What are Harry Winston's popular men's watches? Introducing their features and appeal

Harry Winston is a top-class high jeweler and a brand that shows meticulous attention to detail in its watchmaking, from the selection of materials to the finest finishing touches. Let's take a look at the appeal of Harry Winston, including outstanding models equipped with innovative complex mechanisms developed in collaboration with independent watchmakers.

What is Harry Winston?

When you think of Harry Winston, you probably think of it as a jeweler for women.

However, the design sense and technical skills cultivated through jewelry making are also demonstrated in the production of complications that continue to shock the watch industry.

To understand the appeal of Harry Winston's watches, let's first look at its history as a jeweler.

Known as the "King of Diamonds"

Founded in New York in 1932, Harry Winston was successful in purchasing rare diamonds one after another thanks to its founder Harry Winston's unparalleled aesthetic sense and outstanding business skills.

Starting with the purchase of the 726-carat rough diamond "Jonker" in 1935, in 1949 the company acquired the extremely valuable blue diamond "Hope Diamond", formerly owned by Marie Antoinette and Louis XIV.

Harry Winston quickly established itself as one of the world's leading jewelers, with a clientele that included royalty and Hollywood actresses, and came to be known as the "King of Diamonds" and "Jeweler to the Stars."

Born in New York

Harry Winston's flagship store is located on Fifth Avenue in New York, one of the world's finest shopping streets, running north to south through Manhattan.

Since its founding, Harry Winston has had access to many of the world's most precious gems, and has boasted a pursuit of quality and exquisite cutting and setting techniques, especially when it comes to diamonds, that are unmatched by any other jeweler.

Harry Winston launched its first watch collection in 1989.

It was a shocking start, with the launch of a model equipped with a bi-retrograde and perpetual calendar, along with the diamond-set high jewelry watch "Signature."

Since then, the brand has released a series of models equipped with complex mechanisms such as tourbillons and minute repeaters, establishing itself as a leader in luxury watches.

Harry Winston's Features

Harry Winston watches are characterized by their instantly recognizable design codes and exquisite, artistic decorative techniques.

An original design represented by three arches

The iconic design code of Harry Winston watches is the "three arches" on the case.

The design is inspired by the facade of Harry Winston's flagship store, which moved to New York's Fifth Avenue in 1960, and is featured at the 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock positions in the "HW Premiere" and "HW Avenue" collections, and at the 3 o'clock position in the "HW Midnight" and "HW Ocean" collections.

Another distinctive feature is the incorporation of the octagonal design, based on the emerald cut motif favored by founder Harry Winston, which is also used as the brand's symbol in the "HW" logo.

Handcrafted craftsmanship and compassionate design

Harry Winston watches incorporate not only the gemstone processing techniques that the company has cultivated as a jeweler, but also valuable traditional techniques such as featherwork and marquetry, a marquetry technique.

For example, the dial of the "HW Premiere Precious Marquetry 36mm" is decorated with an intricate and artistic combination of mother-of-pearl, enamel, sapphires, and diamonds, all handcrafted by skilled artisans.

In addition, the dial is made of an original material that is based on the traditional Japanese technique of "raden," in which mother-of-pearl is woven into silk.

Harry Winston watches are made with the utmost care and attention to materials, making them truly one-of-a-kind masterpieces that can be called works of art.

The allure of Harry Winston

Harry Winston is known for producing luxury watches featuring the highest quality diamonds.

On the other hand, the brand's major appeal is its innovative series developed in collaboration with independent watchmakers.

The highest quality diamonds and setting techniques

The quality of diamonds used in watches is generally at most VS+, but Harry Winston only uses diamonds that are graded VVS+, which is even higher quality.

Diamonds are carefully selected by appraisers known as "Hawk Eyes" based on strict, unique standards, and then delicately set by skilled craftsmen to give off an unparalleled brilliance.

Artistic Movement

In 1989, Harry Winston released its first timepiece, the Premiere Perpetual Calendar Bi-Retrograde.

Since then, the company has continued to develop highly sophisticated and original complication models.

In 2001, the company launched the "Opus" series, followed in 2009 by the "Histoire de Tourbillon" series, both of which were ultra-complicated watches with groundbreaking concepts.

