Once you have the big names (think Rolex, Omega, Patek Philippe, and more from our list of 10 essential watches) in your watch collection line-up, grow your collection with some of the most important pieces from today’s new (often independent) watch brands.

Because the independents are typically uninhibited by big corporate politics, they can invest their time and effort into taking creative license in both design and movements. The results are stellar, with many of the young brands (some founded or purchased and re-born just within the past decade or 20 years) introducing cutting-edge and avant-garde luxury watches that most likely will be the next generation of must-have icons for collectors and watch lovers.

7 Iconic Watches for the Modern Collector

Richard Mille RM 11-03 McLaren Automatic Flyback Chronograph

For the gear head who loves incredible precision, fine mechanics, and cutting-edge materials, Richard Mille is a must-own. This brand, which was founded in 1999, is known for its use of high-tech materials and its inventive movements, some complete with tourbillons suspended by cables. Almost any Richard Mille will become iconic, but we love the RM 11-03 McLaren automatic flyback chronograph, inspired by Formula 1 technologies.

HYT H1

HYT is the first to use a watch’s worst enemy — liquid — to display the time. (To wrap your head around this revolutionary and mind-bending technology, read about HYT here.) While there are several great iterations, including the HYT Skull Bad Boy, the 2012 debut model, the HYT H1, outfitted with bellows and capillaries, will most likely be the one to hold its value.

MB&F HM6 Alien Nation

Founded in 2005 and led by watch industry veteran Max Busser, the whimsical brand MB&F’s philosophy is, “A creative adult is a child who survived.” MB&F is all about collaborations with great watchmaking minds and the space-age looking timepieces it creates are not only three-dimensional (meaning the dial has recessed and raised levels to its detail), but also offer unique concepts, like the tiny alien sculptures housed in the HM6 Alien Nation watch, destined for iconic stature.

F.P. Journe Dead Seconds Tourbillon

For those who love absolute classic watchmaking with modern mechanics, look no further than F.P. Journe. Founded in 1999 by master watchmaker and inventor Francois-Paul Journe, F.P. Journe’s watches are a significant but worthwhile investment. Our top pick is the (appropriately named) Dead Seconds Tourbillon, with the “dead seconds function” that ensures the seconds hand will stop on each second indicator for the duration of the second.

Greubel Forsey Double Tourbillon 30° Asymétrique

If you want to own one of the most horologically precise instruments in the world, invest in a Greubel Forsey Double Tourbillon 30° Asymétrique. While co-founders Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey worked together on inventive concepts for five years, the actual founding of the Greubel Forsey brand wasn’t until 2004. Since then, the brand has created nearly two dozen movements and half a dozen inventions. So advanced is this brand that it is difficult to pick one iconic piece, as most will go down in history as exceptional, but we recommend one of the brand’s earlier developments: the Greubel Forsey Double Tourbillon 30° Asymétrique.

Bovet Amadeo Series

Bovet’s roots date back centuries and the brand was defunct for years before being revived in the late 20th century by Pascal Raffy in 2000. After Raffy took ownership of the brand, Bovet immediately set about taking the world by storm with creative and complex watches that appeal to contemporary collectors with an affinity for timepieces—namely pocket watches—from a bygone era. One key collection is the Amadeo series with patented technology that enables the watch to deftly transform from a wristwatch to a distinctive pocket watch to a bedside clock.

Ressence Type 3
Ressence is an intriguing brand and holds a special fascination among engineering and science lovers. Originally founded in 2010 in Belgium, Ressence’s name is a cross between Renaissance and essence, and the concept behind its designs is unique; the watch features a patented time display that uses graphic elements (including disks and rings) to form the dial. While it looks complex, it is simple to read the time. The one that may reach “Iconic Status” is not the first one, but the Type 3. The watch is one of the first to eliminate the crown. Additionally, while it uses a mechanical ETA movement, the timepiece features two separate sealed chambers, one filled with oil below the dial, and the other containing the base caliber filled with air. No other watch can claim this distinction.

Laurent Ferrier Galet Series
Founded in 2010, by the master watchmaker Laurent Ferrier, the eponymous brand is squarely focused on creating haute-horlogerie timepieces, hand-building a few hundred highly-limited timepieces each year. The timepieces he creates are classically elegant, often incorporating artistic elements. The standout series is the simply beautiful Galet collection. In the Galet, Laurent Ferrier incorporates a Tourbillon Double Hairspring timepiece in a superbly understated package. In fact, if one glances at the watch, its complexity is totally non-existent, as Ferrier eliminates the tourbillon aperture on the dial. The beauty within is not immediately showcased; it is a quiet secret that only the owner knows.

 

We are in the height of the great golf season with the PGA Golf Tour in full swing (pardon the pun). In these last couple of months leading up to the famed Ryder Cup, and with purses ranging from $6 million to $9 million, we will witness some of the finest golfers in the world on the courses competing for the championship win.

Many of those golf celebrities are also brand ambassadors for some of the finest watch brands in the world. Both golf and watchmaking require precision, excellence, and style. Here we take a look at 10 top golfers and the watches they wear.

