What Makes A Good Watch? 7 Luxury Watchmakers Weigh In

At Lucerne Watch Week, leaders from seven watch maisons tell us what defines a truly great watch.

A watch does more than mark the passing of hours. Often, it’s a marker for a personal milestone, an extension of self-expression, and an accessory that we live our memories with. In an era where smart devices could easily replace timepieces, mechanical watches still find their place in the world with their stories, craftsmanship, and character.

At the recently concluded Lucerne Watch Week, some of the world’s leading watch maisons showcased their latest lineups while reflecting on a more fundamental question: What makes a truly great watch?

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“It has to match your DNA.”

“I think there’s no great watch. A watch has to match every kind of personality,” says Brice Tchaplyguine, managing director of Tag Heuer (Asia Pacific).  “If you’re an athlete, if you like fashion, it can match also your outfit and your mood of the day. So if I have to define what is a great watch, it’s a watch matching your desire and your personality. It has to match your DNA.”

For him, his watch of choice is the Monaco, a signature of Tag Heuer. “This is a perfect tension and stretch between elegance and sports. It reflects exactly what the DNA of Tag Heuer is and what I like most in this beautiful maison.”

“What does it say about you?”

Over at Hublot, managing director Omar Choudhary answers my question with another question: What does it say about you? “I think all watches tell time, but what that watch says about you in terms of the materials, the movement, how it looks and how it feels, for me that’s the most important thing,” he says.

For Choudhary, his pick would be the Big Bang Reloaded, which reimagines Hublot’s Big Bang collection and emphasizes the five patterns in its unicorn movement.

“A great design that never gets old.”

“A great watch, in my opinion, has great design that never gets old,” says Florian Gutsmiedl, managing director of IWC Schaffhausen (Southeast Asia and Oceania).

In this year’s lineup, he shares that the Little Prince Pro Set Perpetual Calendar is his favorite. “It’s a great watch. It has a very, very innovative design. It has a great material with white ceramic. It is a very iconic shape for IWC, the Big Pilot. And it has a great mechanism with the iconic IWC Perpetual Calendar.”

“A watch that will create emotions for you.”

At Girard-Perregaux, regional brand director Vuong Thong Nguyen describes a great watch as one that taps into our feelings. “A great watch, in my opinion, is a watch that will create emotions for you,” he says.

For him, this watch is the Laureato 36 mm. “That one is actually a piece that celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Laureato collection. 36 mm is a size that is working perfectly well, very versatile for sporting and elegance,” he says.

“It has to have substance.”

For Keith Law, Blancpain’s vice president, a great watch stands the test of time. “To me, what is important is the functionality or the design. Because it has to have substance, it’s not chasing trends. Particularly for us, we are Blancpain, we are manufacturers, we are horologers. So for every single piece of Blancpain, it happens for a reason,” he says.

Of Blancpain’s watches, the Fifty Fathoms is Law’s personal pick. “This has been designed since 2007. But then inspired by a design back in 1953, which is 73 years ago. And then now with different requests,” he says. “You can wear it with formal wear, or you can wear it on the weekend. Even when you die.”

Initially, customers complained that the watches were too big, but the brand has since then introduced smaller sizes, such as the 42 mm and the 38 mm. “We intentionally mention it in the sizes, because it can cater to different customers. We don’t want to define 38 as more for women or 42 as more for women,” he says.

“Something that makes you happy.”

For Darren Wang, head of wholesale for Chopin South East Asia, a great watch sparks joy. “It need not be expensive, or it need not be high-class in Asia. When you wear it, you should be able to feel the watch.”

In this year’s lineup, that watch for him is from the Alpine Eagle Collection. “Part of the proceeds of this watch go to the Alpine Eagle Foundation. The Chopin family places a lot of value on giving back to society. So to me, it means a lot as well.”

“A very compelling and historic story to tell.”

At Panerai, managing director Walter Chan emphasizes a good story when it comes to great watches. “Definitely a watch brand that has a very compelling and historic story to tell. I love Panerai because it has its origins in the Italian military history,” he says.

Of this year’s lineup, his favorite watch is the PAM 01732, which features a vintage blue dial and a unique Destro finish.