Celebrity Life

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, pre-owned watch specialist Watchfinder & Co. take a look back at some of the world’s most iconic couples and the watches they gifted each other as tokens of their affection.

Why buy pre-owned? There are many gems hidden in the market – limited editions, cult classics and otherwise impossible to obtain bestsellers that your local AD won’t give you access to. Watchfinder & Co is recognised as a trusted source in the industry and considered one of the best routes to access this growing stock of attractive timepieces.

Paul Newman and Joanna Woodward

Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward were Hollywood’s golden couple and the Rolex Daytona (ref. 6239) gifted to Paul by his wife in 1968 went on to become one of the most famous watches in horological history. The timepiece, now recognised as the ‘Paul Newman Daytona’, featured a white exotic dial, pump pushers and a steel bezel. What made this specific watch all the more unique was the words ‘Drive Carefully, Me’ inscribed on the caseback by Woodward as a reminder to take care on the racetrack. When the watch appeared at auction in 2017 it sold for a staggering $17.8 million, making it the most expensive Rolex ever sold. 

Shop Rolex Daytona here.

John F. Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe

A more scandalous pairing was that of Marilyn Monroe and U.S. President John F. Kennedy. On the evening of the former president’s birthday—where Monroe famously sang “Happy Birthday”—the actress gifted JFK a gold Rolex Day-Date, with the inscription “JACK, with love as always from MARILYN, May 29th 1962”. The engraved timepiece alluded to a longstanding affair however, to this day, it has never been proven. Allegedly Kennedy instructed his aide to get rid of the watch and never wore it. However, 43 years later the timepiece re-appeared at auction alongside a longing poem Marilyn had written. The watch sold for $120,000. 

Shop Rolex Day-Date here.

Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor

One of the 20th century’s most iconic power couples, the twice married Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were known for their extravagance, with Taylor herself a keen watch collector, amassing watches from Cartier, Bulgari, Patek Philippe and Piaget, amongst many others. In 1970, celebrating Burton’s CBE awarded by Queen Elizabeth, Taylor gifted Burton a gold Omega Constellation watch which featured a square dial and an 18-carat yellow gold case and bracelet. In 2015, the watch sold for more than $12,000 at auction. 

Shop Omega Constellation here.

Prince William Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

In 2014, in celebration of the couples’ third wedding anniversary, Prince William presented his wife with a Cartier Ballon Bleu. The watch featured a stainless-steel bracelet, blued-steel hands and a blue spinel set into the crown. Prince William chose that particular watch as it matched the Duchess’ sapphire engagement ring which was previously owned by his mother, Diana, the Princess of Wales—who was also a big fan of Cartier watches. 

Shop Cartier Ballon Bleu here.

Jay-Z and Beyonce

In 2018, for Jay-Z’s 43rd birthday, Beyoncé gifted him with the most expensive Hublot ever made – a $5 million Big Bang. The timepiece was covered with 1,282 diamonds – all of the highest grade. The watch was a custom, one-off design that took 14 months to make, and required 12 cutters and five setters. 

Shop Hublot Big Bang here.

The post 5 Most Romantic Watch Gifts Worn by Famous People appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Bridgerton has been the talk of ‘the ton’ since it launched on 25th December - over 63 million households tuned in to watch the Netflix period drama in its first 28 days.

Inspired by Anthony Bridgerton’s trusty pocket watch and the eclectic mix of characters; pre-owned watch specialist Watchfinder & Co. has put their learned skills to the test to determine what each character would likely wear in 2021. Don’t worry no spoilers here, just pure unabridged fantasy!

Anthony Bridgerton

Anthony Bridgerton is a busy man. Juggling the responsibilities of taking over from his father as the head of the Bridgerton family, seeing his sister through her first social season, finding time to call in on his songbird mistress Sienna and still managing to drop by the gentleman’s club and take in a few boxing matches is no easy feat. Today, Anthony would rely upon something like the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso. With its interchangeable style, thanks to its reversable face, this watch can adapt to many social setting. On top of this the Reverso also keeps to the most accurate time, ensuring Anthony can continue to keep all those plates spinning a little longer.

