Coming In Haute

Market maturation and converging industry trends have triggered a surge in interest for timepieces that marry quality with originality— and here’s where top fashion houses shine.

- Celine Yap

THERE WAS A time when watch enthusiasts wanted only the iconic classics. Watches typically built by brands with centuries-old lineage that are instantly recognisable from afar; desired not only for their fabled origin stories, but also the promise of rising investment value over time. These days, however, consumers are casting a much wider net when it comes to new timepiece acquisitions.

Due to maturing tastes of late—especially among Asian clientele—as well as the sheer inaccessibility of specific makes and models, buyers are swiftly tuning in to emerging brands that show fortitude and finesse. While leading specialist watch companies continue to lead the pack in high-end watchmaking, competition is bubbling from across the luxury spectrum.

Indeed, some of the most compelling watches produced over the past five years came from non-specialist luxury houses—many of which are reaping the rewards of investments in technical watchmaking savoir-faire. Here are three that have earned their seats at the table of haute horlogerie.

Hermès Horloger

Hermès was one of the first of the major fashion houses to invest heavily in in-house watch production. In 1978, the French