Buying an Investment Watch? These New Models Are Your Best Bets
Catch them if you can.
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The upper level of today’s watch market is driven by collectors, and their increasingly high standards have led brands to unleash a steady stream of limited editions that exceed our expectations—technically, aesthetically and even symbolically: If the model once went to space, was favoured by a celebrity, is double signed, or represents the last of its reference, it’s all the more covetable.
Limited in number, but not in price, every new introduction seems worthy of alerting your financial advisor about incoming damage. The question is, how many are truly collectible—not just great watches but also solid investments? Plenty of this year’s new releases are potentially investment-worthy, especially from the hot names among the independents, but model by model, it’s difficult to predict what will take off and what won’t. If it’s safe bets you’re after, it’s best to stick to the top of the heap, so our list of the most collectible watches of 2022, so far, is limited to debuts from the Holy Trinity: Patek Philippe, Rolex and Audemars Piguet. Here are two models from each that we think will rise to the top.
Rolex Air-King Ref. 126900
Rolex Air-King Rolex
The Rolex Air-King is not the Daytona, or the Submariner or even, for that matter, the Explorer, but hear us out. On the surface, it’s a simple, affordable ($10,350), stainless steel sports watch, but so was the Patek Philippe Nautilus at one time—for decades, in fact—until it wasn’t. Could the Air-King be the next cultish outlier, the dark horse of the stainless steel sports watch parade? The new Ref. 126900 that replaces the 2016 version is still the same 40mm size with Oyster bracelet, black dial and green lettering, but the case was redesigned to include straight sides and lugs. More notably, it now has crown guards, which puts the Air King in the brand’s Professional watches category, even though it’s the only one that combines crown guards with a polished, non-indexed bezel. Probably the next most noticeable difference is that there is now a 0 before the 5 on the minutes scale, so each five-minute interval is now marked by two digits, something that will easily distinguish the 126900 from pre-2022 models. Also, the applied numerals, hands and triangular hour marker are now filled with Chromalight, Rolex’s proprietary lume. It contains the Rolex calibre 3230, a COSC-certified Superlative Chronometer. At retail, it is priced at $10,350 and so far going for around $15,930 on the secondary market.
Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 126720VTNR
Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 126720VTNR Rolex
The great novelty of the new GMT-Master II is the position of the crown and cyclops date window on the left. A watch for lefties is unusual for Rolex and in the watch world in general and rarity is a prime factor in collectible watches. Collectors call it the “destro,” which translates to “right” in Italian, as in watches to be worn on the right wrist. It could, however, be worn on the left hand, with the crown simply facing the other way, where it doesn’t pinch the crease where you bend your wrist. The green and black bezel are exclusive to this line, and it’s worth noting that two-tone Cerachrom itself is rare—Rolex introduced its proprietary ceramic formula in two tones only in 2013, and it is only used on certain sports models. The green bezel on this model is the same as that on the Submariner Date. Flipping the crown also meant flipping the cyclops window from 3 o’clock to 9 o’clock, which looks wonderfully odd and eccentric. There is the option of either a Jubilee or Oyster bracelet. The retail price is $15,500 and it is currently selling in the $43,000 to $58,000 range on the pre-owned market.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Ref. 16202
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Ref. 16202 Audemars Piguet
The Royal Oak is not just one model, but hundreds of models produced over five decades in various metals, complications and limited editions. The back catalogue stretches into the horizon. This year is the model’s 50th anniversary, and Audemars Piguet dropped a jubilee model that would have been a collector’s piece even without the anniversary-themed rotor. The new Royal Oak “Jumbo,” Ref. 16202 replaces the 15202, the reigning Jumbo since 2000 and the purest expression of the iconic design, with time and date only. The 16202 has a new movement, the caliber 7121, replacing the 2121, which had been used in the Jumbo since it was launched in 1972. Both are ultra-thin, but the 7121 is equipped with design changes including a repositioning of the logo from 12 o’clock to 6 and a new double-hash index at 12. Otherwise, it is the same classic design that collectors know and love. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. There are four references: steel (approx. $45,200), pink gold and yellow gold (both approx. $95,500) and platinum (price upon request). The steel model is selling in the $215,000 plus range on the pre-owned market—as is, it must be noted, its predecessor, the 15202.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Extra Thin RD#3
