Watches Worn by England's Royal Family

While some would argue that the English monarchy is more of a symbol than a governing body these days, there is no doubt that Britain’s royal family remains a much-discussed topic in our modern zeitgeist. From Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Prince William and Kate Middleton to the hallowed Queen Elizabeth II herself, the royals are a constant subject of speculation, national pride, and curiosity.

It should come as no surprise that, given their virtual celebrity status and national importance, the members of the royal family have acquired some incredible accessories, including but not limited to luxury watches and jewelry. Let’s explore some of the favorite timepieces from the famous faces in line for the royal crown.

After a lengthy reign of 66 years, Queen Elizabeth II passed away at the age of 96. She was the longest-serving monarch in Britain’s history. During her time at the helm, she amassed a significant collection of priceless watches and other accessories, including over fourteen luxury timepieces that are coveted on the secondary market.

Some of her most significant pieces include her dainty Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 101 and her custom-made Patek Philippe watch. Her gorgeous Jaeger-LeCoultre is a slender timepiece that resembled a bracelet with a small, rectangular watch face and an elaborately engraved band. The watch was a gift from the president of France, and the Queen wore it for her 1953 coronation atop white, opera-length gloves.

The Queen’s Patek Philippe watch has been the subject of much fascination. The watch was commissioned exclusively for the Queen, and only one was ever made. The model is known as the Patek Philippe 4975/IG and consists of a diamond-set fixed bezel and a bracelet crafted from strands of opulent pearls. Since 2015, this one-of-a-kind watch has been on display at London’s Saatchi Gallery.

While Prince Harry has been photographed in a number of different timepieces, his classic Rolex Explorer II seems to hold a special place in his heart. There is speculation that his unique Rolex is what’s called a “unit watch,” meaning that just one run of the timepiece was made. In this case, it appears that his Rolex Explorer watch is a part of a 48-watch run created specially for the Apache helicopter regiment, which Prince Harry was a part of during his time serving in the UK’s military. He even wore this Rolex during deployment in Afghanistan.

The Rolex Explorer II is the perfect watch for any adventurer with its 24-hour bezel, complete with a dedicated orange hand, its date window at the 3 o’clock position, and its sturdy stainless steel construction. The watch is equipped with the masterful and precise 3187 caliber, which offers a generous 48-hour power reserve. You can get a Rolex Explorer II like Prince Harry’s here at Avi & Co.!

Other watch brands featured in Prince Harry’s collection include Breitling, Casio, Pulsar, and others. His Breitling watch is another unique piece. It is a custom Aerospace Advantage with a unique dial that could only be purchased by pilots with combat deployments. The dial showcases the Army Air Corps wings at the 9 o’clock position and a front view of the Apache helicopter at the 3 o’clock position.

The “people’s princess” herself wore a number of luxury watches during her life. The three she was most often photographed in include a Patek Philippe Calatrava (which was gifted to her by her former husband, then-Prince Charles), and two Cartier watches. Diana was spotted wearing her Cartier Tank Louis, a gift from her father, most often after her divorce from Charles in 1996.

Her other Cartier watch, a Cartier Tank Francaise, was a spectacular creation crafted from yellow gold. After Diana’s tragic death in 1997, sustained as a result of injuries from a car accident, Prince Harry inherited the watch. Now, his wife Meghan Markle often wears the timepiece stacked with a matching Cartier bracelet.

While you will be hard-pressed to get your hands on a Cartier watch exactly like her iconic Tank, her classic Patek Philippe Calatrava can be found on the secondary market. It featured a brown leather bracelet and an 18K yellow gold case surrounding a stylish yet subtle white dial. Check out this similar timepiece from Avi & Co. below:

It’s clear that the royal family loves Cartier watches – and the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, is no exception. Kate has been a favorite of many royal family followers since her marriage to Prince William in 2011. The couple’s relationship began in 2001 when both were students at Scotland’s University of St. Andrew’s. They tied the knot ten years later, and since then have brought three children into the world.

Like many of the other royal women before her, Kate Middleton has evidenced an affinity for Cartier watches – although rather than changing up her wristwear, she typically sticks with the same Cartier piece: a delicate Cartier Ballon Bleu. Her stainless steel watch showcases a slender bracelet and a round face with signature dark blue hands. It was a gift to the Princess from her husband, and she wears it during virtually every public appearance.

For anyone aspiring to take horological inspiration from England’s royal family, investing in Cartier watches is a great place to start. Whether you choose a round face, like the Ballon Bleu or the Cartier Pasha, or a square look like the Cartier Santos or Panthere, you cannot go wrong with one of these stylish accessories.

Like his wife, Prince William seems to favor one watch and rarely changes it out for another option. He loves his OMEGA Seamaster, a gift from his later mother, Princess Diana. In fact, he is so dedicated to this watch that he opted to wear it for his 2011 nuptials, passing up the opportunity to wear a more valuable timepiece offered to him by his father, then-Prince Charles. Clearly, the sentimental value of Prince William’s OMEGA watch speaks for itself.

The OMEGA brand has a rich history and a number of different lines with major historical significance. In fact, the company’s Speedmaster watches were the only model that passed rigorous tests from NASA in order to accompany astronauts to the moon on the memorable Apollo 11 mission. All three astronauts on board wore OMEGA Speedmaster watches, lending the model the nickname of the “Moonwatch.”

It seems that no member of the royal family can resist a stellar watch collection! While many report that King Charles’ favorite watch is a Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Chronograph (which is not manufactured anymore, although the Toric line is still available), he owns a number of other upscale pieces as well. His collection includes a Patek Philippe Calatrava “Disco Volante” edition, a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, and a Hamilton from his Air Force days.

While all of these watches are gorgeous, we cannot help but note the King’s Cartier Santos as one of our favorite pieces from this list. King Charles owns a 1980s Cartier Santos watch crafted from stainless steel and gold. The Cartier Santos was first introduced in 1904 as a watch geared toward aircraft pilots who needed to tell time while flying and could not be bothered to pull out a pocket watch. Since then, the brand has created several new iterations of the watch in order to compete with other popular sporty watches, such as Gerald Genta’s Patek Philippe Nautilus and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.

These days, the Santos de Cartier and the Cartier Santos 100 are available with either a metal strap or a leather bracelet. The watches have preserved their typically colored roman numerals, and you can see the influence of Genta’s Royal Oak design in the exposed screws on the bezel of the watch. While King Charles’ Santos might hail from the 80s, there is no doubt that this is a timeless piece perfect for passing down for generations to come.

Looking for the next luxury watch to add to your own collection? It’s all well and good to take inspiration from iconic figures like the members of the English royal family – but remember that ultimately, what matters most is your unique style, taste, and preferences. At Avi & Co., we have countless secondary market watches available for sale. We specialize in elite, heritage brands like Audemars Piguet, Rolex, Patek Philippe, and even Richard Mille.

Stop by one of our three upscale showrooms – we’re located in Aspen, Manhattan, and Miami – to find the watch of your dreams today. Click here to schedule an appointment now!