Sections of this article:
The History And Origins Of Limited Edition Watches
Edition Concepts In Watches And The Arts
Why Watch Enthusiasts Dislike Some Limited Editions And Love Others.
Some Examples Of Great Limited Edition Watches
Why Most Unconstrainedtime Watches Make Sense As Limited Editions.
Introduction
The concept of limited edition watches as such is a relatively new one, although something similar has been around as long as watches themselves, as I’ll explain below.
More recently, while limited editions made for a genuine reasons are still much sought after, there has been a understandable back-lash against other types of limited edition watches by the enthusiasts community, for reasons I’ll explain clearly below. and there are valid reasons why buying some limited edition watches can make sense for specific buyers, as I’ll detail in this article.
With strong arguments for and against limited edition timepieces, it’s essential to understand what’s behind both of those views when considering a purchase, which this article will enable you to do.
I’ll also present some interesting examples of great limited edition watches, including the many reasons why our own watches are mostly limited editions.
Note . . . I only use watch images with permission from the watchmaker (unless the photos are public domain or creative commons), so some of the watches I present here might be lacking an image.
The History And Origins Of Limited Edition Watches
Through most of the history of watches, they were individually made, often only after being ordered by a client.
Very early wristwatches were worn by high class women (such as Queen Elizabeth 1, who was given one in 1571), and were made to be more decorative than functional (their accuracy was poor). Women were expected not to know the time. These watches were made in small numbers, often less than a typical limited edition today typically for individual clients.
Relatively accurate pocket watches emerged in Germany in the 17th Century. While watches were primarily a functional item in this era, only well-off people could afford a watch, so they often incorporated precious metals and decorative elements.
At this point in history the best watches took time to build. For example, it took Harrison (one of the most famous watch makers ever) six years to build his first “sea watch”, now known as H4 (shown above), which at 130mm in diameter was about twice the size of most pocket watches. It was made specifically for the Longitude prize, which was to aid navigation out of sight of land, essential for Britain to have more success in naval battles, and for long sea voyages.
Abraham-Louis Breguet made what some sources cite as the world’s first known wristwatch, requested by the Queen of Naples on June 8th 1810. Other sources say wristwatches were made more than two centuries before this, including for Elizabeth 1 who was given one (described as an “arm watch”) in 1571.
By 1843, the British Watch Company was using mass-production techniques. An American company was making watches with interchangeable parts by 1851. During this industrial revolution period, it became fashionable to be on time to engagements, since only rich people had accurate watches.
The industrial revolution changed how watches were made, from being constructed by hand, to being made in unlimited numbers on a production line. This made watches much more affordable, since production costs were decreased dramatically.
Although the concept of limited editions in general predated the industrial revolution slightly, known to be in use from 1804, it became a much more significant concept after the majority of watches were being made in unrestricted numbers.
One of the earliest instances of limited edition watches can be traced to Abraham-Louis Breguet, a legendary watchmaker in the late 18th century. Breguet created bespoke timepieces for influential figures such as King Louis XVI, introducing unique designs tailored to specific preferences. This personalized approach laid the groundwork for the concept of exclusivity in watchmaking, and they produced of the first limited-edition watches.
Their sales records date back to the late 18th century and include leading historical figures such as Marie-Antoinette, Napoleon Bonaparte, George III, George IV, Queen Victoria, and the Duke of Windsor (Prince Edward, the former King Edward VIII). They also presented Prince Charles with an engraved wristwatch to commemorate his 60th birthday.
Napoleon’s sister Caroline Murat, later to be Queen of Naples (above), owned a collection of over thirty Breguet watches. They are still proudly displaying their historical roots on their website, and the House of Breguet will restore and service any Breguet timepiece from any time back to its founding in 1775.
However, the true rise of limited edition watches began in the 20th century. Brands like Patek Philippe, and Omega started producing special edition models with restricted quantities, often commemorating significant events or anniversaries. These limited runs cultivated a sense of rarity and collectibility, appealing to avid watch enthusiasts as well as investors.