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Audemars Piguet
What’s a 50th-anniversary collection without a virtuoso showpiece? The RD#3 (RD stands for Research and Development) is a virtuoso edition of an icon that retains its purity of design, a very difficult combination to achieve. It looks a lot like the new 16202 Jumbo, but without the date, and with the edition of a flying tourbillon. It is pure Royal Oak, with the Bleu Nuit tapisserie dial, baignoire markers and hands and an eight-sided bezel with screws. The dial is pared-down pure, with no date window, no “automatic” under the brand name at 12 o’clock, and no logo at 6 o’clock. And it’s thin at 39mm by 8.1 mm. Not quite as thin as record-holder Bulgari’s BVL 288, but also not as wide, and instead of a peripheral rotor, it has a full central rotor. It’s worth noting that before the RO stole the spotlight, Audemars Piguet was known for complications and slim watches. It sports a full-rotor flying tourbillon, which seems like an all-around impressive representation of the brand at its best. The 50th Anniversary rotor makes this hard to beat as a collector’s piece. The price is upon request and it is limited in production, which means it will be harder to come by than the already difficult to obtain Royal Oaks. The model has been quoted at CHF 157,500 ($238,301 at the current exchange) on several watch news sites. It hasn’t popped up on the pre-owned market yet, but one reseller is offering a previous steel 41mm Royal Oak flying tourbillon with a different calibre and different dial for about $470,900
Patek Philippe Ref. 5470 1/10th Second Monopusher Chronograph
Patek Philippe Ref. 5470P-001 1/10th Second Monopusher Chronograph Patek Philippe
The Patek Philippe Ref. 5470 ticks all the boxes of elements that make a watch collectible right now—ultra-thin design, high-frequency escapement, a steel sports watch design and a manual-wound chronograph. The 5470 has it all, and then some. The movement, CH 29-535 PS, was 10 years in development, with 31 patents, seven of which are new. The primary technical feat is the display of 1/10th second on the central dial simultaneously with a regular one-minute central chronograph seconds hand. It incorporates two separate chronograph mechanisms, one driving the central chronograph seconds (white), and the other (sporty red) 1/10th seconds hand, which travels five times faster around the dial, once every 12 seconds. Because two chronographs use ample energy, the movement was highly optimised, with a Nivaflex mainspring that adds barrel torque without adding thickness; a 1/10th second hand made of Silinvar, which requires 3.35 times less energy to operate than steel; and a salad of silicon components in the escapement, which equips it to handle the friction of high frequency. Though not a special edition, like all Patek complications, it will be limited in production. The official price is “upon request,” and some secondary sellers are equally cagey, also listing “price upon request.” One watch news site lists CHF 380,000 (about $574,950) as a retail price. Otherwise, the 5470 seems nonexistent so far on the pre-owned market.
Patek Philippe Ref. 5172G Chronograph With Salmon Dial
Patek Philippe Ref. 5172G Chronograph Patek Philippe
Salmon is a rare species in the watch world. It’s exotic and unusual—a handful of brands have used it for special editions only, a convention that dates back to the 1930s and ’40s when it first emerged. The colour pops, but unlike a bright orange or a bold red it’s more neutral, sophisticated and muted. It is still used very rarely, and is therefore highly collectible. It is not an exaggeration to say this dial type can fetch a premium of anywhere from 50 per cent or double, or even sky’s-the-limit prices, depending on the brand and the model. Some salmon dials are one-of-a-kind, created on special order by clients. Rock star Eric Clapton, for example, ordered salmon versions of Ref. 3970, 5004 and 5970 from Patek Philippe. The Ref. 3970, made in 2008 sold for just under $1,300,000 at Sotheby’s a couple of years ago. A version of Patek’s legendary Ref. 1518 with a salmon dial sold by Phillips in 2020 for just over $5 million, and a rare “pink on pink” Ref. 1518 in pink gold with a salmon dial sold at Sotheby’s last year for $13.7 million. Any Ref. 1518 will fetch a high price, of course, but a salmon dialed version is in another stratosphere. The Ref. 5172G, first introduced in 2019, now comes with a salmon dial. Aside from its pretty colour, it’s a great watch with pump pushers, dual subdials, syringe hands, the absence of a date window (a must for purists) and a tachymeter scale that gives it a sporty touch and the manual-wind caliber CH 29-535 PS. If you’re connected enough to purchase one at retail for $116,535, consider this salmon dial a great catch.
