I recently nominated a few key luxury watch brands for a reader poll on Luxist.com. The poll was to determine what brand people considered to be the top luxury brand. Not exactly a scientific study, but it is interested to see what people who read the world's top luxury blog had to say on the topic. It wasn't too difficult to consider the nominees. It wasn't a matter of who necessary made the best looking or most mechanically perfect watches, but rather about perception.
As such, I made the obvious choices. The five nominees where Rolex, Patek Philippe, A. Lange & Sohne, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and IWC. Four Swiss and one German high end brand. Prices really all over the place, but brands that many, many people would know. Each brand has plenty of offerings over $20,000 and each brand has at least a good portion of their watches with in-house made movements. More importantly, there is a good chance that you can walk into a yacht club with logos of the brands and people would recognize them.
I really had no idea what to expect from the voting. All I did was write up a brand profile for each of the watch makers and allow the public to choose what they thought the top luxury watch brand was. In recent years, each of the brands had received accolades and awards for being top luxury brands. It would be interesting to see what my readers on Luxist.com where going to choose.
The polls ran through most of December 2009. I was careful not to really discuss the voting too much as I didn't want to stay the results in any way. Those of you here that read my daily articles on Luxist.com probably noticed the presence of the "Luxist Awards." A few days ago the polls closed and the winner was announced. Out of the 5 brands I nominated the winner was IWC. Now I don't know the statistics for how many votes they got or how close it was. I anticipate it was close. While IWC has recently received a top luxury watch brand pick from wealthy households in a private study, Patek Philippe is the favored high-end collectors brands, Jaeger-LeCoultre makes some of the most beautiful and complex watches with a great image in most circles, A. Lange & Sohne keeps winning best German luxury brand, and Rolex, is Rolex (enough said).
While IWC is a great choice and a really spectacular Swiss watch brand, I can't say that I understand why it won. Then again, I wouldn't really be able to pinpoint why any of the brands would have won. Each is a fantastic choice in terms of quality and satisfying ownership. Rolex likely get's the win for being the most widely admired among people who don't know anything about watches.
In a way I am happy. IWC has never been about gaudy or showy watches. Their philosophy has always been about sober looking functional watches or tool watches made with the highest quality. Their no-nonsense approach makes for a line of watches that are supremely easy choices for new and existing watch lovers alike. As a high-end brand interested in high quality, you aren't likely to get an IWC watch that let's you down from a mechanical or construction perspective. The clear message to watch companies is that people's paramount interest in buying nice watches is they they function well in regard to the purpose for which they were made. Looking good is important, but penultimate at best.
See IWC watches on Amazon here.
 IWC Shaffhausen Portuguese Ref 3714 Chronograph Steel Black Automatic Mens Watch  US $5,900.00 |
 IWC Shaffhausen 18K White Gold Deployment buckle for 18mm Strap Brand New US $3,000.00 |
 IWC BORIS BECKER LIMITED EDITION LIKE NEW BOXES PAPERS WOW GREAT VALENTINES GIFT US $8,500.00 |
 RARE IWC Porsche Design QIBLAH Compass Watch with moonphase Complication Date US $3,000.00 |
 IWC Classic Big Pilot 7 day 5004 01 IW500401 MINT US $10,599.00 |
 Beautiful IWC Portuguese Regulateur mvnt diameter only 42 mm Extremely Rare US $4,600.00 |
