Harrods Unveils 23 Exclusives, All At Once, And We Got A Sneak Peek Of The Collection

July 06, 2016

Until very recently, I must admit I had only ever stepped foot in Harrods during the month of December. You see, I grew up in London, back when you could spend weeks in London without bumping into another Frenchman, and part of living there as an expat meant that, every year, my family would plan an all-important trip to Harrods in order to buy something quintessentially British C well, mostly tea really C to take to the other side of la Manche/the English Channel?during the Christmas holidays. Since my move back to the capital (now the sixth largest French city in the world, according to the BBC), Ive been going back much more frequently, but never to buy tea. Thats because The Fine Watch Room has a concentration of some of the finest watches made around the globe C minus (and this is a big minus) the independents.?This summer, watches will be taking over the store, which has launched a Made with Love and Precision campaign aimed at luring pedestrians walking past the Old Brompton windows into the store to discover some of this years most exciting timepieces. Not only that, but Harrods has convinced 23 watchmakers to join the commercial exhibition, and in turn they have each presented an exclusive piece for the store (some are UK exclusives, others are global exclusives). Some even went the extra mile, producing a limited edition for Harrods. Had this exhibition taken place while I was growing up, I suspect I would have found out much earlier what Harrods looks like during the summer. Panerai PAM00693 Luminor Marina 1950 3 Days Automatic Titanio 44 mm Well, everything you need to know about this watch, you can find in the name. Except that this particular PAM00693 is in fact a limited edition of 100 pieces, all made specifically for Harrods. Hence the green dial and the retailers logo engraved on the case back. This Harrods exclusive comes with a choice of bracelet or green canvas strap, and retails for 6,800 (approximately $8,000). IWC Big Pilot Annual Calendar Spitfire Few modern watches say I am a man who likes oversized watches and I still enjoy pure and innovative watchmaking like the Big Pilot Annual Calendar Spitfire. Part of the new Pilot collection, the 46 mm Annual Calendar Spitfire with slate-grey dial is the most tool watch we can recall of this useful complication. This chunky pilot's watch is available, as a world exclusive, for 14,950 (approximately $19,350). JLC Reverso One Rdition JLC is celebrating the 85th anniversary of its most beloved design, the Reverso, by launching several new timepieces using the reversible case. None is more faithful to the original model than the Reverso One Rdition. The proportions of the watch C the smallest Reverso in the new lineup at 32.5 mm by 16.3 mm C and the black dial, capture the essence of the 1930s. The Reverso One Rdition is available for 3,700 (approximately $4,790) at Harrods exclusively in the UK before it hits other stores. Rolex Day-Date 40 One reason people adore the Day-Date is its fluted bezel, a design feature that is synonymous with Rolexs most presidential watch. The one before us doesnt have that, but the substitute C 48 brilliant-cut diamonds in honor of the models 60th anniversary C doesnt look out of place. The precious stones come with a much higher cost, of course. The new Day-Date 40 with diamond bezel is listed at 35,800 (approximately $46,325), exclusively at Harrods in the UK. Vacheron Constantin Overseas World Time What you see before you is the most complete world-timer there is, now in stainless steel. The Overseas World Time is part of a total revamp of the Overseas collection, which also includes a new in-house self-winding chronograph, a new in-house base caliber with date, and ultra-thins for the time only and perpetual calendar models. Here is Ben's take on the new blue-dial version of the World Timer. The watch is priced at 28,000 (approximately $36,240), exclusively at Harrods in the UK. Baume & Mercier Petite Promesse If this doesnt look like a first ladies luxury wristwatch, I dont know what does. The Petite Promesse is uncomplicated, powered by a quartz movement, and doesnt even have a crown, but its got a very fashionable wrap-around strap (in pink exclusive to Harrods) and a pretty mother-of-pearl dial. All for 2350 (approximately $3,000). Roger Dubuis Black Velvet According to Roger Dubuis, 2016 is the year of the woman. The avant-garde watchmaker has an important female clientle (around 30%), won over by watches made to their specifications. While the company hasnt made a ladies complication yet, they produce high-end components, such as the carbon case of the new Black Velvet collection, which resonate with women who prefer lighter timepieces. Price: 26,000 (approximately $33,650). Worldwide exclusive. Breguet Classique 'Special Edition' 7337 Even the best stories become at risk of turning into background noise when they keep getting repeated. However, this has yet to become an issue for Breguet. The Swiss watchmaker continues to draw from its rich past seamlessly, as exemplified by the latest Breguet Classique reference 7337. The 39 mm wristwatch is inspired by the Breguet no. 3833 C a pocket watch sold to M. Thomas Hawley in 1823, from which the exquisite silvered gold dial, hand decorated with rose-engine-applied guilloch, comes from. This Special Edition with blue dial launches exclusively at Harrods for 29,000 (approximately $37,500) before other boutiques worldwide. For more on Harrods watches, click here.Correction: An earlier version of the article incorrectly stated the price of the Baume & Mercier Petite Promesse at 1,800. The retail value of the watch is 2350.