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Show Stopping Fun
Robb Report Australia and New Zealand teamed up with Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance in late February to celebrate a weekend of fine motor cars on Cockatoo Island.
Robb Report Australia & New Zealand and Citizen Kanebridge, the new private members’ club brought to you by this masthead’s publishers, offers exclusive access to magical experiences and unrivalled networking.
This year’s Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance on Cockatoo Island did not disappoint. Our invited guests—including speakers Gerard Doyle, General Manager ASX Refinitiv Charity Foundation; Ant Middleton, the British adventure and TV personality turned hydration-drink disruptor and owner R3SUP; and Lex Pedersen, CEO of automotive investment firm Chrome Temple—enjoyed unlimited access to the three-day event and an elegant sufficiently of Champagne, wine and whisky, as well as an exquisite catered lunch inside the Citizen Kanebridge Private Members’ Lounge. They enhanced their experience by VIP transport to and from the mainland via superyacht.
The British-born event, which also has iterations at Pebble Beach in California and Hampton Court Palace in England, once again teamed up with the world’s most prestigious marques (among them Aston Martin, Bentley, Brabus, Genesis, Lamborghini, McLaren, Rolls-Royce and Porsche), to display their latest supercars alongside the pageant of owner-driven vintage vehicles.
On Sunday, Robb Report’s Editor-in-Chief Horacio Silva treated guests to a special preview of the winners of this our annual Car of the Year awards, showcased in our coming March 2025 issue. Our lips are sealed.
To learn how to become a member of our exclusive new community, visit Citizen Kanebridge.
Thank you to the following sponsors: Whisky and Wealth, Jacob & Co, Wine Selectors, Mulpha, Jackson Teece, Young Henry’s and Resup.
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Patron’s New Ultra-Premium Tequila Is a Reposado Blend That Punches Way Above Its Age
Patron’s latest luxury tequila is a blend of ages.
There are certain categories in the tequila world that indicate how long the spirit has been matured, so what happens when you combine a few of them together into one release? Patron is the latest brand to get in on this multiple-maturation blending action with the new high-end El Alto release, a combination of tequilas aged for different lengths of time.
In the whisky world, an age statement represents the minimum age of the liquid that’s in the bottle—in other words, a 10-year-old scotch may have liquid much older than that in the blend, but 10 years represents the minimum age. When it comes to tequila, there are also rules in regards to how it has to be labelled based on maturation, and like whisky that depends on the youngest liquid in the blend. The core of El Alto is an extra anejo tequila (the exact proportion isn’t revealed), meaning it was aged for a minimum of three years. But master distiller David Rodriguez decided to blend some anejo (aged one to three years) and reposado (two months to one year) tequila into the mix as well, making this an expression that is defined as reposado instead of extra anejo even though it has some ultra-aged liquid in the blend.
According to the brand, 11 different types of barrels were used to mature the tequila in El Alto, with the majority being hybrid barrels consisting of American oak bodies and French oak heads—each type of wood is thought to impart different flavours into the spirit. “The tequilas that harmoniously come together in Patron El Alto are a result of selecting the finest 100 percent Weber blue agave in the highest parts of Jalisco, Mexico, a territory known for producing the sweetest agaves,” said Rodriguez in a statement. “We took four years to focus on only the best of the best and perfect the bold, sweet flavors of this expression the right way: naturally.”
This type of multi-aged tequila seems to be part of a growing trend, with a few other brands releasing similar high-end expressions including Cincoro and Volcan de Mi Tierra. Perhaps it’s a way of stretching supplies or a tactic to get consumers to dip their toes (or tongues, preferably) into another luxe tequila, a category that is growing every year.
