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EXCLUSIVE: Legendary Watches Worn By The British Royal Family

The Coronation of King Charles III has raised a lot of important questions recently. ‘How much money will it cost?’ and ‘Do we even need a monarchy?’. Royalist or not however, we are sure you will appreciate the diverse collection of watches that has been apparent through the generations of The Royal Family.

Stemming back more than 1000 years ago, The Royal Family has over 37 generations of ‘blue blood’, the watch collection throughout each era has not ceased to amaze. For example, Queen Victoria’s pocket watch which was crafted by Patek Philippe was the first perpetual calendar movement dating back to 1851. Nowadays, although the younger members are more restrained in their watch collections, they are still adorned with fantastic timepieces that many will want to catch a glimpse of.

From extravagant outfits to the endless stream of consorts attending to their every need, the Royal Family’s watch game is more than suited for ostentatious pageantry of The Coronation of King Charles III. Join Chrono Hunter as we run through the Royal Family members and their highly impressive selection of luxury watches!

Queen Elizabeth II

When Queen Elizabeth passed away, she also left a stunning array of timepieces and a legacy like no other after being on the throne for seven decades! Queen Elizabeth II was a purveyor and collector of some of the most stunning watches on the planet.

The bonus of being so famed is that you can get your hands on some of these watches for free as gifts for your various celebrations. For the red blooded person, we unfortunately do not have such luck!

Vacheron Constantin 4481

For the wedding day in November 1947, the Swiss Federal Council gifted Queen Elizabeth II a Vacheron Constantin gold and diamond cocktail watch reference 4481. It would later be passed onto Lady Diana Spencer on her wedding day with Prince Charles in 1981. Thin and dainty, what a stunning watch to wear with those flowing robes!

Vacheron Constantin 4481 - Source - Express

Sadly watch peeps, you cannot buy the Vacheron Constantin 4481 as it was specifically made for Queen Elizabeth II.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 101

In the spirit of King Charles III’s impending Coronation, Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation was adorned with a stunning timepiece, the Jaeger LeCoultre Caliber 101. Designed in 1929, it was made to be exceptionally small, so minuscule that it would become the world's smallest calibre. Due to the era, it was deemed inappropriate for a lady to check their watch in public. As such, the small size of the watch was perfect for a lady that's constantly in the spotlight.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 101 - Source - WatchProZine

It is estimated that you can buy a Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 101 on the secondary market for around £3 million at the time of writing. Yowzers, how much do we need to bow and scrape to get our horological mitts on this timepiece.

Patek Philippe 4975/IG

Patek Philippe are part of the famed ‘Holy Trinity’ group with Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin. As such, they are more than capable of offering a watch fit for a Queen! Epitomising class, luxury and refinement, the watch is covered in a sheen of baguette cut diamonds and is built upon a strap that's made up of pearls. Seen during the state opening of Parliament in 2004, Queen Elizabeth II is all dolled up in her finery, including diamond encrusted crown and necklace!

Patek Philippe 4975/1G - Source - Vintage Grail

You cannot buy a Patek Philippe 4975/1G at retail due to it being a bespoke piece made for Queen Elizabeth II. No surprise there then.

Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse

Queen Elizabeth II certainly does enjoy a good Patek Philippe watch. Our next timepiece turns to The Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse, crafted out of white gold with a deep blue dial. Suffice to say, the colour scheme was just as gorgeous as the diamond infused dress she wore it with when attending a banquet at Claridges in London in 1982.

Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse - Source - Van Rijk Jewellers

While you cannot buy a Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse as it’s yet another bespoke watch made for Queen Elizabeth II, you can buy a Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse 5738R with black dial at retail for £29,530 - at the time of writing.

Omega Ladymatic

Omega…you wouldn't necessarily consider this brand the entry level into luxury watches? That's right, Timelords! Don't be fooled however, Omega have released some stunning watches over the years like the iconic Speedmaster Moonwatch and Omega Ladymatic. Queen Elizabeth II had a vintage, art-deco inspired watch which she proudly wore upon meeting German Chancellor, Willy Brandt at Windsor Castle in 1972.

Omega Ladymatic - Source - Perpetual Passion

You can buy an Omega Ladymatic on the secondary market for around £2 million at the time of writing.

Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars

Queen Elizabeth II became a master of speeches throughout her reign. Aside from her legendary annual Queens Christmas Speech, there was also a resounding oratoric performance when the UK was faced with the Covid 19 pandemic. Now watch aficionados may have noticed the sublime gold Audemars Piguet Jules adorned on her wrist. Understated yet ultimately fashionable, Queen Elizabeth II wore this timepiece while watching her horse at Newbury Racecourse in April 2015.

Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars - Source - Daily Express

You cannot buy an Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars at retail as again it is a bespoke piece that was made for Queen Elizabeth II which has no doubt skyrocketed in value.

King Charles III

Taking after his mother, King Charles III is a prominent figure in the Royal Family and dare we say the watch collecting community. After all, millions will be gathered around their telly boxes as well as up and down The Mall for the Coronation of King Charles III on Saturday 6th May. From the longest reigning Prince of Wales to the King of Britain, we are all eagerly waiting for the sublime watch he will be wearing for such a momentous occasion! But what timepiece weapon of choice will Charles III opt for?

Patek Philippe Calatrava Disco Volante

The Patek Philippe Calatrava Disco Volante watch has three hands and is designed in a way that oozes classicism, pure opulence and refinement. More than suitable for the Coronation, this watch has been capable of being worn by women too.

Princess Diana was believed to have worn the former Prince of Wales's iconic watch the Patek Philippe Calatrava Disco Volante as well as another gold Patek Philippe gifted from Charles to her for her 30th birthday. Worn on the same wrist, she set the trend named ‘double wristing’ and simultaneously certified Patek Philippe as a classic luxury brand for the Royal Family!

Patek Philippe Calatrava Disco Volante - Source - Elle Singapore

You cannot buy a Patek Philippe Calatrava Disco Volante at retail as it is a bespoke piece made for King Charles III. Mind you when you have an estimated wealth of nearly £2 billion, what’s the odd personalised luxury watch between friends?

Santos de Cartier

Created in 1904, The Santos de Cartier was originally a project by Louis Cartier for pilot Albert Santos-Dumont. Due to the difficulty of checking a pocket watch during flight, Albert Santos-Dumont requested Louis Cartier to create a watch that was easily accessible. As such, the Santos de Cartier was born, allowing users to read the time just from a quick check of the wrist. Given a two tone colour scheme of steel and yellow gold, the watch is very much of its 80s era. Don't be alarmed though, Timelords. It’s still just as suitable today for the Coronation of King Charles III as it was back then!

Santos de Cartier - Source - Watchlounge

You can buy a Santos de Cartier in both steel and yellow gold at retail for £11,100 at the time of writing.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso was built for soldiers playing polo in India. The risk of the crystal getting smashed required a little innovation and the eventual result brought about the Reverso which allowed the watch to be rotated. And it’s more than suitable for a certain someone wanting to look sharp for the Coronation of King Charles III! Crafted out of yellow gold, the watch is crafted atop a leather strap, allowing its white dial to stand out clearly.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso - Source - WatchLounge

You can no longer buy a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso in yellow gold at the time of writing.

Prince William

Prince William is a product of modern society. The pomp and grandeur of the Royal Family in the past is being replaced by modern and culturally aware members as society shifts towards inclusivity and a spirit of togetherness, especially after Covid 19 and the current cost of living crisis.

Prince William’s watch collection is therefore more limited in comparison to his predecessors but still houses a stunning watch which any collector would pride themselves on. Plus it may just surprise you as we ain't talking about Rolex, AP or even VC for that matter!

Omega Seamaster Quartz 300m Mid Size

The Omega Seamaster is much more to Prince William than just a high quality luxury watch.

Omega Seamaster Quartz 300m Mid Size - Source - WristEnthusiast

As a gift from Prince William’s mother Princess Diana who sadly passed away in a car crash in Paris, the watch holds much more pertinence and symbolism. It's constructed like any other Omega Seamaster and doesn't have any other alterations done to it. Nothing better than a good old chronometer stainless steel wristwatch!

Treasured and adorned on Prince William’s wrist for the last three decades, If it's good enough for Prince William to wear on his wedding day to Kate Middleton and relaxed enough to pull off during a Brooklyn Nets game, it's a watch you will have no problem pulling off either! It’s also a watch we can almost guarantee he’ll be wearing during the Coronation of King Charles III!

Sadly, you can no longer buy an Omega Seamaster Quartz 300m Mid Size at retail at the time of writing.

Prince Harry

Maybe one of the more controversial members of the Royal Family, Prince Harry follows in his brother's footsteps by keeping his watch collection short and sweet.

That is by no means a criticism either as Prince Harry’s watch collection is made up of a stunning timepiece which might “spare” you some horological blushes on the day of the Coronation of King Charles III!

Rolex Explorer II

Prince Harry served a few times in Afghanistan and was given the lauded position of captain. Launched in 1953, The Rolex Explorer is certainly an excellent choice for the unpredictable nature of warfare. The Explorer II is Harry’s most popular choice of luxury refinery. Linked to the climb up Mount Everest, it shows the capability of this truly iconic watch.