The 1970s witnessed a surge in the popularity of limited editions. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” (above, left) and Patek Philippe Nautilus (above, right) – both launched as limited series – proved immensely successful. These watches not only boasted exquisite craftsmanship but also served as status symbols due to their scarcity.
Advancements in technology and manufacturing techniques further fuelled the trend. Brands began experimenting with avant-garde materials, intricate complications, and artistic collaborations, resulting in highly sought-after limited editions. Watchmakers like Richard Mille and Hublot pushed boundaries by combining cutting-edge materials like carbon fibber and ceramic with innovative designs, captivating collectors worldwide.
But more recently, the concept of the limited edition watch (as well as limited editions in other areas such as books) has been over-used, especially in examples where it doesn’t have much justification. I’ll go into the details of the love/hate relationship with limited editions, below.
Edition Concepts In Watches And The Arts
A limited edition of a watch is usually limited by the number of watches produced (typically shown on the back of each watch), which will usually be between 500 and 5,000 pieces, but some are released in even smaller numbers, even down to a single piece.
By contrast, a special edition watch is one that has been designed to commemorate an event or person, although the terms are often used interchangeably. These descriptions can be misused, such as a DVD release being defined as a “special edition” with additional material, when in fact it is the only version available. These kinds of deceptive and unjustified marketing tactics are part of what has understandably turned enthusiasts against some uses of the concept of special editions (more detail on that below).
Other similar terms include deluxe edition, or collector’s edition. Limited Releases are usually similar to special editions, being made for anniversaries, special events and festivals, and only available for a short time. Again the terms tend to be used interchangeably.
The concept of limited editions was first applied to published products such as books and artistic prints, but now finds itself being applied to a much wider range of products including cars, wines and whiskey.
The term limited edition was applied to fine art printmaking, where a limited edition print refers to something individually made, using an artistic process, not a purely mechanical reproduction process, produced and signed by, the artist themselves.
“In printmaking, an edition is a number of prints struck from one plate, usually at the same time. This may be a limited edition, with a fixed number of impressions produced on the understanding that no further impressions (copies) will be produced later, or an open edition limited only by the number that can be sold or produced before the plate wears. Most modern artists produce only limited editions, normally signed by the artist in pencil, and numbered as say 67/100 to show the unique number of that impression and the total edition size.” (Wikipedia)
So a limited edition print is an original piece of art, using an artistic printmaking process like etching, woodcut or lithography, which is very different from a mass-produced copy which is a mechanical photographic reproduction of an original artwork. Early examples include aquatints by Goya (above), employing a method which wears out the plate rapidly, so can only be produced in small numbers.
All artistic printmaking processes are, by their nature, limited in the number of prints they can make, because each print made degrades the plate used to make it, although at differing rates for different printmaking processes.
These originals artworks can be very valuable, such as one of the first prints ever made by Pablo Picasso entitled “Le repas frugal” (above) which sold for £1,945,250, and a print of Toulouse-Lautrec’s “Au lit: Le baiser” which was bought for $12,485,000.
Seeing how the limited edition concept increased the value of artworks, companies selling other types of products began using it as a way to increase their profits, sometimes giving excellent value in some way, sometimes not.
Limited editions are just too common now. For example early limited editions of books were a rare event and would usually sell out immediately. Now there are so many limited editions of books that demand has decreased and many of them are still unsold years later. So the sales of a limited edition can be a good indicator as to whether they are desirable for collectors, or not.
The same applies to watches, with early limited editions being sought-after and valuable, but more recent over-use of the concept when it is barely justified such as the exact same watch being release as a “limited edition” with a slightly different coloured dial, has made enthusiasts understandably wary of limited editions that don’t have a good reason behind them.
Some brands only create watches in limited numbers; so every release can be seen as a limited edition. This includes Rolex, which, although they don’t officially produce limited editions, do seem to consistently produce less watches than the number that customers want to buy, so many of their models, like Daytonas (detail shown above), Day-Dates, and Air-Kings, always have more demand than supply, and waiting lists of more than a year. They don’t need to tell people their watches have more limited supply than demand by officially defining them as a limited edition, because people already know that.
