Show me your watch & I'll tell you who you are

For most people, a watch on their wrist is simply a timepiece that helps them avoid being late for appointments. Some people dream of owning an exclusive chronograph their whole life, others wear a perpetual calendar worth the price of an apartment on their wrist, and the fascinated watch enthusiast would rather treat themselves to the long-awaited tourbillion before buying that long-overdue new car. The world of watches is a closed book for many people, yet people from a wide variety of cultures and social classes can be enthusiastic about it. Collectors are fascinated by history and technical precision and may even save their complication for the next generation - just as Patek Philippe promises in its advertising. Investors see their new Rolex as a solid investment, while trendsetters and lifestyle fans see their Audemars Piguet , Panerai , or Hublot with a sporty rubber strap as a casual accessory for summer on the Côte d'Azur.

Luxury watch retailer Horando has taken this as an opportunity to determine its top 10 most sought-after watches of 2016. While the Swiss luxury brand Rolex has naturally led the way for many years and decades, demand for other high-quality wristwatches is constantly rising. At Horando, Rolex, with its evergreen – the Rolex Submariner Date – is the undisputed number one, closely followed by the Rolex GMT Master II with a blue/black bezel . Omega takes third place with its Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch with sapphire crystal .

1st place:

Rolex Submariner Date (116610LN)

Horando’s opinion:

"Rolex sports models enjoy enormous popularity worldwide, and the Submariner is the classic par excellence. Customers like to choose it because the watch has a timeless design and can be worn casually with jeans or a suit. The robust case and scratch-resistant ceramic bezel are perfect for everyday wear. The price stability of a Rolex is a key factor in the purchase decision for many buyers."

2nd place:

Rolex GMT Master II Ref. 116710BLNR

Horando’s opinion:

"The GMT with a blue and black bezel quickly became a classic and was already a top seller before its launch at Baselworld in 2014. Many buyers were already fascinated by the predecessor model, the PEPSI GMT in blue and red, and naturally want to have the successor in their collection. A beautiful Rolex GMT sports model with a great history (the GMT with a second time zone was developed for Pan Am Airways pilots).

3rd place:

Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch Ref. 311.30.42.40.01.006

Horando’s opinion:

"A sporty chronograph that has certainly been one of Omega's top sellers for years. The Speedmaster Moonwatch was first launched into space by Gemini 3 pilot Ed White, who wore it on his wrist during the first spacewalk in 1965. Customers choose between the version with Hesalite or sapphire crystal; in 2016, we offered the version with scratch-resistant sapphire crystal."

4th place:

Breitling Navitimer 01 Ref. AB012012.BB01.436X.A20D.1

Horando’s opinion:

"When you hear Breitling, most watch fans probably picture the face of a Navitimer . The look, with a dial full of numbers and scales, makes the watch a fully-fledged aeronautical instrument, and so it's no surprise that the International Association of Pilots and Aircraft Owners (AOPA) recommends the Navitimer as its official pilot's watch. It's also a great watch for those who prefer to stay on the ground."

5th place:

Frederique Constant Classics Moonphase Date Ref. FC-335MC4P6

Horando’s opinion:

"A Frederique Constant watch stands for Swiss precision and elegant design at a very good price-performance ratio. The Classics Moonphase Date allows its owner a direct view of the movement through a partially open dial and, with its automatic movement and moon phase display, offers a lot of timepiece for a price of €1,575. A great entry-level model with a very timeless design."

6th place:

IWC Portuguese Chronograph Automatic Ref. IW371446

Horando’s opinion:

"With the Portugieser, IWC was already a pioneer 75 years ago, focusing on a large, masculine watch shape. The classic design is highly sought after, and we have many buyers who purchase the IWC Portugieser as their first expensive luxury watch because they are fascinated by its history and design."

7th place:

Rolex Sea-Dweller Deepsea D-Blue Ref. 116660 D-Blue

Horando’s opinion:

"We were able to deliver the Deepsea D-BLUE in 2016 without long wait times and make many customers happy. The special edition for James Cameron's Challenge 3D film was one of the most sought-after models among Rolex enthusiasts and impresses with its D-BLUE dial, which transitions from deep blue to darkest black and features vibrant green DEEPSEA lettering. An exceptional watch with a unique design and certainly a good investment."

8th place:

Tag Heuer Monaco Calibre 11 Automatic Chronograph Ref. CAW211P.FC6356

Horando’s opinion:

"Racing is life. Everything before or after is just waiting," said racing legend Steve McQueen. We were able to avoid long wait times in 2016 and also delivered the McQueen Monaco with the crown on the left side promptly. The watch was primarily purchased by Heuer and Tag Heuer enthusiasts to complement their existing collections."

9th place:

Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39 Ref. 114300 (A)

Horando’s opinion:

"The Rolex Oyster Perpetual impresses in its new edition with a larger diameter of 39 millimeters. The rhodium models with blue dots and those with a blue dial and green dots were extremely popular. Our top seller, however, was the rhodium model . The entire model series was certainly one of the most sought-after unisex series last year."

10th place:

Frederique Constant Classics Business Timer Ref. FC-270SW4P6

Horando’s opinion:

"The Business Timer from Frederique Constant was our best-seller in the entry-level segment. For €825, customers can expect a classically elegant watch with a date display, moon phase, and weekday and calendar week indicators. Excellent value for money."

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