Time to Shine

Tool watches have had their moment. Now we're GETTING FANCY. These eight TIMEPIECES deliver unmatched SOPHISTICATION and style.

- BY JONATHAN EVANS PHOTOGRAPHS BY RYAN JENQ

Santos de Cartier watch ($10,500) by Cartier.

SANTOS DE CARTIER

The Santos is considered the first men’s wristwatch. It’s a genuine piece of horological history, and many versions of it have paid homage to that heritage by rendering it in classic materials like steel and gold. But Cartier isn’t stuck in the past. Case in point: this new riff on the Santos, done up in extra-light, tough-as-nails titanium. It’s one and a half times as hard as steel, 45 percent lighter, and cool as hell too.

Perpetual 1908 watch ($35,900) by Rolex.

ROLEX PERPETUAL 1908

Though it takes its cues from the classics, the Perpetual 1908 is younger than you might expect. Rolex introduced it in 2023, bringing a new look to Rolex's dress-watch offering. This newest iteration is, in our book, the most exciting to date. That's because the 1908 is now available on a seven-link gold bracelet dubbed the “Settimo” that looks and feels like a dream. It hugs the contours of the wrist and provides a beautifully ornate complement to the understated white dial with a small second display at six o'clock.

Patrimony Self-Winding watch ($36,200) by Vacheron Constantin.

VACHERON CONSTANTIN PATRIMONY SELF-WINDING