Why Watch Enthusiasts Dislike Some Limited Editions And Love Others.
Bad Reasons For Limited Editions
We’ve seen how some brands are cashing in on the urge to feel special, which means that the market is now over-saturated with limited edition watches that aren’t particularly novel or necessarily of interest.
A few brands, such as Oris and Omega, release so many limited editions annually, that each release doesn’t really feel that special. Other brands, such as Hublot (Big Bang Unico King Gold edition, shown above) and Panerai seem to have most of their models released as limited editions, even when the edition size is several thousand pieces, making it hard to justify seeing it as limited at all.
Watch enthusiasts understandably dislike brands releasing regular models with minor alterations presented as a limited edition, such as by merely changing the colour of the dial, which is a common phenomenon with some brands these days.
Making a limited edition for a specific event or cause, or as a tribute to a celebrity can work well if there is a good reason for doing so, but it can also be used as a marketing ploy as an easy way to create a story or concept for a watch that wouldn’t otherwise be noteworthy. So make sure you look beyond the hype and see if there is a significant reason behind what the limited edition appears to be about, as we’ll discuss next . . .
Good Reasons For Limited Editions.
The general feeling is that there should be a good reason for a limited edition, since it is the concept or story behind the watch which is interesting and noteworthy. This also aligns with the evolution from the watch as a mainly functional item in the past, sometimes with fine jewellery decoration, towards art jewellery concepts, which are very much more about the story or concept behind the creation, not just mechanical design considerations and expensive materials.
There are a few limited edition watches that have a clear reason for being produced in small numbers. One of the most obvious examples is the Antoine Preziuso Robusto, with a case made from the Gibbeon meteorite, discovered in 1838, which has a unique composition of 90 percent iron and various rare metals.
It can also make sense for exclusive watches which are aimed at a very small market, to be made in correspondingly small numbers, such as watches by Jean Dunand, who are aiming at a very narrow niche with their watches that are up to a million dollars each. It wouldn’t make sense to make them in large numbers.
And, of course, as mentioned above, there are brands like Rolex, which don’t need to label their watches as limited editions, because people know that demand is consistently higher than supply.
Collaborative limited editions can be a good idea, such as a brand working with a well-known watch designer (I’ll be talking about some examples of those, below). These can work really well, because the designer is likely to add something unique and special.
It also makes sense for a watch to be released in the number that the brand thinks will sell.
Limited editions can also be a legitimate way to test innovative concepts or materials, to see how the market responds.
There are some well-regarded watches which are made in fixed numbers for specific retailers. An example is the Tudor Black Bay Harrods Edition (above), which has received positive reviews from some experts.
Basically, as I said at the beginning of this section . . . limited edition watches are a good thing if there is a genuine reason for them being released in small numbers. But if there’s nothing particularly special about the watch or the story, then it is a marketing tactic, and should be seen as such.
I’ll be showing some examples of great limited edition watches, below.
Should You Buy One?
The real answer is . . . it depends. Be very wary of anything you read which gives a single general answer to this question, whether it’s a yes or a no, because it really does depend on various factors, so any one answer to this question is just wrong for a lot of people, and might well be wrong for you.
So make very sure you start with yourself . . . what are you really buying a watch for? Most people will have several reasons, of different degrees of importance, so make a note of them, put them in order, then refer back to them when making a decision about which watches to buy . . . it can be easy to get caught up in the hype and forget to think rationally about what really matters to you.
Reasons for buying a limited edition watch can include:
- as an investment
- because of a personal connection to the story behind it
- to mark a special occasion in your life
- for a charitable cause
- as a special gift
- for what it communicates to others about you as the owner, when you wear it
- because you love something about the watch, whether the aesthetics, technical prowess, or a link to history or a specific event.
