès watch is a deep cut simply because the brand doesn’t get much attention in watch circles.

Second, there’s the fact that dive chronographs are not exactly mainstream models. Sure, you can find other examples with a quick Google search, but that doesn’t mean that these are anything close to widepsread.

Dive chronographs are mechnically complicated and large, not only to accommodate their internals but also to be legible and have adequate water resistance.

This is a category that a brand like Sinn tackles, so to see that Hermès attempted such a watch is amusing.

Nevertheless, just as their whimsical designs obfuscate the care that goes into them, this amusing choice was not made off-hand.

Perhaps Hermès decided to design a dive chronograph to show that it could be made seriously for the express purpose of…

Not taking oneself too seriously!

The thought that went into the design is obvious, as with the Clipper you see the very “Hermès” numerals, the pops of orange, and check out the literal H-link bracelet!

All of this design comes together to become what might be one of the most “rakish” watches out there.

Think about it: how often have you read someone go on, and on, and on about the Rolex Submariner.

Is anyone going to do that with the Dive Chronograph?

Now, how many people actually dive with a Rolex Submariner?

I’m fairly certain that the person who wears Hermès’ watch is going to be a person of taste, and/or a badass diver who will never brag about it.

This watch is discontinued, but again, as with so many fashion watches, it can be found for pennies-on-the-dollar online.

The Hermès Clipper H1 200 meters

Now we’re getting to the deeeeppp cuts, like Grand-Canyon deep.

This is a watch that I only found when I was doing some research on the Clipper dive chronograph, and as far as I can tell there is only one article in English, at the infancy of ABlogToWatch.

As soon as I saw this I was totally smitten by its looks, coming from the architecture of the watch itself as well as the subtle integration of those classic Hermès design cues that are such a selling point (to me) when utilized in a watch.

The first thing you’ll notice are of course the lugs which are screwed on. I don’t think I’ve seen anything like this before, but as I’m typing this I realize that the watch gives off some very clear Seiko Tuna vibes.

Beyond that, you have the flash of orange on the seconds hand, and if you look closer, you can see a dial that not only has the signature Hermes numerals but also a repeating H pattern.

The back of the watch is both good and bad.

The good is that you can see what has to be one of the first (the first?) appearance of the Vaucher-derived “in-house” movement. The bad is that, well, you can see it, because the small see-through caseback on this 43.5 mm watch makes for a very unbalanced effect.

I’d love to get my hands on this watch but there just aren’t that many examples out there.

In fact, for this configuration, there are none that I can find.

If you run a search, you’ll come up with results that look the same, but they are not. The key difference is the presence of the big date at the top of the dial rather than the bottom, which indicates the use of an ETA-derived 2892 movement instead of the in-house option.

The Montblanc Sport Tantalum Automatic Limited Edition of 100

Montblanc is a brand that catches even more flak than the others listed above because while they are a luxury brand, they are a luxury pen (ahem, “writing instruments”…) brand.

I think this is an unfair characterization, because while they certainly have their share of ho-hum releases (like any brand), you can’t accuse them of phoning in the overall effort, especially after their acquisition of Minerva.

And then…

There’s the Montblanc Sport Tantalum Automatic.

Introduced all the way back in 2006 to celebrate Montblanc’s 100 year anniversary, I only heard about it a couple of years ago while watching a Tim Mosso video over at the 1916 Company (then Watchbox).

He mentioned it with such passion that I had to do some research, though to be honest a Tantalum Montblanc diver, even mentioned in passing, would have been enough to pique my interest.

To this day, my research yields almost nothing.

The crappy picture above is just about the only thing I can find on the watch, but from that picture alone I’m sold.

Yes, it’s a large-ish watch, but I love its looks, and the luxury touches such as the star-shaped diamond cabuchon on the crown make me want it even more (so much do I already love a similar touch on my Santos De Cartier).

A few weeks ago I did manage to find a finished listing on French eBay as well as a little more information on the watch’s original MSRP.

Both prices are rich, but the depreciation from the MSRP is considerable, and even at the more recent eBay sales price of around 9,000 euros I still think it would provide compelling value today when compared to similarly priced watches from other brands.

Beyond my fascination with the obscurity of the watch, my mind races to so many questions:

1. What type of customer buys this?

2. Why did they buy it, keeping in mind with a brand like Hermès a watch purchase is likely at least in part made to get an invitation for a Birkin?

3. Even if only 100 were made and sold, why can’t I still ever seem to find one for sale anywhere?

If anyone has any more information on this watch, please do let me know in the comments!

The Montblanc GMT 1906 Rose Gold Perpetual Calendar

I’m going to end this article in the same way I started: by cheating a little bit.

Even if I had the cash, I don’t think I would buy this watch, as I don’t wear dress watches very often and I haven’t yet taken the plunge into fully gold watches.

Nevertheless, I wanted to highlight the 1906 Montblanc Perpetual Calendar to demonstrate some of the insanity that can come out of non-traditional luxury brands, and yes, even those which are “simple” pen makers.

This watch was introduced at the same time as the tantalum diver, which makes it hard to believe that Montblanc isn’t further along in its watchmaking journey today.

I mean, how could anyone ignore this?

This one is a little easier to find, because at the time of writing this article I can see a listing on Chrono24, with an asking price of just under 41,000 euros (not including shipping).