These masterpieces are the result of many years of development, and in every aspect of the movement, case, and dial, ideas that overturn conventional wisdom about wristwatches are expressed with a precision that can only be described as miraculous.

Recommended collection for men

Diamonds and decorations made using traditional techniques go well with jewelry watches, but some men may find them to have a feminine impression.

Harry Winston also produces a wide range of luxury watches that adorn men's wrists in elegant and sporty styles.

"HW Ocean Collection" combines lightness and technology

Launched in 1998, the HW Ocean Collection is a collection of luxury sports watches equipped with complex mechanisms.

The mechanisms featured are wide-ranging, including Harry Winston's specialty bi-retrograde and perpetual calendar, as well as chronographs, tourbillons, dual time, and moon phases.

Additionally, many of the current models in the collection are water resistant to 10 bar.

This collection offers a sporty yet sophisticated look and a light feel.

"Project Z" shows off the appeal of Zalium

Launched in 2004, Project Z was Harry Winston's first collection of luxury sports watches made with the special alloy Zalium.

Zirconium-based Zalium is highly rigid, corrosion-resistant, and hypoallergenic. Harry Winston also possesses the exceptional cutting technology to precisely process Zalium, a difficult material to work with.

Project Z releases new limited edition models almost every year, allowing customers to enjoy cutting-edge luxury sports watches that combine excellent performance with original design.

Simple and elegant "HW Midnight Collection"

The "HW Midnight Collection" is characterized by a classic round case and a simple and refined face.

The HW Midnight Retrograde Second Automatic 39mm, with its blue aventurine dial reminiscent of a starry sky, and the HW Midnight Diamond Drop, studded with diamonds like falling snow, offer an emotionally charged experience.

The collection combines the urban flair of a New York-based brand with delicate and elegant designs.

"HW Premiere Collection" The crystallization of beauty and functionality

The "HW Premiere Collection" was first released in 1989 and is characterized by rugs with the arch motif of the main store's facade.

The lineup includes many models that could be called works of art, such as the HW Premiere Moon Phase Ronous Automatic 31mm, which features a three-dimensional lotus flower in the center of the dial, and the HW Premiere Precious Weaving Automatic 36mm, which features mother-of-pearl woven into silk.

This collection is attractive for its elegant designs that embody the spirit of Métiers d'Art.

Main models of the "HW Ocean Collection"

For men looking for a massive luxury watch, the models in the HW Ocean Collection are the best choice.

This collection, which represents the very essence of sporty elegance, also includes derivative models of "Project Z," which will be discussed later.

Ocean Sparkling Bi-Retrograde Automatic 42mm

The HW Ocean Sparkling Bi-Retrograde Automatic 42mm, released in 2019, is a luxury model that is the first to use the rare metal ruthenium crystal on the dial.

The dial features bi-retrograde and off-center hour and minute displays at 4 and 8 o'clock, and is set with a ruthenium crystal, while 127 round brilliant-cut diamonds adorn the display circle.

The bezel and lugs are set with 67 baguette-cut diamonds, making this a gorgeous and elegant complication. It comes in two colors: blue and brown.

Ocean Retrograde Automatic 42mm

The HW Ocean Retrograde Automatic 42mm, released in 2019, is a derivative model that follows the design and caliber HW3306 of the Project Z12, released in 2018, but uses a gold case instead of Zalium.

The unique dial, reminiscent of a roulette wheel, is composed of a bi-retrograde dial and a date display on the outer periphery. The hour and minute hands, which at first glance appear to rotate 360 ​​degrees, are retrograde, with the upper half displaying the hours and the lower half displaying the minutes.

This luxury watch, with its sophisticated mechanism that satisfies the sense of playfulness, is perfect for adults who have not lost their childlike innocence.

Ocean 20th Anniversary Bi-Retrograde Perpetual Calendar Automatic 42mm

The HW Ocean 20th Anniversary Bi-Retrograde Perpetual Calendar Automatic 42mm, released in 2018 to mark the 20th anniversary of the HW Ocean Collection, is a model that offers a new interpretation of the bi-retrograde perpetual calendar.

