IN THE
Loupe
Royal Watchers While checking the time in public may not be the best regal protocol, the royal family owns a fabulous array of timepieces. But who favours what? world’s smallest mechanical calibre. 50 years later, in 2012, Jaeger-LeCoultre presented her with a white gold replica 101 watch in celebration of her Diamond Jubilee. More recently, a more understated watch, the Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars in gold, has been seen on the Queen’s wrist a number of times, most latterly when she addressed the nation in April 2020 at the height of the Covid pandemic.
Swiss masters
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f all the accolades achieved by the Queen in her 70-year reign, accomplished watch collector is one of the lesser known. The now 35-yearold puplication titled The Queen’s Jewels: The Personal Collection of Elizabeth II, estimated the monarch had at least 14 wristwatches in her collection – a number much larger now. Most are feminine and discreet (staring at a watch in the hope an engagement will soon be over is a royal no-no). And, as one might expect, brands tend towards the giants of Swiss watch makers, including Patek Philppe, Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin – the latter being a particular royal favourite. Princess Margaret’s diamond-encrusted Vacheron Constantin timepiece, estimated to make some £1,000 at Christie’s sale in 2006, sold for £26,400. Many of the watches in the Queen’s collection are gifts. On her marriage to Prince Philip on November 20, 1947, the Swiss Federal Council gave her a 1947 Vacheron Constantin gold and diamond cocktail watch, which was subsequently given to Princess Diana after her marriage to Prince Charles in 1981. Like the rest of us, passing on watches down the generations is common.
Coronation watch The Queen wore another gift on her coronation day. Named ‘La Reine’, it was a present from Vincent Auriol, the French president of the day, and was a discreet Jaeger-LeCoultre 101. Famous for its small movement, which was developed in 1929, it’s still considered to be the
42 ANTIQUE COLLECTING
Above A Cartier art deco
watch, dated 1911, given to Princess Margaret on her 20th birthday in 1940, by the Queen Mother (who bought it second hand from the jewellers for £100) sold for £57,600 (against an estimate of £2,000£3,000) at Christie’s sale in 2006, image courtesy of Christie’s Above right Patek
Philppe made the diamond-encrusted watch for the Queen Right The Prince with his
Parmigiani Fleurier Toric on a royal walkabout, image Shutterstock
Patek Philippe is another favourite with the Queen. We know this because, in 2015, she loaned her Patek Philippe 4975/1G (made specially for her) to an exhibition of the Swiss maker at London’s Saatchi Gallery where it appeared alongside Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s Patek Philippe watches. The watch face is encrusted with baguette-cut diamonds, and it sits on decadent strands of pearl. The Queen also wore it at the State Opening of the House of Lords in 2006. Another Patek Philippe, the Golden Ellipse – in white gold with a blue dial and diamond bezel – is another recurring favourite. The Queen was also an early adopter of the Omega Ladymatic, developed in 1955 and famous for being the first automatic ladies’ wristwatch. The newly-crowned monarch jumped on the new watch trend on its launch, and has been seen wearing a gold version through the decades, including in her official portrait from 1992.
