The hype surrounding the Audemars Piguet x Swatch Royal Pop has pushed pocket watches back into mainstream fashion conversations once again. Though the format may feel old-fashioned today, pocket watches were once the standard form of portable timekeeping before wristwatches took over. Many prestigious watchmakers built their legacy around them centuries ago and still produce them today. From ultra-complicated collector pieces to historically significant designs, these five luxury pocket watches prove the format still holds a unique place in modern haute horology
Vacheron Constantin The Berkley
Regarded as the world’s most complicated watch, Vacheron Constantin’s The Berkley represents the absolute peak of contemporary haute horology. Commissioned by a private collector, the pocket watch features 63 complications and 2,877 individual components housed inside a massive 18k white gold double-sided case measuring 98mm wide. Most impressively, it includes the world’s first fully mechanical Chinese perpetual calendar, alongside astronomical displays, a split-seconds chronograph, a triple-axis tourbillon and a Westminster Grande Sonnerie chime inspired by Big Ben.
Patek Philippe Lepine
The Patek Philippe Lepine offers the maison’s refined take on the classic open-face pocket watch, a design pioneered by 18th-century watchmaker Jean-Antoine Lépine that allows the time to be read directly without a protective cover. Typically crafted in ultra-slim 18k gold cases, the watch combines vertically satin-finished dials, applied Breguet numerals and a manually wound Caliber 17’’’ LEP PS movement with a 50-hour power reserve. Finished with the prestigious Patek Philippe Seal, it perfectly reflects the brand’s longstanding mastery of traditional Genevan pocket watchmaking.
Audemars Piguet 150 Heritage Anniversary Universal Calendar
Released for Audemars Piguet’s 150th anniversary earlier this year, the Universal Calendar pocket watch quietly reminded collectors of the brand’s deep roots in complicated pocket watchmaking long before the Royal Pop collaboration arrived. Limited to just two platinum examples, the piece combines intricate hand engraving, Grand Feu enamel and a highly complicated universal calendar capable of tracking celebrations including Ramadan, Diwali and Chinese New Year. Powered by a movement containing 1,099 components, the watch also integrates a flying tourbillon, split-seconds chronograph and Grande Sonnerie minute repeater inside an elegant open-faced case.
Cartier Mysterious Double Tourbillon Pocket Watch
Cartier approaches pocket watchmaking with the same theatrical elegance that defines many of its jewellery creations. The Mysterious Double Tourbillon Pocket Watch pairs an 18k white gold case with a rich purple dial, while its signature flying double-axis tourbillon appears suspended in mid-air through sapphire crystal discs without visible support. Inspired by Cartier’s historic mystery clocks, the mechanism rotates once every 60 seconds while orbiting the dial every five minutes. The piece also comes with a sculptural stand, allowing it to transform seamlessly into a luxurious desk clock.
Omega Specialities Olympic Pocket Watch 1932
Omega’s Specialities Olympic Pocket Watch 1932 directly references the year the brand first became official Olympic timekeeper, connecting the piece to one of the most historically important chapters in Omega’s legacy. The oversized 70mm hunter-style case is crafted entirely from solid rose gold and houses the hand-wound Calibre 3889 chronograph movement revived from the brand’s historical archives. Designed as a tribute to vintage sports timing instruments, the watch balances historical authenticity with modern finishing standards while reflecting the era when precision pocket chronographs were essential tools in international sporting competitions.
Also see: Where to get the best straps for your AP x Swatch Royal Pop
