20 Top Luxury Watch Brands You Should Know About Before Buying

Welcome to the lavish world of luxury watches! If you’re new to it, you might be overwhelmed with the vast number of brands to choose from.

Each of them caters to specific markets and offers an exquisitely unique line of timepieces.

As such, let’s introduce you to the 20 top luxury watch brands you should know about before heading out and choosing one for your or your loved one.

We’ll talk about each of their major selling points, what makes them unique, and why they are considered the best.

20 Top Luxury Watch Brands You Should Know About

1. Rolex: A Crown for Every Achievement

With a global market share of 23.4 percent, Rolex is arguably the most coveted luxury watch brand of the old and new generations.

Rolex watches are adored for their impeccable quality, which the brand managed to keep since they began operating in the late 1900s.

They were also the first to be awarded the Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision, proving that they have one of the best qualities.

The brand makes sophisticated watches with instantly recognizable designs and features ideal for everyday and formal wear.

Those are the main reasons Rolex watches usually cost anywhere from $8,000 to nearly $40,000.

That said, the Oyster Perpetual is the lowest priced model of Rolex, which is priced at a little under $5,000.

2. Omega: Exact Time for Life

Omega takes the second spot for having the largest market share in the luxury watch industry at 8.8%.

Founded in 1948 in Bienne, Switzerland, Omega is a premium brand with a long history of reputation.

They make high-quality timepieces that feature intricate engineering and highly exclusive designs.

Another remarkable thing about Omega luxury watches is their nearly perfect accuracy.

That is why they are the timepiece of choice by most American astronauts.

In fact, the iconic Omega watch called the Speedmaster Professional is the only timepiece officially certified by NASA to handle spacewalks.

Price-wise, Omega watches sell from $5,000 to $9,000.

3. Cartier: The Jeweller To Kings and the King of Jewelers

Founded in 1847, Cartier is a luxury brand that has always been associated with royalty and prestige.

Innovations and technical mastery are the brand’s major selling points, which is probably why they ranked third in terms of market share.

Cartier watches often echo the motifs of their jewelry lines that are timeless, unique, and sophisticated.

They also became famous for creating “shaped” watches, such as the Tank Solo watch.

It is the most popular Cartier timepiece since its inception in 1917.

It has also become the most popular rectangular-shaped watch in the modern world.

The prices of Cartier luxury watches can usually range from $25,600 to $48,800, although you can find more expensive units.

They also have “more affordable” options, like the Tank Solo, which costs between $3,000 and $6,000, depending on the size.

4. Patek Philippe: You Never Actually Own a Patek Philippe

Patek Philippe has been manufacturing quality Swiss watches for over 170 years.

Over this period, the family-owned company has gained a solid reputation for being one of the best makers of artisan watches.

Each Patek Philippe timepiece is handcrafted to perfection and typically involves 40 to 60 steps, even for the inconspicuous parts like wheels.

The brand is also known for integrating modern, high-tech machinery into its masterful artisan craftsmanship.

It is among the first to create luxury watches with complicated functions like split-second chronographs, minute repeaters, and tourbillons.

Patek Philippe Watch prices vary by model, but they usually range from $42,000 to over $70,000.

The brand also has entry-level models that cost between $19,000 and $30,000.

5. Audemars Piguet: To Break the Rules, You Must First Master Them

Audemars Piguet is best known for introducing the very first stainless steel watch, the Royal Oak, in 1972.

Today, this historic timepiece is still available in the market and commonly worn by high-profile celebrities like Justin Bieber and Will Smith.

The brand has been making luxury watches since 1875 and has since then stood out in the competition for their precision work and high quality.

The Royal Oak watch sells at $21,000 for the steel version and $25,000 for the gold version with a wristband.

Meanwhile, the gold Royal Oak with a gold bracelet costs about $55,000.

The brand also has more timepiece collections within similar price points.

6. Longines: Elegance Is an Attitude

In terms of market share, Longines ranks fourth. Longines is known for its rich history and Swiss watchmaking heritage.

