A stripped-back elegance defines these timeless watch designs

Left, Cadenas 18k yellow gold watch, price on request, available Van Cleef & Arpels. Right, Seamaster Milano Cortina watch in Moonshine Gold on alligator, £18,200, available Omega

(Image credit: Photography: Tais Sirote. Watches: Hannah Silver. Concept: Sylvia Pérez. Set stylist: Henry Hawksworth. Digi tech: James Bryant. Lighting assistants: Chloe Yates, Sara Kompa)

What is good watch design? A careful consideration of proportion, effortless balance between form and function and distinctive design codes are all key, but for a watch to become a timeless choice it must also embody a joyfulness, making it a pleasure to both look at and wear.

Watch brands including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Richard Mille, Omega, Rolex, IWC, Tudor, Patek Philippe, Tag Heuer and Longines have mastered this spirit of pleasure. Uncluttered dials, curves in precious metals and sharply drawn movements won't go out of style, making these watches a timeless choice.

A version of this article appears in the May 2025 issue of Wallpaper*, available in print on newsstands from 3 April, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today

Hannah Silver is the Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor of Wallpaper*. Since joining in 2019, she has overseen offbeat art trends and conducted in-depth profiles, as well as writing and commissioning extensively across the worlds of culture and luxury. She enjoys travelling, visiting artists' studios and viewing exhibitions around the world, and has interviewed artists and designers including Maggi Hambling, William Kentridge, Jonathan Anderson, Chantal Joffe, Lubaina Himid, Tilda Swinton and Mickalene Thomas.