It is a bold design that uses the entire dial instead of an inset dial, with the right half devoted to a bi-retrograde date display and the left half to a day of the week display.

In addition, the moon phase is displayed on the inset dial at 6 o'clock and the month display with leap year indicator at 12 o'clock, proposing a unique display method that also makes use of the three-dimensional structure and contrast of the hands.

Ocean Big Date Automatic 42mm

The HW Ocean Big Date Automatic 42mm, released in 2018, is an outstanding model with a big date display at 6 o'clock and an innovative openwork dial.

The display window is supported by a bridge, with the display disc partially exposed. Below the offset hour and minute display, also supported by a bridge, in the center of the dial, is a shuriken-shaped small seconds hand.

Although the parts are intricately combined, the design has a sense of unity, and the model fully demonstrates the sense of three-dimensional structure that is typical of a high jeweler.

Main models of "Project Z"

"Project Z" is a series that uses Zalium for the case.

Let's take a look at the past models of Project Z, one of Harry Winston's most innovative collections, which is particularly sporty.

Project Z13

The Project Z13, released in 2019, is a model that reinterprets the unique design codes of the Project Z series.

In this model, the retrograde hand that displays the date rotates approximately 180 degrees, dynamically moving the lower half of the dial from the center.

It also features a moon phase display for the first time in Project Z, with the iconic shuriken motif designed on a 12-sided moon.

Project Z12

The Project Z12, released in 2018, is a bi-retrograde model with an original design, featuring a disc-shaped date display concentrically arranged around the outer periphery of the retrograde hour and minute display.

The bridges that run from the center of the dial to the left and right are inspired by the main towers of the Manhattan Bridge, and the shuriken-shaped motif is also used as an accent on the calfskin and rubber strap.

The aforementioned "HW Ocean Retrograde Automatic 42mm" is a "Project Z12" watch with its case changed from zalium to gold.

Project Z11

Released in 2017, Project Z11 is a model featuring an openwork dial and a big date.

The off-center hour and minute display is skeletonized into a grid using micro-machining technology, allowing the movement to be seen through the gaps.

A small seconds hand with a shuriken motif is located at the 6 o'clock position on the hour and minute counter, and the bridge supporting the display is designed to resemble the Manhattan Bridge.

The balance spring of the caliber HW3206 is made of silicon, making it highly resistant to magnetism, and it is also water resistant to 10 atmospheres, making it suitable for a wide range of occasions.

The aforementioned "HW Ocean Big Date Automatic 42mm" replaces the "Project Z11" case with gold.

Project Z10

The Project Z10, released in 2016, is a bi-retrograde model with a frame based on the Manhattan Bridge motif across the entire dial and accented with red.

The day of the week display is located at the 4 o'clock position, and the retrograde seconds display with a 30-second cycle is located at the 8 o'clock position, giving a sense of dynamism to the architecturally designed dial.

The strap is made of a combination of different materials, rubber and alligator, which contributes to the expression of sporty elegance.

About Support Services

Harry Winston watches are known for their durability, but proper maintenance is essential to ensure they last and maintain their value. Let's take a look at the warranty period and complete service.

Warranty period is 2 years from the date of purchase

Harry Winston watches are guaranteed for two years against any manufacturing defects, but do not cover malfunctions or damage caused by aging or misuse.

Also, please note that the warranty will be void if the watch is repaired or overhauled by anyone not officially authorized by Harry Winston.

Even adjusting the bracelet or adding links may be considered an unintended modification and may void the warranty, so do not attempt this yourself; have it adjusted at a Harry Winston salon or authorized retailer.

Complete service is all done by hand

Harry Winston recommends a complete service every four to five years, which involves a complete disassembly, cleaning, and oiling of the case and movement, as well as repair or replacement of any worn parts.

After a functional check and rate adjustment, the watch is recased, and if requested, the strap or bracelet can be replaced. All processes are carried out by hand by skilled craftsmen.

Harry Winston also captivates men

As a high jeweler, Harry Winston has the pride of "demanding only the best" and the outstanding skills to apply this to watchmaking.

Harry Winston continues to pursue innovation and originality with meticulous attention to detail, from the materials used to the finest finishing touches. We invite you to experience the charm of their watches for yourself.