Any one is a high end watch connoisseurs on the board???

The Apollo 8 astronauts were the first people to see the dark side of the moon with their own eyes. The black ceramic Co-Axial Speedmaster salutes their pioneering spirit and pays homage to the Speedmaster Professional chronographs worn by every Apollo astronaut.


ZIRCONIUM OXIDE MATERIAL
The black zirconium oxide ceramic dial is complemented by a matching ceramic 44.25 mm case with a brushed and polished ceramic casebody. The two polished ceramic chronograph control pushers on the case function totally independently - accordingly, there is no risk to the chronograph mechanism as a result of inadvertent manipulation.


THE REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT

Complete with an innovative column wheel mechanism and Si14 silicon balance spring, the OMEGA Co-Axial calibre 9300 is the first of our exclusive in-house movements to incorporate a chronograph function. The 12-hour and 60-minute counter hands are placed on the same sub-dial at 3 o'clock allowing for an intuitive reading of the recorded time and the reliability of the movement is such that the timepiece is offered with a full four-year warranty.

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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, A-Series

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Year Introduced: 1972

The Royal Oak (model reference No. 5402) was the world's first stainless-steel luxury sports watch with fully integrated bracelet. Legendary watch designer Gerald Genta designed it in one night, inspired by the clunky nuts he saw securing a diver's helmet. Launched in 1972 when cheap quartz watches were roiling the industry, competitors were convinced that the Royal Oak, priced at 3,650 Swiss francs, comparable to a gold watch, would bankrupt Audemars Piguet.

It took three years for the first 800 examples to sell; 39 mm in diameter, the "Jumbo" was unusually large for its day. The first 2000 watches, marked with a letter A on their case-backs, are the most collectible. They feature a case crafted from two pieces of solid steel. Eight exposed, white-gold hex nuts on the signature octagonal bezel, extending through the case, secure the movement. White-gold screws are inserted into these nuts from the case-back to compress the case, providing outstanding shock and water resistance.

The dials of the A-series are distinguished by a white gold AP logo at six o'clock. Inside ticks one of Switzerland's most prestigious and thinnest self-winding movements, graced by a taut, articulating bracelet and an ultrathin case. Market prices for the A-series Royal Oaks range from $20,000 in average condition to $40,000 and up for mint examples.

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Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph
Year Introduced: 1951

Patek Philippe's Perpetual Calendar Chronograph (model reference No. 2499) was made from 1951 through 1985. The 2499 combines a perpetual calendar -- a complicated mechanism indicating the correct day, date, and month that automatically adjusts for long and short months -- with a chronograph, or stopwatch, that's useful for timing sporting events. The components inside, such as a swan-neck-shaped regulator buffed to a mirror polish, are superbly hand-finished; the dials use champlevé enamel, an indelible and costly technique in which the dial's surface is engraved, filled with powdered enamel, and baked in a high-temperature oven for lasting permanence. Quality is certified by the independent Seal of Geneva stamp found on every watch. Only 349 were made.

The 2499 is especially desirable due to its well-proportioned 38-mm case. A massive size for its era -- when most men's watches measured between 32 mm and 35 mm -- it's ideal for contemporary tastes. Most were made in yellow gold, and fetch between $300,000 and $400,000 at auction. The 10 or so made in pink gold easily go for over $1 million.

Two examples were made in platinum -- one is in Patek Philippe's museum; the other was sold at Christie's in November 2012 for over $3.6 million. In its description, Christie's described the 2499 as Patek's "most iconic complicated model ever made." I agree, wholeheartedly.

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Cartier Tank Cintrée
Year Introduced: 1921

Born of Louis Cartier's burning desire to revolutionize wristwatch aesthetics, the Tank watch was designed in 1917, during World War I. It's believed that Cartier was inspired by the top-down view of the world's first armored tank, the British Mark I, with the first examples of the timepiece presented in 1918 as "victory watches" to U.S. General John Pershing, commander of Expeditionary Forces in Europe, and his officers.


The Cartier Tank Cintrée of 1921, a classic watch that still looks modern. Photo: Paul Boutros:
Cartier seamlessly integrated the Tank's lugs (the "legs" of a case to which a bracelet or strap attaches) into the case's design, creating one of horology's most enduring design features. Measuring 46 mm (1.84 inches) long by 23 mm wide, the Cintrée's highly curved case was designed to hug the lines of the wrist. The dial and case combine straight lines, sensual curves, and crisp angles. Early examples are fitted inside with movements signed European Watch and Clock Company, exquisitely finished movements made exclusively for Cartier by Edmond Jaeger in partnership with the watchmaking firm LeCoultre. Delicate screws on the sides of the case secure the strap and case-back; a cabochon sapphire is set in the winding crown, matching the blue-steel hands that indicate the time.

It's believed that no more than 50 of these watches were produced in each decade of the 20th century, with versions sold as recently as 2006. At auction, expect to pay from $25,000 to $50,000 for a vintage Cintrée in yellow and white gold. Platinum versions start at $35,000 but, for those of exceptional quality, can quickly climb to $250,000.

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