Yeah, yeah — quiet luxury this, quiet luxury that. The only true stealth wealth watch? Throw on a Timex and chuck the funds into some premium bonds (no, this is absolutely not financial advice). Sure, you could drop five to six figures to fly under the radar with a Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Micro-Rotor or a Breguet Classique 7637, but if you’re going to put your money where your wrist is, you might as well let people know about it.
In a world where the likes of Zara and Shein are churning out beige trousers and cream boatneck tops and deeming them ‘quiet luxury’, and a new faux-luxury watch brand pops up every week selling $200 oval-shaped and rectangular watches with flimsy cases and cheap quartz movements in the hopes of passing them off as Baignoire and Tank alternatives, there’s a certain allure to the concept of loud luxury.
Bold, brash, and unabashed, the best loud luxury watches speak for themselves. But don’t be fooled into thinking horological loud luxury is the sole dominion of blingy, iced-out timepieces — while diamonds and precious gemstones are one route, loud luxury watches can also come in the form of intricate métiers d’art, mechanisms that quite literally shout (or at least chime), and jewellery-esque timepieces that make their way off the wrist altogether.
Herewith, the best loud luxury watches for those who recognise that demurity doesn’t necessarily equate to good taste. After all, fortune favours the bold.
1. Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222
Sporty and rich!! A gold dress watch is one thing, but a solid gold sports watch? Now, that’s loud luxury.
Price: $128,000AUD
Model: Historiques 222 (ref. 4200H/222J-B935)
Case size: 37mm
Movement: 2455/2 (automatic)
Water resistance: 5ATM
Functions: hours, minutes, date
Power reserve: 40 hours
2. Patek Philippe 6301P-001
AHHH! While the Patek Philippe 6301P-001 may look rather subdued at first glance, the elegant black grand feu enamel dial conceals a rather impressive movement — namely, a grand complication that combines a minute repeater and a grande and petite sonnerie. That means, regardless of how ~ quiet luxury ~ you want to be, your watch will shout the time every fifteen minutes (and chime the minutes on demand, courtesy of the minute repeater), letting everyone know you have a cool AUD$2.5 million on your wrist. You’re welcome.
Price: $2,488,750AUD (available upon enquiry)
Model: 6301P-001
Case size: 44.8mm
Movement: GS 36-750 PS IRM (manually wound)
Water resistance: 0ATM
Functions: hours, minutes, jumping small seconds, grande sonnerie, petite sonnerie, minute repeater, movement and strikework power reserve indicator
Power reserve: 72 hours (movement) and 24 hours (strikework)
3. TAOS Gala
An independent brand exclusively dedicated to métiers d’art, each TAOS piece is one-of-a-kind. Inspired by the aesthetics of ball gowns, the TAOS Gala is an undeniable flex, with the dial combining five distinct artistic techniques; grand feu enamelling, gemsetting, sculpted mother-of-pearl, engraving, and featherwork. With its precious gemstones, mother-of-pearl details, and real feathers, this is a watch that staunchly refuses to go unnoticed. The haute couture ethos extends to the movement, with the autmoatic movement featuring over 150 hours of hand engraving.
Price: $150,000CHF (available on request)
Model: Gala
Case size: 38mmmm
Movement: VOP318 (automatic)
Water resistance: 3ATM
Functions: hours, minutes
Power reserve: 72 hours
4. Bulgari Divas’ Dream
Roman jeweller Bulgari has always been unashamedly loud luxury and its Swiss-made watches are no exception. Blending high jewellery aesthetics with the art of timekeeping, the Divas’ Dream collection celebrates the maison’s Roman heritage, with the signature fan-shaped motif referencing the fan-shaped mosaics of the ancient Roman Baths of Caracalla. This high jewellery reference within the collection sees a small mother-of-pearl dial encased in rose gold and surrounded by three-dimensional fan motifs crafted from malachite and pink tourmaline. Not for horological wallflowers or quiet luxury girlies, this is a watch that demands attention upon arrival.
Price: $POA
Model: Divas’ Dream (ref. 103636)
Case size: 33mm
Movement: quartz
Water resistance: 3ATM
Functions: hours, minutes
Power reserve: N/A
5. Ludovic Ballouard Upside Down
From afar, this may be mistaken for a conventional dress watch. Look closer and you’ll see it’s anything but typical, with the Ludovic Ballouard Upside Down playing with the notion of time itself. The timepiece houses a patented complication that tells the time in an unconventional way, with each hour numeral facing upside down, excepting the present hour which is the right way up. An undeniable conversation starter.
While their scarce nature means they’re difficult to get on your wrist new, there are a few floating around on the pre-owned market.
Price: from approx. $120,000AUD (pre-owned)
Model: Upside Down
Case size: 41mm
Movement: B01 (automatic)
Water resistance: 3ATM
Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds
Power reserve: 40 hours
6. Cartier La Panthère de Cartier
Meow. Another seamless fusion of horology and high jewellery aesthetics, the Cartier La Panthère de Cartier timepiece sees the namesake panther craning its neck to observe the time with you. Crafted from yellow gold and set with hundreds of brilliant cut diamonds, it’s a watch that knows what it’s about and deserves to been seen on the wrists of those who know what they’re about.
Price: $POA
Model: La Panthère de Cartier (ref. HPI01219)
Case size: 18mm
Movement: quartz
Water resistance: 3ATM
Functions: hours, minutes
Power reserve: N/A
7. Richard Mille RM 30-01
Nothing says “I’m rich” like a Richard Mille — if you’re wont to pronounce the brand incorrectly, it’s even in the first syllable! The Richard Mille RM30-01 sees the manufacture’s signature tonneau-shaped case crafted from titanium and finished with rose gold, using engineering techniques that draw from the manufacturing of F1 racing cars. Inside, the calibre RMAR2 is on full display, with the skeletonised automatic movement notable for its use of a declutchable rotor which automatically disconnects from the winding barrel at the moment when the spring is fully wound, allowing the movement and oscillator to operate at the best ratio of torque to power. Movement mechanics aside, a Richard Mille on the wrist is the horological equivalent of a Lamborghini. People love to hate them, but only a select few get to own one.
Price: approx. $487,000AUD (pre-owned)
Model: RM30-01
Case size: 43mm
Movement: RMAR2 (automatic)
Water resistance: 5ATM
Functions: hours, minutes, seconds, oversize date, power reserve indicator
Power reserve: 55 hours
8. Piaget Swinging Sautoir Watch
Moving off the wrist and onto the sternum, Piaget pioneered the watch necklace with the release of the Swinging Sautoir in 1969. Its reeditioned versions have all the charm of their predecessors, with this reference echoing the charming trapeze dial found on the maison’s Sixtie lineup (better get one to match!). Crafted from rose gold and set with diamonds, it’s a refreshing change from the hundreds of “pared back” watches on the market today.
Price: $POA
Model: Swinging Sautoir Watch (ref. G0A49063)
Case size: unspecified
Movement: 355P (automatic)
Water resistance: 3ATM
Functions: hours, minutes
Power reserve: N/A
Words by Theo Rosen