With over 140 years of experience, the company has maintained its legacy in quality and design.

Longines is considered an entry-level brand, offering excellent price points that even ordinary people can afford.

Nevertheless, their timepiece products are made using high-quality materials like sapphire crystal, carbon fiber, gold, and pure leather.

These watches cost from $950 to $2,500.

7. A.Lange & Söhne: State-of-the-Art Tradition

Lange & Söhne was established in 1845, making it one of the oldest watchmakers in the world.

The brand’s artistic determination and dedication have enabled them to produce top-notch timepieces that are aesthetically unique.

That said, the brand largely appeals to watch collectors and enthusiasts who have a special interest in uniquely designed timepieces.

Lange & Söhne watches are typically made of gold or platinum cases and hand-finished movements.

They also feature tempered screws, swan-neck fine adjustments, and intricately engraved balance cocks.

For most people, wearing an A. Lange & Söhne’s timepiece is like wearing a work of art.

An entry-level timepiece from this brand costs about $18,000, while higher-end models can go as high as $235,000.

8. Richard Mille: A Racing Machine On the Wrist

Another luxury brand option for watch connoisseurs and enthusiasts, Richard Mille, is famous for its unique designs using avant-garde, high-tech materials like toughened ceramics and carbon nanotubes.

Apart from the high-end cases, Richard Mille watches also feature top-of-the-line movements that took their dedicated team of watchmakers and micro engineers years to perfect.

Richard Mille prices fall within the highest end of the spectrum, ranging from $80,000 to over $2 million.

Their most popular tourbillon watches cost around $500,000 to $800,000 on average.

9. Blancpain: Innovation Is Our Tradition

Blancpain’s history dates back to 1735. Even though some brands came before them, the company holds the oldest registered watchmaking brand title.

When people think of Blancpain, they think of dive watches.

They are the very few reliable makers of high-quality watches designed for diving at seriously high depths.

The company’s most popular timepiece is The Fifty Fathoms and the world’s first modern diver’s watch.

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms has a starting price point of $9,000 and can go as high as $30,000.

10. IWC Schaffhausen: Good, Solid Craftsmanship From Schaffhausen

IWC is best known for manufacturing high-quality aviation watches.

The brand holds fame for combining outstanding Swiss craftsmanship with modern engineering, such as titanium.

Apart from their commitment to quality, IWC has also shown some serious commitment towards a sustainable transformation.

In 2018, the company ranked first in the list of most sustainable watch manufacturers.

Depending on the collection and the model, IWC watches widely vary in price.

They have basic models priced at $10,000 or less and high-end collections that go as high as $750,000.

11. Jaeger-LeCoultre: Exclusive Luxury Watches With a Rich Heritage

JLC is considered one of the most creative and inventive watchmakers in the industry.

Its founder, Antoine LeCoultre, became famous for inventing the Millionometre, the first device capable of measuring the micron used to refine the manufacture of watch parts.

The brand also has hundreds of inventions and patents under its name, including the world’s smallest movement, most complicated wristwatch, and the timepiece with near-perpetual movement.

JLC is famous for its iconic Reverso watch, a classic rectangular timepiece with a reversible case, sidereal time, tourbillon, and perpetual calendar.

New JLC timepieces cost around $6,000, while pre-owned versions are available for $4,000.

12. Chopard: The Artisan Of Emotions Since 1860

Based in Geneva, Switzerland, Chopard has been manufacturing watches since 1860.

Like Cartier, the company also makes high-end jewelry for the rich and famous.

Their most popular collection is the Happy Sport Model, which was released in 1993.

It is the first watch to combine freely moving diamonds with a stainless steel case.

Combining luxury design with the most expensive jewelry, Chopard watches hold their value over time.

That said, this luxury brand appeals largely to watch collectors and investors.

Chopard’s luxury watches vary widely in price. Their most expensive model, the Chopard 201-Carat, is priced at $25 million.

