Top 20 Luxury Watch Brands for Men and Women

One of the factors that sets luxury watches apart from other timepieces is that they are designed to last for decades. Owing to the quality of the materials and the care that goes into producing each one, these men’s luxury watches often retain their worth and may even increase in value as the years pass. The same can be said for the women’s luxury watches made by certain watchmakers.

What are the most popular luxury watch brands these days? Some of the names will be familiar. Others will be names that you should take the time to explore. Here are 20 of the most sought-after luxury brands on the market today and some thoughts on why they are so popular.

Rolex

It would be difficult to find anyone who has not heard of Rolex. The name itself is synonymous with luxury. That reputation is well-earned, given the care that goes into producing each watch. Unlike some other luxury Swiss watch options on the market today, Rolex still makes each one by hand.

There’s something to fit just about every taste and the price range is among the broadest in the world today. Depending on what model you have in mind, you could spend a few thousand dollars for a new Rolex, or you could spend up to $650,000. Whatever you spend, expect excellent performance, exceptional looks, and some appreciation in market value over the years.

Patek Philippe

To say that Patek Philippe is among the best men’s luxury watches is something of an understatement. How many watchmakers can count royalty among their clients? It isn’t just about appearance, although the company easily offers excellent styling as well as performance. As one of the most popular brands available today, buyers know they have something that’s sure to remain valuable in the years to come.

Purchasing any of these styles will run you somewhere between $15,000 and over a million dollars. That’s the new watches; if you go for one of the more prestigious watches from years past, you could end up paying several million dollars. A good example is the 2014 purchase of a Supercomplication watch for $24 million.

Hublot

While Hublot has only been around for 40 or so years, there’s no doubt that the company has made a strong impression in the world of luxury watches. In comparison to some brands, the pricing may appear somewhat modest. You can purchase a Hublot for as little as $4,200 or go as high as $5 million for new watches. If you’re wondering about the quality, consider that Hublot was named the official watchmaker for Formula 1 in 2010.

Cartier

Cartier is easily one of the more recognizable brands that you should consider. It sometimes has a reputation of being the watchmaker of choice for those in the entertainment world. While that’s been true for many celebrities since the early days of motion pictures, the company also includes political figures and royalty among its customers.

Pricing for a Cartier watch varies from basic designs that are a little more than $2,000 to designs that are more in the $2 million range. The watches do hold their value well, making them good investments. While the plan may be to pass your Cartier watch on to the next generation, it’s nice to know that the market used luxury watches is so welcoming to this brand.

Montblanc

A little more than a century ago, Montblanc was founded with the idea of manufacturing luxury pens. That’s still part of the product line, but watches and other jewelry were added over the years. The same careful attention to detail and quality that made the pens so popular also applies to the watches. You can purchase any of their watches for between $2,000 and $400,000. Expect Montblanc’s reputation to become more prominent as more people choose to add them to essential lists of luxury watch brands for men.

Omega

Not many watches can claim the honor of being worn on the moon. Buzz Aldrin was wearing an Omega Speedmaster when he first set foot on the moon way back on 21 July, 1969. The brand has continued to grow in prestige due to the high quality, the simplistic but stylish designs, and the durability. All these qualities easily ensure that Omega belongs on any list of the best luxury watches.

Zenith

Zenith is one of the established Swiss brands that doesn’t get the popular attention given to Rolex and others. First launched in the middle of the 19th century, the brand continues to offer watches that are practical, stylish, and designed to last for many years. During the last couple of decades, Zenith’s Pilot series has become especially popular. With prices ranging between $6,000 and around $200,000 it makes sense that many customers find Zenith to be among the best men’s luxury watch brands.