This month Australians are getting an exclusive taste of the El Alto as this formerly USA-exclusive release is launching here with The Bacardi Group. You can find El Alto in selected hospitality venues and at Barrel & Batch for $298 as these chic spots that represent the “pinnacle of celebrating momentous occasions,” according to the brand.
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Neutral, Not Boring: How to Wear This Season’s Most Stylish New Menswear
The soft tones of California’s Joshua Tree provide a perfect backdrop for the season’s refined yet relaxed vibe.
Amid spring 2025’s myriad trends, there was one connecting element: colour. From Alessandro Sartori’s rusty hues at Zegna to Loro Piana’s subdued neutrals, the palette was more sun-bleached than saturated, and the muted tones of California’s Joshua Tree provide a perfect backdrop for the season’s refined yet relaxed vibe.
Stylists Naomi Rougeau and Alex Badia, teamed up with photographer Brad Torchia to create these casual looks that turn a bold statement into a confident whisper.
Berluti leather jacket, $14,067; L.B.M. 1911 merino crewneck, $450; Dolce & Gabbana linen trousers, $1,921; Zenith 37 mm Chronomaster Revival in steel, $13,987.
Umit Benan silk jacket, silk shirt, and linen trousers, all prices upon request; Dolce & Gabbana suede loafers, $1600; Girard-Perregaux 38 mm Laureato Sage Green in steel, $23,954.
Brunello Cucinelli linen shirt, $1500; Loro Piana linen trousers, $908; Zenith 37 mm Chronomaster Revival in steel, $13,987.
Anderson & Sheppard cotton jacket, $4,421; Gabriela Hearst cashmere turtleneck, $1,430; Louis Vuitton cotton jeans, $2n138; Tod’s suede sneakers, $1438.
Canali wool, silk, and linen tweed blazer, $4,011; Thom Sweeney silk shirt, $876; Paul Smith mohair trousers, $908; Church’s patent-leather loafers, $1,768; Parmigiani Fleurier 40 mm Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date Golden Siena in steel and platinum, $40,675.
Paul Smith cotton trench, $3528; Ferragamo cashmere sweater, $1,752, and cotton trousers, $4389; Dolce & Gabbana suede loafers, $1599.
Hermès denim shirt, $1,647, and belted cotton chinos, $1,366.
Loro Piana cotton cardigan, $4,381, and linen shirt, $1,768; Todd Snyder linen trousers, $639; Zegna Triple Stitch leather sneakers, $1,768; Morgenthal Frederics sunglasses, $2,564; Berluti silk scarf, $1,221; Parmigiani Fleurier 40 mm Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date Golden Siena in steel and platinum, $40,675.
Thom Sweeney cashmere and merino sweater, $956; Brunello Cucinelli linen shorts, $1045; Manolo Blahnik raffia and leather loafers, $1,438.; Leisure Society sunglasses, $1905; Zenith 37 mm Chronomaster Revival in steel, $13,987.
Kiton jean jacket, $6061; Officine Générale cashmere sweater, $932; Brioni wool trousers, $1,768; Ralph Lauren Purple Label leather belt, $562; Morgenthal Frederics sunglasses, $52081; Zenith 37 mm Chronomaster Revival in steel, $13,987
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This New York Jewellery Gallery Is Offering up a Treasure Trove of Vintage Watches
The Mahnaz Collection’s first formal collection of timepieces will include rare finds with fascinating histories
There was a period when Mahnaz Ispahani Bartos found it hard to hold on to a watch. The prominent collector and dealer often would post pictures on social media of the uncommon, sculptural timepieces she purchased for herself. But every time, clients of her eponymous jewellery gallery—New York City’s Mahnaz Collection—would hound her into selling them.
“They found those photographs, and they are just diligent in bothering me,” she says with a laugh, adding that some would simply persist until she changed her mind about letting them go.