Buy the watch – JAEGER-LECOULTRE REVERSO DUO

Benedict Bridgerton

Aspiring artist and all round dreamer, Benedict, is the second eldest of the Bridgerton siblings and yearns for something other than the endless society balls he finds himself attending. Benedict dreams of turning his artistic hobby into a full-fledged career, and soon finds himself looking outside the world of ‘the ton’ in order to achieve it. Nowadays Benedict would likely wear something like a Franck Muller Vanguard. A watch brand that has enjoyed its own artistic journey. The Vanguard blends a classic watch case style with modern artistic colours and materials outside the normal canon of watchmaking – a perfect blend of watchmaking and artistry. How perfectly Benedict.

Buy the watch - FRANCK MULLER VANGUARD

Colin Bridgerton

The witty and charming Bridgerton brother, Colin, may well have taken a liking to the newest young lady in town but his heart belongs to travel. A Patek Philippe World Time is the obvious watch choice for this aspiring globetrotter – one of the signature complications from the Maison and much sought after by travellers around the world. The World Time allows the wearer to track the local time of 24 capital cities simultaneously, whilst still being quintessentially elegant – much like any other Patek Philippe. It’s the indispensable sidekick for any would be grand tourist.

Buy the watch - PATEK PHILIPPE WORLD TIME

Daphne Bridgerton

The picture-perfect young debutante who packs a punch (literally). Daphne has been waiting her entire life to make her grand debut on the marriage mart and does so with such aplomb that she is named the diamond of the first water. But there is more to Daphne than meets the eye – beautiful and demure on the outside but Daphne is also smart and determined and strives for absolute perfection… Much like the bejewelled work of the Piaget Altiplano which carries a complex manual movement encased within an exquisite case of white gold and diamonds.

Buy the watch - PIAGET ALTIPLANO

Eloise Bridgerton

Certainly the most vocal of the Bridgerton household, Eloise is not one for pomp nor ceremony. Having no interest in following in the footsteps of her sister Daphne, she has an incurable sense of curiosity, a lust for education and has little time for the restrictive gender roles of the period. Eloise would be perfectly paired with a Grand Seiko - a Japanese brand known for throwing two fingers up at the rest of the watch world in the 70’s when it fundamentally changed the status quo of the watch industry by introducing new and progressive technology that left many of its peers at the wayside. And whilst this titanium 43.5 MM is technically classified as a men’s watch… who is Eloise to be restricted by convention?!

Buy the watch - GRAND SEIKO SPRING DRIVE

The Duke of Hastings

Rife with scandal, intrigue and glamour, the new Duke of Hastings, one Simon Basset, is the most sought-after bachelor in London. His impeccable appearance, taste and style (although he wears too much black according to Lady Danbury) juxtaposes his distinct lack of interest in his title, society, or taking a wife. A true enigma. He is reserved and keeps his emotions close to his chest, but morally upstanding and values honour. The obvious watch pick for Simon Basset is a 2020 Rolex Submariner in steel and sleek green ceramic - a watch that is as sought after as it is scarce. Produced in very much finite numbers, the current demand for the modern take on perhaps the most iconic wristwatch ever produced far outstrips its supply, with waiting lists of up to 5 years long…

Buy the watch - ROLEX SUBMARINER 126610LV

Queen Charlotte

The veritable tastemaker of London society, Queen Charlotte. It’s only fitting that a modern day monarch pick something made by the ‘Jeweller of Kings, and the King of Jewellers’ – Cartier. Exclusivity is the currency of luxury so a limited edition befits Queen Charlotte – perhaps the baroque themed Cartier Tortue minute repeater. Produced in an extremely limited run of just 25 pieces. This classically designed wristwatch, in 18k yellow gold, is a true feat of watchmaking, and with its iconic chiming system it ensures all eyes will be on the owner!

Buy the watch - CARTIER TORTUE MINUTE REPEATER

Lady Portia Featherington

For Lady Featherington it’s all about show. From the brightest dresses to the tightest corsets, Lady Portia Featherington is entirely focused on keeping up with the Joneses and wearing her wealth and style (read: poor credit and broken promises) for the whole world to see! The Hublot diamond set Classic Fusion would be an obvious go-to for posey Portia, given its confident, unrelenting and flashy nature, this diamond encrusted device has the natural born will to dazzle all those who look upon it.