Audemars Piguet

Established in 1875 by Jules-Louis Audemars and Edward-Auguste Piguet, this company has a distinction that not all watchmakers can claim. The business has never left the hands of the founding families. This makes it one of the few Swiss luxury watches that can honestly make this claim. The designs range from the traditional to the contemporary, ensuring that there’s something for just about everyone. Like other luxury watch brands, the quality control measures taken at Audemars Piguet ensure that nothing gets to the public before being thoroughly tested. Expect to spend anywhere between $7,000 to $850,000 for one of these watches.

Richard Mille

As one of the newest entries into the world of luxury watches, Richard Mille has been around since 2001. The brand has come to be associated primarily with athletes, although there are those in the business and other sectors that have become fond of the brand. The watches currently sell for anywhere between $80,000 and $5 million, depending on the styling.

Breguet & Fils

Would you like to do business with a company that has a history stretching back to the 18th century? That’s what you get with Breguet & Fils. Founded in 1785, their timepieces have graced the hands of notable historic figures like Marie Antoinette and Winston Churchill. While not among the most affordable luxury watches, you can depend on them to last for decades. The pricing for new watches begins around $7,000 and goes up to over $400,000.

Vacheron Constantin

Another of the top luxury watch brands hailing from the 18th century, Vacheron Constantin has been around since 1755. In exchange for the quality and stylish designs, expect to pay anywhere between $18,000 to over $6 million for one of these watches.

Girard-Perregaux

This watchmaker has the distinction of being the first major company to produce a wristwatch. That milestone took place in 1880. The company already had a century of manufacturing timepieces to its credit at that time. Today, an original Girard-Perregaux will run you between $5,000 and over $600,000.

Baume & Mercier

Founded in the early 19th century, the company expanded around the beginning of the 20th century and set up new headquarters in Geneva. Since the 1970s, the company has built a solid reputation for their steel sports watches. If you want one, expect to pay between $1,000 and $76,000. You won’t be disappointed.

Tudor

Tudor is one of the less expensive brands offered by Rolex, but don’t let the price tag fool you. The same level of care in terms of materials and quality control go into each of these watches. With smart designs and a history of holding up well for years, you can pay anywhere between $500 and $6,000 for a Tudor.

Maurice LaCroix

While the origins of this company go back well over a century, its emergence as a brand did not take place until 1975. In the last few decades, Maurice LaCroix has become known for producing some of the most popular watches for the rich and famous. Starting at a modest $1,600, the watches can sell for as much as $11,000.

Glashütte Original

One of the youngest brands in many lists of the top 10 luxury watch brands, Glashütte Original came into being in 1994. One of the unique things about this company is that it owns and operates it’s own watchmaking school. The effort has paid off in terms of establishing a positive reputation and earning a place among other prestigious brands. If you would like to own a Glashütte Original, you’ll pay somewhere between $4,000 and $110,000.

Corum

Established in Switzerland during the middle of the 20^th century, Corum specializes in limited edition watches. Some designs use coins for the dials. With several series that have attracted collectors, this watch is both an elegant options and a great investment. You can find watches for as little as $500 and going all the way up to $320,000.

Jaeger-LeCoultre

What would become Jaeger-LeCoultre was founded in 1833 by Charles-Antoine LeCoultre and later merged into the modern company in 1937. The brand is famous for it’s small watch caliber. There are those who say it’s the smallest in the world. Owing to the designs and the quality, they are considered one of the true manufacturers of timeless luxury watches. Prices vary from $5,000 to over $2 million.

Blancpain

Established in the 1735, the company remained in the hands of the founding family until 1937. Today, it continues as one of the brands owned by The Swatch Group. Time has done nothing to dim the reputation or the value of the watches: contemporary offerings will set you back anywhere between $7,500 and more than $1.5 million.

Ulysse Nardin

Not every watchmaker can boast of being in the same location for over a century, but Ulysse Nardin can do so with ease. The operation has occupied the same space since 1865. Known for attention to detail and high quality, the watches currently sell for between $2,300 and $285,000.

What brands capture your attention? Spend some time comparing styles, features, and other aspects of each one. You’re sure to find several that please you for years to come.