In response to that demand, this month her Madison Avenue space will begin offering its first formal collection of unique watches, curated with the same rigor and studious eye Ispahani Bartos has applied to sourcing rare jewellery. (Her specialty is the hard-to-find fare made by artists, designers, goldsmiths, and architects.) One coveted example is a gold-and-diamond pendant watch handmade by the late Italian-born avant-garde designer Andrew Grima, whose work was beloved by the British royal family. This example from his historic collaboration with Omega was made in the 1970s. Lesser known but no less noteworthy is the Spanish designer Augustin Julia-Plana, who created a gold-and-jadeite watch for his brand Schlegel & Plana, also in the ’70s. “He was a great jeweller and watch designer,” says Ispahani Bartos of Julia-Plana, who penned striking and visually creative work for everyone from Chopard to Tiffany. “He specialised in really unusual stones,” she adds, noting that he died far too young at age 41.
Photographed by Janelle Jones/Styled by Stephanie Yeh
Ispahani Bartos knows something about legacy. Born in Bangladesh—when it was still called East Pakistan—she grew up in a culture steeped in traditions of wearing and appreciating jewellery. She recalls her grandmother giving her earrings made from yellow gold, turquoise, diamonds, and Burmese rubies at age 7. (Too young to wear them, she put them on her dolls’ ears for safekeeping. Both were lost when her family fled the violence of the country’s 1971 revolution; the ship carrying their belongings, she says, was sunk by an enemy carrier.)
When she was a teenager, her mother gifted her one of Omega’s Grima-designed watches, which she still owns. That early introduction to rare design influenced her own collecting journey, which turned into her full-time job when she opened her gallery in 2013.
Photographed by Janelle Jones/Styled by Stephanie Yeh
That comprehensive approach befits Ispahani Bartos’s previous career and intellectual curiosity. After earning a Ph.D. in international relations, she served as a foreign- and security-policy expert for an array of global organisations, including the Ford Foundation and the Council on Foreign Relations.
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Penfolds Saves Best For Last with Show-Stopping Release with Creative Partner NIGO
Penfolds has just dropped their limited-edition 65F by NIGO Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz, a mouthwatering wine you need to nab now.
Though Penfolds holds many wonderful wines in its star-studded suite, their latest collaboration with NIGO is earmarked as a sure-fire collector’s item.
Retailing for $395 a bottle, the Penfolds 65F by NIGO is expected to sit snugly alongside the likes of Grange and Bin 389 as a standout single-vintage wine connoisseurs will vie for in years to come.
This prize wine isn’t just delicious and highly collectible, it looks the part. It features branding by artistic director and creative visionary NIGO, the founder of cult streetwear brands A Bathing Ape and Human Made, a pal of Pharrell Williams and current creative director of French fashion house Kenzo. For the box and packaging NIGO was inspired by the towering 65-foot chimney that prevails over Penfolds South Australian home, Magill Estate.
Penfolds archival material served as NIGO’s inspiration for the inclusions within the gift box and on the wine label. A chalkboard wine tag with coinciding chalk pencil pays homage to the chalk boards used in the original working winery at Penfolds Magill Estate and allows the opportunity for personalisation of the wine if used as a gift. The bottle label features a design which takes inspiration from the pressed bottle labels from the 1930-50s, and the tissue paper wrapping the bottle has been adapted from the Penfolds logo style used in the early 20th century. NIGO’s signature playful design style is emphasised with a chimney smoke wine stopper.
Inside it’s a classic embodiment of the way South Australian winemakers blend cabernet sauvignon with shiraz to stunning effect.
As a result this wine has a mouth-watering palate with plenty of fine grain tannins and silky mouth feel. A nose enriched with spicy nutmeg, cardamom and cassis is layered over blueberry compote and lush fig on a palate. There’s lots of blueberry soufflé, gamey tones and just a hint of fennel seed, with more complexity to come as the years fly by.
All the base wines were sourced from grapes grown in South Australia’s top wine regions of Coonawarra, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley. And while the 65F by NIGO Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz is being released now, it will continue to reward cellaring for years to come.
Penfolds first announced NIGO as its Creative Partner in June 2023, with the global release of One by Penfolds. This was closely followed by the launch of Grange by NIGO (the first takeover of Penfolds flagship red wine) in February 2024, followed by Holiday Designed by NIGO in October 2024.A classic for the ages.
Penfolds 65F by NIGO Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2021 is available globally from Thursday 27 February 2025 (RRP AUD$395.00 for 750ml). Available via Penfolds.com, at select Dan Murphy’s stores nationally and select independent retailers.