Buy the watch - HUBLOT CLASSIC FUSION

Penelope Featherington

The youngest and perhaps most vicarious member of Featherington family; Penelope is an intelligent girl with a sharp wit and kind heart. She would prefer to quietly sway near the perimeter of any ballroom rather than take centre stage. And whilst she is able to move through most social settings without stirring much attention or fuss, she is not one to be overlooked or underestimated. Penelope’s pick is the Rolex Oyster Perpetual. It’s not just any watch, the Perpetual is a direct descendant of the original Rolex Oyster - the world’s first waterproof wristwatch. Smart and sophisticated yet entirely unassuming – the green dial even provides a subtle nod back to her mother’s lust for all things green!

Buy the watch - Rolex OYSTER PERPETUAL

The post Modern-Day Bridgerton: The Watches They Would Wear appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Christmas is really upon us now and if you're still out and about searching for the perfect gift for your significant other, why not consider a watch? The premium destination for pre-owned watches that you can trust, Watchfinder & Co. is where you'll be able to find highly desirable pieces that aren't readily available at retail or discontinued on the current market.

The platform is vast, with hundreds of timepieces to choose from, but not to worry! Antoine Berardi, the head of Watchfinder & Co. for Hong Kong and Macau, comes to the rescue with five timepieces you can consider for your last minute Christmas splurges.

For more Christmas gift ideas, head over to our Christmas Edit, where we've put together a special series of stories and gift guides to help with all your holiday planning.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual 124300

The newest and highly sought after reference of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, the earliest iteration of which dates back to 1931. This model, part of the recently released 2020 collection, nods to Rolex’s playful dial colours from the 1970’s. The red dial colour sets itself apart from the rest of the Rolex offering, cased in steel and with the in house luminous blue hour markers, its sure to make you stand out from the crowd.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual 124300 Watch | Watchfinder & Co.

Breguet Tradition Tourbillon 7047BR/G9/9ZU

The open worked nature of this Breguet is something to be marvelled at, with the dial reduced in size to show the full extent of the calibre. It also, as the name suggests, honours the tradition of watchmaking by including a Tourbillon, which was patented by the eponymous watchmaker in 1801. This addition counteracts the effect of gravity on the movement and aids the accuracy of time keeping, and is incredibly difficult to manufacture. This contemporary styled iteration shouts to the hills that the wearer is not here to play.

Breguet Tradition 7047BR/G9/9ZU Watch | Watchfinder & Co.

Rolex Pearlmaster 80319

Often an underrated and lesser-known series by the seemingly eternal company that is Rolex. This, now discontinued, Pearlmaster fields the midpoint between luxury and pragmatism. The present model is cased in white gold and has a bracelet unique to its series, a diamond bezel and dial, and carries the same movement present across the Rolex Submariner collection of the same period. This piece dates to the early 2000’s and comes with a two year warranty and a certificate of authenticity from Watchfinder.

Rolex Pearlmaster 80319 Watch | Watchfinder & Co.

IWC Portuguese Chronograph IW371417

One of the pieces at the core of IWC, the Portuguese chronograph is one of the most understated and versatile pieces available to the modern go-getter, even with a stopwatch function it slips easily under the cuff. The silver dial with thermally blued hands and Arabic numerals make the dial extremely legible at a glance, whilst keeping its elegant demeanour intact.

IWC Portuguese Chrono IW371417 Watch | Watchfinder & Co.

Panerai Luminor Submersible PAM00508

Initially developed as a waterproof watch for timing dives for the Italian Navy, the Florentine company Panerai has gone on to be one of the most materially explorative and inventive watch brands around. This limited edition in particular, is cased in a black ceramic and has cream luminous hands and hour markers, along with luminous plots along the rotating bezel.

Panerai Luminor Submersible PAM00508 Watch | Watchfinder & Co.

Every single one of Watchfinder’s watches are meticulously inspected, authenticated and prepared by a team of expert watchmakers in Europe’s largest independent service centre - accredited by 19 of the world’s leading watch manufacturers. Every watch also comes with a 24-month Watchfinder warranty.

The post Last Minute Christmas Splurge at Watchfinder & Co. appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.