Its sizing was originally 39mm and was crafted in a highly durable stainless steel case and bracelet. It was the first Explorer to bring in an extra 24 hours to allow easy readings of daytime or nighttime. Also referenced as the Steve Mcqueen Rolex, its orange 24 hour hand ensures legibility. Nowadays, it still features the iconic orange second hand and it is constructed to be easily viewed, perfect for the pilot of an Apache helicopter!

Rolex Explorer II - Source - Becker Time

You can no longer buy a Rolex Explorer II at retail due to it being discontinued at the time of writing.

Breitling Aerospace

Crafted out of titanium, The Breitling Aerospace is more than suitable for the flying man, Prince Harry! And it demonstrates again Prince Harry’s horological love affair with all things aeronautical.

Breitling Aerospace - Source - Winsor Bishop

This Breitling watch features a digital calendar which shows the day and date to an accuracy of 4 years. It also has a chronograph which is a staple for aviation watches. Prince Harry wore this bad boy at the time of Prince William’s wedding and at the Diamond Jubilee Cathedral Service. Yes, Timelords. You can pull this off for any situation, warfare or wedding wear. We have a sneaky suspicion this may see an appearance during The Coronation of King Charles III.

You can no longer buy a Breitling Aerospace at retail due to it being discontinued at the time of writing.

Other Royal Family Members

The Royal Family in its entirety don't tend to leave their plush homes without some luxury watch strapped to their wrists. Suffice to say, this will certainly be the case for the Coronation of King Charles III!

Older Royal Family members like Camilla, the soon to be Queen Consort proudly display her Cartier Francaise in yellow gold with a black strap. The Cartier Francaise is an icon in Cartier’s legendary timekeeping portfolio due to the high quality design and use of the precious metal. It's minimalist but more than suitable for a Queen Consort!

Meanwhile, our watchmaking spies inform us that Kate Middleton similarly goes for Cartier, instead opting for the Cartier Ballon Bleu. Crafted out of stainless steel, its unorthodox dial face is perfect for a Princess! Worn during the Men's Singles Final match at Wimbledon 2022, it looks sublime due to its intricacy and simple colour scheme.

You can buy a Cartier Ballon Bleu at retail for £5,900 at the time of writing.

Cartier Ballon Bleu - Source - DuJour Magazine

The newest member, Meghan Markle kicked up quite a stir during her union with the Royal Family. She matches Queen Elizabeth II's Consort Camilia with the Cartier Francaise watch but goes for a dual tone version of steel and yellow gold. Meghan Markle follows in Diana’s fashion footsteps as the Cartier Francaise was actually previously hers. Furthermore, she adorns Princess Diana’s jewellery, including a Cartier Love bracelet and her butterfly earrings. Nothing like dressing to impress! You can buy a Cartier Francaise in both yellow gold and steel for £6,450 at the time of writing.

Conclusion

The Royal Family pull no horological punches when it comes to their watch collection. We can only expect that the Coronation of King Charles III will bring even more joy to watch enthusiasts worldwide as we salivate not over the regalia and ceremonial pomp but the watches that will be worn by The Royal Family! We can expect some classic wristwear choices from The Royal Family to mark The Coronation of King Charles III.

We can only assume Prince William will be wearing his trusty Omega Seamaster 300m given to him by Princess Diana while Prince Harry will most likely be sporting his military inspired Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer II 216570 or Breitling Aerospace. King Charles III on the other hand is a horological enigma. What will the man of the hour wear for the Coronation? Will he adorn his trusted Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Chronograph which he bought in the early 2000s? Or select an older luxury brand and wear his classy Patek Philippe Calatrava Disco Volante to match this illustrious event. It's a tough call for the Coronation of King Charles III!

From the impressive refined collection of Queen Elizabeth II to the stunning selection of watches that King Charles III possesses, The Royal Family has undoubtedly a remarkable collection of timepieces worth millions spanning many of the finest luxury brands in the world. All this Coronation of King Charles III talk makes me want to nip down the Dog and Duck and order a pint from Prince William. What…you weren't there to witness this historic event? Check out William’s pouring skills here. I wonder if he does weddings or bar mitzvahs.

Feeling the urge to buy a watch owned by the Royal Family? Want to be looking sharp in time for the Coronation of King Charles III? Take inspiration from this extensive collection of Royal Family watches! Have a chat by getting in contact with Chrono Hunter here. Have a peruse at our phenomenal reviews on Trustpilot to see why you should buy a watch or sell a watch through us. Our peerless service and secure platform means you are very much in the best possible hands.

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