One point which can be very significant if one of the factors that matters you is the future value of a watch, is . . . “Limited edition watches are one of the few types of timepiece that are almost certain to increase in value” (Investing in Watches: Dos and Don’ts, Neamh Mcmillan, October 27, 2022).
It should also be mentioned that it can be hard to access some limited editions, because they can be reserved by retailers for their high-value clients, long before the edition is released. Buying online (as you can do with our watches, below) can help, because that gives you as much chance of a purchase as anyone else.
One thing you should avoid, if you care about the future value of a watch, is buying a watch that is focused on a current trend that is likely to be short-lived. So if you’re buying a watch as an investment, make sure it is a timeless style, independent of short-term trends.
Take the edition size into account, if the value matters to you . . . in general, the smaller the edition size, the higher the added value of the limitation of the edition. If you want to know more about watches for collecting, read our blog post about collectors watches.
It also matters how you feel about the watch, even if you are buying it mainly for rational reasons such as investment, because how you feel affects how you will present the watch to others (even if you are not consciously aware of doing so), if the time comes when you want to resell it.
Think about what I said elsewhere in this article . . . really assess if a limited edition is being made for a genuine reason, or if it’s just a marketing gimmick. It is best to buy a limited edition watch because you’ve taken the time to really think about it and found that it is something you really want, and which makes sense with your reasons for buying watches. Impulse purchases due to falling for short-term hype leave many buyers unsatisfied in the longer-term.
Also assess the quality of the brand, and the support and customer service they offer.
Have a look at how often the brand releases limited editions. Doing so often for no good reason can decrease the value that a limited edition adds to the basic value of the watch from the specific brand. For example, Patek Philippe rarely release limited editions, so their limited editions are likely to be adding more value compared to the rest of their watches than a watch by Omega, who release a lot more limited editions.
Consider if the specific edition means anything to you personally.
Some Examples Of Great Limited Edition Watches
The Holthinrichs Meteorite, from their “Deconstructed” collection.
This gorgeous and interesting aesthetic watch is not strictly a limited edition, but is only available in small numbers, as is common with microbrands: “Please know we make all our timepieces by hand with a capacity of about 100 timepieces per year. We do our utmost best to make your timepiece as fast as possible without compromise on our quality. Lead times may take 6-18 months depending on the model.”
I love the authenticity of showing the raw 3D printed texture on some parts of the watch (as you can see on the detail of the back, above right), and as we’ll be doing on our UnconstrainedTime watches, (below), as well as the beautiful and unique design, and the fact that it is available in limited numbers produced for the very good reason of being individually made by hand.
The price for the Meteorite watch shown above is listed on their website as € 18,800.
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Barakuda.
Is an ultra-slim model with an unusually good power reserve of 100 hours, and a design influenced by their historically significant dive watches. It is limited to 500 pieces.
While Omega do release many limited editions, their Omega Speedmaster Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Moonshine Gold Edition is said to be one of the more notable editions.
“Marking 50 years since Apollo 11 landed on the moon, OMEGA is celebrating the golden anniversary with this Speedmaster model limited to just 1,014 pieces. The design is full of lunar history as well as modern materials and a superb new movement.”
The original gold Speedmaster watches were presented to astronauts at a gala dinner in 1969 in Houston. The edition now, as it was then, is limited to 1014 pieces.
The case and strap are made of a specially designed gold alloy they are calling “moonshine gold” to give a similar pale hue to the original watches. The burgundy ceramic bezel, also a similar colour to the original, gives it a distinctive look. The case-back includes both a piece of lunar meteorite, and a map of the world focused on Cape Canaveral. And, like the original, it is presented in a “crater box.”
The Panerai Experience Editions, are not just watches. When you bought one you also had the option of a unique adventure experience, such as sailing along the Amalfi coast on a 1936 yacht, joining Italian Special Forces troops in exercises, or joining some real Navy Seal training.
The The Patek Philippe Weir and Sons 5905P-014, itself one of the earliest watch brands, commemorated the 150th anniversary of the historic Weir and Sons retailer in Ireland, with this watch, having a Kelly green dial and strap. They are a brand who rarely limits their editions, so this one is exceptional in more ways than one.
