What are the 100 greatest watches of all time?

watch imagery in a glossy Taschen book — (Image credit: Taschen)

What makes a collector’s watch? An appeal which lives on decades after its release calls for more than simple functionality, instead demanding the enduring appeal of good design plus something a little bit special.

It is a question considered by the authors of Taschen’s Ultimate Collector Watches, Peter and Charlotte Fiell, who have united 100 of the most legendary watches of all time, over two tomes.

‘We were obviously looking for rarity, quality, beauty and value, but also watches that had exceptional provenances because of who they had once been owned by, from Albert Einstein and Charles Lindbergh to Neil Armstrong and Sir Edmund Hillary to Steve McQueen and Elvis,’ says Charlotte, pointing out legendary provinces like these help to contextualise the watches place in an illustrious timeline.

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Ultimate Collector Watches

‘But more than this, we were also looking for watches that had, in their day, pushed the outermost technical boundaries of what was achievable in terms of design and engineering and so had had an important impact of the evolution of horology, such as the 1936 Omega Marine diving watch or the 1966 Rolex "Deep Sea Special" or even the 1967 Cartier Crash.’

Watches here are among the most extraordinary created, from Paul Newman’s Rolex Daytona to Patek Philippe’s Ref. 1518, Queen Elizabeth I’s jewelled “clocke” and a host of independents. What are the authors’ favourites? ‘Simply because of who it belonged to, and how difficult it was to hunt down and bag, without any question it is the 1929 Longines Tonneau that belonged to Albert Einstein,’ Paul says. ‘He was the greatest mind that ever lived, who revolutionised our understanding of time. So how appropriate to include the wristwatch that he wore for many years on a daily basis.’

For Charlotte, design is key. ‘It’s such a difficult question because there are so many treasures. For sure, the 1929 Einstein-owned Longines has to be up there in terms of its provenance as does Elizabeth's Taylor's c.1961 Bulgari Serpenti Tubogas, but if I'm going to choose my favourite in terms of sheer design excellence then its a toss up between the sublime 1947 Omega "Tourbillon 30 I" or legendary 1972 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ref. 5402 by the rule-breaking Gérald Genta, which introduced a whole concept of the luxury sports watch.’ They are both important watches at the forefront of horological design, she points out. ‘My head says the Omega, but my heart says the Royal Oak.’

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Hannah Silver is a writer and editor with over 20 years of experience in journalism, spanning national newspapers and independent magazines. Currently Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor of Wallpaper*, she has overseen offbeat art trends and conducted in-depth profiles for print and digital, as well as writing and commissioning extensively across the worlds of culture and luxury since joining in 2019.