It’s also one of the most expensive watches in the world.

Fortunately, they also have “cheaper” models, which range from $4,000 to $11,000.

13. TAG Heuer : Don’t Crack Under Pressure

With over 150 years of Swiss watch manufacturing experience, TAG Heuer is known worldwide for combining technological innovations and precision timing.

The brand has deep connections with sports timing and automobile racing, launching the first stopwatch for race cars.

They are also known for pioneering the use of ultra-fast mechanical chronographs.

TAG Heuer offers several lines of timepieces, each with its own price range.

You can buy an entry-level watch for $1,300 and a higher-end model for up to $17,000.

14. Piaget: Always Do Better Than Necessary

Piaget SA is a luxury watchmaker and jeweler known for its revolutionary ultra-thin watches.

Today, the brand holds the record for making the world’s flattest mechanical watch called Altiplano, which has a total thickness of two millimeters.

The Piaget dynasty began in 1874 and continues to amaze the world with its groundbreaking creations.

Piaget watches cost around $8,000 and above.

15. Vacheron Constantin: Do Better if Possible, and That Is Always Possible

Vacheron Constantin claims the title of being the oldest vintage watch brand in the world, with an uninterrupted watchmaking history since its foundation in 1755.

Whether vintage or modern, Vacheron Constantin watches are well-loved for their intricate designs, complications, and workmanship.

They also hold the record for making the most innovative and masterfully complicated watches of all time.

An exquisite Vacheron Constantin timepiece can cost anywhere from $11,000 to $20,000.

16. Ulysse Nardin: Freak Me Out!

Ulysse Nardin was founded in 1846 and is best known for its marine chronometer watches used by professional divers worldwide.

The brand is also a pioneer in using cutting-edge technologies and innovative materials like silicium, which enabled them to produce their very own high-precision components and movements.

Ulysse Nardin watches start at $200 for vintage models to as high as $20,000 for the latest chronometer designs.

17. Panerai: Where Ideas Come To Life

Panerai watches are popular for their robust, rugged, utilitarian character.

These watches typically feature a classic and straightforward design and big numerals.

The brand’s most iconic timepiece is the PAM 372 that comes with an exhibition case back to showcase its OP Calibre XI workhorse movement.

Prices for new timepieces sit between $4,800 and $5,800.

Meanwhile, more intricate models like three-hand watches cost around $8,200 to $14,000.

18. Hublot: Art of Fusion

Hublot’s entry to fame began when they launched the first natural black rubber bracelet, the first of its kind in watchmaking history.

Since then, they have become famous for their innovative and artistic approach and their ability to combine materials that don’t go well together into beautiful, timeless timepieces.

Today, Hublot watches are a favorite among world celebrities, royal family members, and elite society members.

An entry-level Hublot timepiece retails for $4,200 and can go as high as $39,000 for higher-end models.

19. Girard-Perregaux: Watches for the Few Since 1791

Girard-Perregaux has been making premium watches since 1791.

The brand is best known for its historic Tourbillon with Three Gold bridges, a pocket chronometer launched in 1884.

Today, this prestigious brand is patronized for its daring designs coupled with some of the most sophisticated and complex movements available.

Depending on the model, GP watches can cost anywhere from $5,000 to over $600,000.

20. Breitling: In the Air, on the Ground, Under the Sea

Breitling has been producing high-quality, aesthetically pleasing timepieces since 1884.

As their slogan suggests, the brand is best known for its technical and highly accurate chronographs.

Their most notable timepiece is the Transocean Ultimate Pilot, which featured simultaneous readings in all 24 time zones.

Entry-level watches from Breitling usually cost $3,000 to $10,000, while higher-end models can go as high as $300,000.

Conclusion

These are the 20 top luxury watch brands you should know.

As you can see, they have several things in common: long history, artisan craftsmanship, expertise, technological innovation, and commitment to quality.

It’s fascinating to see how these brands made an indelible mark in history and changed how we perceive watches today.