The Bremont Ronnie Wood 1947 Rock On’ Hands Down 43mm Men’s Watch was released in 47 pieces, as a tribute to Ronnie Wood, the Rolling Stone’s guitarist, born in 1947. He hand-painted every dial himself, making each one a totally unique collectors item. The case is in white gold, and these sold out rapidly at £38,950 ($48,874) each. (Bremont is a great examples of a luxury British brand).
The Breitling Premier B01 42 Bentley Centenary Limited Edition (no longer available on the Breitling website) features a unique brown burl elm dial, as found on the dashboard of some Bentley cars. It was inspired by the “Blower” Bentley from 1949, which refers to the supercharger used in this 4.5 litre race car, which won the famous Le Mans Twenty-four-hour race.
The F.P. Journe Chronomètre Holland & Holland, is limited by the materials used, which is metal from two 1800 gun barrels by gun maker Holland and Holland, who they collaborated with in this edition. The Damascus steel gives a distinctive look to the dial, and only 88 were able to be made from the original gun barrels. Definitely a watch with a worthwhile story behind the design as well as being an excellent example of individuality in watchmaking.
The A. Lange & Soehne tourbograph perpetual, “pour le mérite”:
. . . combines five outstanding complications: fusée-and-chain transmission, tourbillon, rattrapante chronograph, and perpetual calendar. It is available on “honey-gold”, silver or platinum, and limited to 50 pieces, commemorating their 175th anniversary.
It’s timelessly high class looks and unusual features make it an outstanding example of a limited edition watch.
The Chopard Skull One was released in 2021 and is a tribute to the Day of the Dead a significant and ancient Mexican holiday. Only 8 pieces were made, and it is a great example of a significant design for a very narrow niche.
The F.P. Journe Chronomètre Souverain Dubai Edition, with only 99 pieces available exclusively in Dubai, has unique colours and simple yet distinctive aesthetics. While the whole brand is rather exclusive, this particular edition is even more so.
The Grand Seiko SBGA065 Spring Drive 50th Anniversary:
. . . (no longer listed on their website), honours the brand’s history, and, with its textured dial and spring drive, is said to epitomize the brand.
The IWC Aquatimer Chronograph Edition Expedition Charles Darwin:
. . . featuring the only bronze case by this watchmaker, as well as rugged looks relating to the concept of the exploratory expeditions of the HMS Beagle which carried Charles Darwin on his famous voyages of discovery in the Galapagos islands where he catalogued the areas unique wildlife. Darwin was also the inspiration for another watch design.
The A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar Handwerkskunst:
. . . is a unique watch, with a hand engraved blue enamel dial, with 20 pieces released in . white gold. The partly open back shows more engraving and stars, as well as the beautiful movement. The price of €290,000, is justified by the handmade nature of some of the parts, and the rarity of this striking and unusual watch.
The F.P.Journe Vagabondage III:
. . . has exceptional looks and is the first mechanical wristwatch to display digital jumping hours, minutes, and seconds. It was released in 2017. The edition is limited to 68 pieces in red gold, and 69 in platinum. The fascinating inner workings are shown off by the smoked sapphire dial and the exhibition case-back.
The Zenith Chronomaster Original Limited Edition for Hodinkee is a stunning watch with its opaline salmon dial and counters in different shades of grey and silver. It relates to the history of the first “El Primo” watch from the ’60”s, combined with modern influences resulting in a distinctive and interesting look.
This watch is a great example of a successful and notable collaboration between watchmakers Zenith and Hodinkee with their watch expertise and well-known shop. All 300 pieces in the edition sold out within hours, at a price of €9,500.
The Bvlgari Octo Finissimo 10th Anniversary Models (no longer shown on their website) include the time-only automatic model, with beautifully simple design, a sandblasted titanium case and an interesting and unique sketched dial.
Its edition of 200 pieces sold out rapidly at €14,800 each.
