A sense of luxury and even mythology tends to surround the most sought-after watches on the planet, one captured vividly in Taschen’s handsome new two-book volume Ultimate Collector Watches.
A true visual feast for the senses and an almost absurdly appealing purchase for the watch enthusiast, Ultimate Collector Watches spans 960 pages across two volumes, capturing utterly rare and remarkable timepieces of all sorts in the process.
Turn to one page and find Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona, or spot a legendary and ultra-rare Patek Philippe chronograph on the next. 100 “astonishingly valuable” watches are explored in total, and Taschen calls the release “a glorious celebration of watchmaking conducted at truly virtuoso levels of timekeeping precision.”
The companion set explores more than 100 years of luxury watchmaking in minute fashion, providing “a rare insight into the sublime artistry and complex engineering of haute horology,” the publisher said. On display are a range of delights from the likes of Cartier (the 1915 Santos, one of the earliest examples known) and Patek Philippe (the Chronometro Gondolo featuring a hinged upper case). The volume goes so far as to spotlight a 1929 Longines Tonneau presented to none other than Albert Einstein in 1931.
The expertly crafted set uncovers enviable gems from the likes of Breguet, showcasing a hand-decorated movement on the 1929 Ref. 2516 Perpetual Calendar. As Taschen rightly notes, “the watch is a testament to mechanical art,” with detailed photography to match.
The books also deliver an inside look at watches from Patek Philippe dating back to the 1940s, while Vacheron Constantin’s famed minute repeater reference 4261 (billed as a “design masterpiece of impeccable form and function”) also shares the spotlight. Examinations of stunning watches are further complemented by interviews with a range of experts, including renowned collector Auro Montanari and watchmaker Roger W. Smith.
Each volume was written and edited by longtime Taschen contributors Charlotte and Peter Fiell, leaders in design and horology, with a level of care and attention to detail reflecting the prized horological gems within. A mix of in-depth interviews, plus sketches and technical drawings, complement a range of vivid photography worthy of the finest watches on the planet. Although its horological masterpieces might be out of reach, Ultimate Collector Watches ($250) offers a vibrant way to explore the fine art of watchmaking with each turn of the page.
