Watchmakers and Their Classic Designs

In the world of wristwatches, there are certain watchmakers that have risen to international fame, and I have chosen three of these leading companies to highlight their most notable designs.

JAEGER LECOULTRE

The Swiss firm Jaeger LeCoultre is one of my favourite watchmakers, which produced many great designs and introduced innovative features to their wristwatches. One of their most famous designs is the Reverso watch. Jaeger produced the Reverso in 1931, in response to the demand by British officers in India for a watch they could wear whilst playing polo. This ingenious invention enabled the person wearing the watch to flip over the centre section of the case to protect the glass and movement from any damages occurring from errant balls, mallets or falls. This classic design is still one of the most desirable watches in the Jaeger LeCoultre range to this day. The Reverso has developed over the years, and it now comes with many complicated movements such as chronograph and dual time zone, as well as beautiful lady’s diamond-set examples. 

A Lady's 18 Carat White Gold Diamond Set Reverso Wristwatch, signed Jaeger LeCoultre, model: Reverso

Estimate: £3,000 – 5,000 plus buyers’ premium

Fine Jewellery, Watches and Silver Sale, 15th March 2025

AUDEMARS PIGUET

Gerald Genta (1931-2011) was a watchmaker and designer who made a massive impact in the world of modern wristwatches. The Swiss watchmaker is thought to have designed over 100,000 watches during his long career. After starting out at Universal Genève, he went on to design for the likes of IWC, Omega, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. In 1969 he created his own eponymous brand, which he subsequently sold to Bulgari in 2000 before creating a new brand – Gerald Charles.

Genta designed cases for some of the most desirable models of watch, and one of my favourites is the Royal Oak by Audemars Piguet, which he designed in the early 1970s. This model has a distinctive octagonal shape with exposed screws to the bezel, inspired by early diving helmets, and crafted with a fine integral bracelet.

Audemars Piguet: A Rare 18 Carat Gold Automatic Day/Date Wristwatch, signed Audemars Piguet, No.779, Known by Collectors as "The Owl", model: Royal Oak, ref: 25572BA, circa 1988

Sold for £22,000 plus buyers’ premium

Fine Jewellery, Watches & Silver Sale, March 2023

PATEK PHILIPPE

One of the other leading Swiss watchmakers for whom Gerald Genta designed was Patek Philippe, and amongst his celebrated designs for them was one of their most famous models - the Nautilus. This model burst onto the watchmaking scene in 1976 as Patek Philippe’s first steel sports watch. The case has "ears" at the sides, which sealed the watch case from water and give the Nautilus its distinctive shape.

A Fine and Rare Stainless Steel "Jumbo" Size Automatic Calendar Centre Seconds Wristwatch, signed Patek Philippe, model: Nautilus, ref: 5711/1A-011, circa 2013

Sold for £57,000 plus buyers’ premium

Fine Jewellery, Watches & Silver Sale, November 2021