Arguably, in this day and age, the watch has been transcended in its primary function. The ability to tell the time, as with many other functions, has been incorporated into our smart phones, computers, tablets and other technological paraphernalia that have ostensibly rendered the watch superfluous. Think about it for a minute, you might forget to put your watch on in a morning and that might rankle with you; forget your phone and it’s like losing a limb. So the question then is, what has the watch become? What place does the watch hold in today’s world? The answer; status. As function of the modern watch becomes secondary to its design, Banks Lyon looks at some of the best status watches available today.
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean James Bond "Skyfall" Watch
The last twelve months have been exceptional for everything ‘British’, from the Olympics to Andy Murray, and the very imminent arrival of the Royal baby. Included in that is last October’s release of the twenty-third James Bond film, Skyfall, which also celebrated 50 years of the spy’s cinematic adventures. The film did remarkably well at the box office, becoming the most successful Bond film of all time, as well the highest grossing UK film of all time, and the eight highest grossing film in the world ever! In line with its release, Omega unveiled the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean James Bond "Skyfall" Watch, a replica of the watch worn by Daniel Craig in his third outing as the dashing MI5 agent. The watch has ‘SKYFALL 007’ etched onto the back, and includes ‘007’ at the 7 o’clock position on the dial. The watch is a limited edition, with only 5,007 available worldwide, and connotes the perfect combination of patriotism, sophistication and suave; the ultimate licence to thrill.
As well as the Seamaster Planet Ocean James Bond “Skyfall†Watch, please feel free to browse our entire range of stunning Omega watches.
Limited Edition Bremont “Codebreaker†Rose Gold Watch
Sticking with the theme of British espionage, the Limited Edition Bremont “Codebreaker†Rose Gold Watch is the latest release from the only all-British watchmaker Bremont. The Codebreaker celebrates the endeavour of all those who contributed to the Allies World War Two efforts at Bletchley Park, and even contains artefacts from the Park in its design. This exquisite watch incorporates pine from hut six (the hut where Alan Turing broke the Enigma code) and paper from the extremely rare remaining punch cards used in analysing the huge amounts of coded data. As a limited edition piece, there are only 290 Codebreaker watches being produced, and of those only 50 are available in the stunning rose gold. For an understated watch that bears the weight of history, this classic timepiece is the quintessential commemoration of British endeavour, exuding the saga of horological precision human spirit in equal measure.
All of our exquisite Bremont watches are available to view online today.
Cartier Calibre De Cartier Watch
Christened ‘the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers’ by King Edward VII, Cartier has become synonymous with opulence and royalty, and the emphatic Cartier Calibre De Cartier Watch is no exception. A combination of rose gold and steel, accentuated by the brown alligator strap and chocolate brown roman dial, this exceptional timepiece exudes a trivector of majesty, sporting masculinity and 1920s chic. With the zeitgeist of Fitzgerald so vaunted in the current cultural climate, the Cartier Calibre De Cartier Watch recalls that splendid age, where the sacred and the profane mingled in the excesses of the upper classes. Now, as then, this magnanimous watch is perfect for the gentleman looking to stand out from the crowd; the debonair, the dandy or the connoisseur, it is the true timepiece of the timeless.
Sophisticated to the last, all of our Cartier watches are available to browse online today.
TAG Heuer Monaco Steve McQueen Calibre 11 
Chronograph Watch
Made famous by Steve McQueen in the 1971 film Les Mans, this eponymous chronograph bears his racing colours as a tribute to one of the masters of cinema, and greatest exponents of on-screen speed. The inimitable design of the TAG Heuer Monaco Steve McQueen Calibre 11 Chronograph Watch is what makes it an exemplary status piece. The instantly recognisable square case leaves no doubt as to the unmatched heritage of this watch, one glimpse of its sharp corners and the onlooker is immediately aware of the prestige of this fine watch. Echoing the sharp hairpins and turns of the racetrack, emphasised by the square internal dials at the 3 and 9 o’clock positions, the Monaco Steve McQueen Calibre 11 proudly displays its racing blood, and remains a classic long after the film and untimely passing of its star.
The Monaco Steve McQueen Calibre 11 is just one of a number of spectacular TAG Heuer watches we have at Banks Lyon. Please contact us if you would like to know more.
Breitling Montbrillant 01
The grandly titled Breitling Montbrilliant 01 is the epitome of style
and substance. Harking back to the 1940s and ‘50s tradition of the circular slide rule for aviators, the Breitling Montbrilliant 01 perfectly exemplifies Breitling’s aerial heritage. The stainless steel case contains a brilliant white dial beneath which Breitling’s own in house Calibre 01 movement powers the watch. Despite containing so much information, the large face still retains effortless readability, and houses within it an 18ct gold ‘B’, such was the style in which Breitling portrayed their logo until the mid 20th century. The Montbrilliant 01 is limited to just 2000 pieces worldwide, and so ownership of this exquisite watch is the ultimate in status, one that connotes the well-travelled, the pioneer and the gentleman aviator.
More information on all of our Breitling stock can be found on our Breitling watches page.
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