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LESSIS MORE
WHEN YOU DON'T NEED THE COMPLICATIONS, A CLASSIC DRESS
WATCH TELLS THE TIME WITH ELEGANT SIMPLICITY WORDS SIMON DE BURTON
Chronographs that will time down to 100th of a
second, dive watches that can safely be sunk to
12,000ft and pilot's watches that are moon-shot
ready are all well and good, but what do you wear
if you just want to look chic and sophisticated and
occasionally be able to tell the time?
The answer is a classic dress watch - a slim, subtle two or
three-handed timepiece that will nestle discreetly beneath the
cu of your dinner jacket without weighing your arm down or
giving the impression that you're an o -duty man of action
who might be called out on a mission at any second.
Dress watches are the epitome of understated elegance,
usually with the plainest of dials adorned with two, or at most
three, hands. Yet they often require greater technical mastery
to execute than their bulkier cousins, because their mechanical
movements must be as thin as possible in order to t the svelte
dimensions of their cases. Here are six of the best.
ROLEX CELLINI
Cellini dress watches are named after the 16th-century goldsmith
Benvenuto Cellini and became part of the Rolex range during the
1960s. The last signi cant addition to the line was the rectangular
Cellini Prince, introduced in 2005, but this year's Baselworld show
saw the unveiling of some elegant round-cased Cellinis, such as
this beautifully simple Cellini Time model in white gold.
£10,150; rolex.com
VACHERON CONSTANTIN PATRIMONY TRADITIONELLE
If you're looking for the de nitive dress watch, Vacheron's delectable
Patrimony Traditionelle might just be it. Famed for its wafer-thin
timepieces, the brand has used its hand-wound Caliber 4400
movement inside a 38mm white gold case to create a watch with
a power reserve of 65 hours but which measures just 7.7mm thick.
The exquisitely decorated mechanism can be seen through the
sapphire crystal back. £15,750; vacheron-constantin.com
FREDERIQUE CONSTANT SLIMLINE MOONPHASE
Frederique Constant regularly astounds with nicely made, great value
watches, such as the delightfully understated Slimline Moonphase.
For a sensible sum of money, you get an in-house manufactured
movement with date and moonphase in an ultra-thin, 42mm
stainless steel case. Or, if you're feeling ush, go for the pricier rose
gold version. Choose from black or white dial nishes, and have your
watch delivered with a genuine alligator skin strap in what Frederique
Constant describes, with characteristic modesty, as 'a nice wooden gift
box'. From £2,530 (steel), £9,220 (rose gold); frederique-constant.com
PATEK PHILIPPE REFERENCE 5078
E ortless superiority is Patek Philippe's trademark, and this particular
watch displays it to perfection. At rst glance it appears to be a simple,
time-only dress watch, but the discreet slide at the side of the case
activates a minute repeater mechanism that announces the time on
demand using a system of tiny, mechanical gongs. Previously available
only in platinum, this new, rose gold version is a little more 'a ordable'
- but not much. £263,900; patek.com
PARMIGIANI POMELLATO
High-end, low-volume watchmaker Parmigiani Fleurier has teamed up
with legendary Milanese jewellery house Pomellato to create a truly
eye-catching range of dress and cocktail watches based on its 39mm,
pink gold Tonda model. Choose from black or white dials or, best of all,
the model inspired by Pomellato's 'Capri' collection, which features a
disc of vibrant turquoise. From £14,500-20,900; parmigiani.com
LONGINES CONQUEST HERITAGE
To mark 60 years since it registered the 'Conquest' name, Longines has
introduced a limited edition of the elegant but rugged dress watch it
launched in 1954. At 35mm in diameter, the cases have the Longines
quality seal embedded in the back, just like the 1950s model. There
will be 600 steel anniversary Heritage watches made, and 60 each in
yellow and rose gold. £1,030 (steel); £3,300 (gold); longines.com
1 Patek Philippe Reference 5078 2 Frederique Constant Slimline Moonphase 3 Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Traditionelle
4 Parmigiani Pomellato 5 Longines Conquest Heritage 6 Rolex Cellini