Elite Traveler September-October 2017

INSPIRE TOP 50 WATCHES

Astronomical Watches

One of the most beautiful and complex categories of watches, astronomical timepieces steal hearts with their complications and their stunning looks. While an astronomical watch typically offers such information as celestial charts, sunrise and sunset times, or equation of time calculations (the difference between true solar time and mean solar time), others bring the stars, moon, sun and planets to the wrist in three-dimensional beauty — reinterpreting the celestial bodies with moving orbs and rotating elements on the dial. Although astronomical clocks have long been a part of watchmaking history, these newest wristwatches elevate the category in out-of-this-world style.

TOP 50 WATCHES OF 2017

There is no denying that we have an insatiable desire to harness time. For centuries we have built instruments dedicated to keeping track of the passing hours, minutes and seconds. Today, however, with the availability of nano-technology, micro-machining, computer-aided designs and advancements in craftsmanship, the sky may be the limit to what watchmakers can achieve. In answer to the demands of a growing watch-collector culture, the foremost luxury watch brands are taking creativity, functions, features and design to incredible new heights. Here, we bring you our selection of the top 50 watches of 2017. In the selection process, we laid out certain criteria: all watches shown must be new this year; they must not have been covered in our Elite Traveler pages earlier in the year; finally, knowing the discerning tastes of our readers, we put a minimum price allowed — all watches must retail for more than $10,000. The timepieces portrayed in the ensuing pages are representative of the keen abilities of today’s finest watch brands, and are guaranteed to make a mighty statement on the wrist.

by Roberta Naas