Rolex Wearers
Rolex has also had a long and storied relationship with the world of golf and has been deeply involved in the sport for more than 50 years. It partners with and sponsors some of the most important tournaments in the world, including the President’s Cup, and has acted as official timekeeper of the Open for 30 years. It also initiated the European Rolex Series Tour. The brand has aligned with some of the greatest golfers of all time, including the “Big Three”: Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, and Jack Nicklaus. Its list of brand ambassadors reads like a “Who’s Who” in golf, with mega winners such as Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, as well as New Guard golfers like Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, Lydia Ko, Brooke Henderson, and Anna Nordqvist, among others on its roster.

1. Phil Mickelson: Cellini, Oyster, and Sky-Dweller

Famed American golfer Phil Mickelson has won five Majors, three Masters, and 43 PGA Tour events in total. The lefty player has been playing in Cellini watches for many years, but he also wears a host of different Rolex Oysters off the course, including the Rolex Sky-Dweller in Everose gold.

2. Jordan Spieth: Explorer II and “Pepsi” GMT Master II

The 24-year-old three-time Majors champion, Jordan Spieth, has been seeing wearing a Rolex Explorer II, and a Rolex “Pepsi” GMT Master II. As a Rolex brand ambassador, he dons his watch immediately after play.

3. Lydia Ko: Rolesor Date 34

Lydia Ko, also a Rolex brand ambassador, is ranked 17 on the Ladies Professional Golf Association leaderboard. The now-21-year-old Korean-born New Zealander became the youngest player to be ranked No. 1 in professional golf in 2015 when she was 17 years old. She has been seen wearing the iconic Rolex White Rolesor Date 34.

Omega Wearers
Since 2011, Omega has been positioned as the PGA of America’s official patron and official timekeeper, though the brand also serves as the official timekeeper for other significant golfing events around the world. As such, it stands to reason that the brand would have some strong golfers on its roster.

4. Rory McIlroy: Seamaster Aqua Terra Golf

Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, winner of four Majors since turning professional in 2007, is an Omega brand ambassador. He wears the orange-and-black-strapped Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Golf watch. The 41mm watch is crafted in steel and has a silvered dial.

5. Sergio Garcia: Seamaster Aqua Terra Gold
Sergio Garcia, winner of the Masters in 2017 (and the coveted green jacket), holds 10 PGA Tour wins and 21 international victories. The Spanish-born golfer is considered one of the most successful Ryder Cup golfers in history. He is also an Omega brand ambassador. He wears the Seamaster Aqua Terra Golf watch with black dial and green-and-black-striped NATO strap.

6. Michelle Wei: Seamaster Aqua Terra Master Co-Axial

Female golfer Michelle Wei was the youngest player ever to qualify for an LPGA tour event at the age of 13 and is a consistently strong player with several victories under her belt, including the HSBC Women’s World Championship earlier this year. She wears the bracelet version of the Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M Omega Master Co-Axial 34MM.

Audemars Piguet Wearers
Another big brand involved in golf is Audemars Piguet, with nearly two dozen top golfers on its roster that run the gamut from Danny Willett to Henrik Stenson and more.

7. Ian Poulter: Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon
Incredibly active on social media, British golfer Ian Poulter wears exceptionally elegant golf clothing on the course. He is a brand ambassador for Audemars Piguet and owns many of the brand’s watches. Most recently, he has been seen wearing the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept GMT Tourbillon.

8. Branden Grace: Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph

South African Branden Grace, who became the first male golfer to score 62 in a major at the 2017 Open Championship in South Africa, is currently ranked 35th on the PGA Tour. He is an Audemars Piguet brand ambassador and wears a Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph. He even Tweeted about it!

More Brands
9. Bubba Watson: Richard Mille RM 38-01 Tourbillon

Golf great Bubba Watson is a Richard Mille brand ambassador. Like all Richard Mille brand ambassadors, he wears his watch during play. That watch is the RM 38-01 Tourbillon. Bubba Watson uses its patented G-sensor to measure his powerful swings. The first version was all white; the new version is white with a green ceramic TZP bezel, matching Bubba’s two green jackets from his Masters wins and his favorite color. Just 50 timepieces will be made.

10. Dustin Johnson: Hublot Golf

Golfer Dustin Johnson wears the relatively new Hublot Golf watch. It is the world’s first mechanical watch created for golf. Powered by an in-house made movement, the watch enables golfers to calculate their scores on the course. Ultra lightweight, it features an aperture that displays the scores per hole.

If you are a tennis lover, then this is your season! This past weekend witnessed the opening of the qualifying matches to determine the final line-up for the 132nd edition of the famed Wimbledon Championships, which begin on July 2 and run until July 15. Not long after that, starting in late August, The US Open Tennis Championships take place in New York. Between both of these exciting events, we will witness some of the finest athletes in the world vying for victory.

Many of those tennis greats are also ambassadors for some of the finest watch brands in the world. To wit: Rolex counts eight tennis stars on their brand ambassador roster and is the Official Timekeeper of Wimbledon. So, if you have a favorite tennis player and are wondering what their watch of choice is, here’s a look at seven of the top tennis stars and the luxury watches they sport– on and off the tennis court.