The Ressence × Alain Silberstein “Carpe Diem” is undeniably unique, a fascinating collaboration with its exuberant colors and distinctive playful design. The red hour track with an hour indicator in the shape of a white, pink, yellow, and red tulip is sure to catch the eye.
Baume & Mercier Baume Ocean Limited Edition Automatic.:
“The BAUME OCEAN Limited Edition is a 42mm grey/blue automatic watch crafted in recycled plastic. Its interchangeable strap is made of woven RPET and lined with natural black cork.”
It combines collaboration with the NGO WFO (a historical partner of Baume) and the Seaqual initiative, aligns with the brand’s focus on eco-responsibility, and has a distinctive minimalistic design. It has an automatic movement cased in recycled plastic within an aluminium sheath, and it is for sale on their website at £1,490 ($1869)
The Omega Speedmaster Chrono Chime:
. . . both looks stunning and includes a unique complication which involved 17 patents. It is presented in Sedna gold, with a beautiful enamel dial in blue aventurine. It is the first watch in the world to chime the elapsed time, and was available for CHF 450,000 (which is over half a million dollars).
The Grand Seiko Kodo Constant-force Tourbillon proudly shows some of the most complicated watch mechanisms, which involves a movement in which the constant-force carriage is integrated with the tourbillon carriage, both on the same axis, so no torque is lost between them.
This visually stunning watch has a case of platinum and titanium, and was available for €370,000.
The HM9 Sapphire Vision from MB&F:
. . . is visually extraordinary as well as being technically impressive, and was made available to the public in four limited editions, with just five pieces each. Made as “a tribute to the extraordinary automotive and aeronautic designs of the 1940s and 50s. The result was a case like no other that echoed the epoch’s flowing, aerodynamic lines.“
They decided to present their amazing and beautiful movement encased in “an outer hull of sapphire crystal and precious metal.”
Another fascinating example of a limited edition for unique reasons, is the “Genesis” watch by H. Moser and Cie, which I detail in my blog post on algorithmic watch design.
Why Most Unconstrainedtime Watches Make Sense As Limited Editions.
Our watches fit with the concepts used by some of the best of those great limited edition watches mentioned above. For example, like a few of those watches above, we offer both ground-breaking aesthetics and a revolutionary time-display.
Our watches are undeniably unique. An unrestricted edition would not fit with their nature as such unusually unique creative items. They are obviously not mass-produced, so the concepts of mass-production such as the engineering being the major aesthetic influence, or being released in unlimited numbers, don’t fit with their intrinsic nature.
Our watches are definitely not minor variations on the same watch. We’re not doing something like changing the dial colour of an otherwise identical watch with most of its influences coming from the engineering design of other watches. Each of our watches (at the time of writing) is an entirely new creation, rather than an evolution from another of our models.
Art evolves and changes through time. Each artwork is about the time it is created (even if it has influences from past or future). Even if that act of creation is then released as a series (as fine art prints are), the moment of creation is what matters, and is very different from the concept of a designing an item mass-produced endlessly on a production line.
“It’s an important part of the strategy that Jean Dunand is not producing volume, it’s like a concept/niche brand” Thierry Oulevay, the President of Jean Dunand, explains. The same applies to our watches, which are for a narrow niche. They are very creative and unusual, and they are not going to align with most people’s tastes. They are definitely for people who are very individual and passionate about creativity. They are not watches for everyone . . . a limited edition reflects their inevitably limited demand.
Each of our watches is about a specific story or concept . . . that’s what conceptual art jewellery and fine art are about, an exploration both inwards to the unique world of the artist, and in conjunction with an exploration outwards to the world around all of us, and the relationship between the two. And, as other people commenting on why some limited-editions are loved and some hated, are saying, the story being intrinsic to the watch, rather than just an add-on for marketing purposes, is one of the most important factors for a worthwhile limited edition watch.:
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What’s your favourite limited edition watch, and why? Let us know your opinions, in the comments below, or on our social media.
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