This has truly been a year of unprecedented times and while lockdowns and social distancing may be preventing us from gathering in-person for the holidays, there is a pretty good chance that you may find yourself sitting in front of a screen to see your friends and loved ones this year. So, what are the best luxury watches to wear for a holiday Zoom party?
The right watch to wear for an in-person gathering is not always the same one that will work best for a contact-free video call. You won’t have the opportunity to let someone try on your watch or examine it up close, so certain things like dial finishing and finely decorated movements will largely be lost when you just appear as a small rectangle on someone’s screen.
Rather than giving you a guide on which watches to wear to your upcoming holiday gathering, here are some of our top picks for the best watches to wear for a holiday Zoom party.
Rolex Submariner ref. 116610LV – “Hulk”
Submariner 116610LV Key Features:
Case Size: 40mm
Materials: Stainless Steel
Functions: Time w/ Running Seconds, Date Display
Dial: Green w/ Luminous Hour Markers
Bezel: Unidirectional, Green Ceramic Insert w/ 60-Min Scale
Crystal: Sapphire (Flat w/ Cyclops Lens)
Movement: Caliber 3135
Strap/Bracelet: Oyster Bracelet
Click here for our Ultimate Buying Guide on the Rolex Submariner.
There is never really a bad time to wear a Rolex Submariner. While it was originally designed for divers to use while exploring deep underwater, the Submariner has evolved over the years into an outright status symbol and a models worn by countless individuals all over the world, both above and below the surface of the ocean.
The reference 116610LV is the only Rolex Submariner to feature both a green dial and bezel, making it almost as green as a fresh new Christmas tree. Additionally its rotating 60-minute timing bezel serves as an easy and convenient way to track the duration of the Zoom call, while its bright sunburst green dial is guaranteed to catch a few eyes as you casually move your arm in front of the screen.
Nicknamed the “Hulk” by enthusiasts, the recently-discontinued ref. 116610LV is now highly sought-after by collectors due to its unique all-green color profile. However, all monetary value and collectibility aside, the Rolex Hulk is one of the most green watches the brand has ever produced, making it perfectly in-theme for the holiday season.
Panerai Luminor Marina PAM1104
Luminor Marina PAM1104 Key Features:
Case Size: 44mm
Materials: Stainless Steel
Functions: Time w/ Running Seconds, Date Display
Dial: Black w/ Luminous Hour Markers
Bezel: Fixed, Stainless Steel, Smooth Style
Crystal: Sapphire (Domed)
Movement: Caliber OP XXX
Strap/Bracelet: Leather Strap
Click here for our Ultimate Buying Guide on the Panerai Luminor.
There are few watch brands with a core design identity as instantly-recognizable and concise as Panerai. While the Luminor was not Panerai’s first watch design, it is easily the one that is the most emblematic of the brand, and its form is so iconic that most watch collectors would be able to spot a Panerai Luminor from just the outline of its case.
The Panerai Luminor is one of the few watches that you can (quite literally) spot from across the room, so with this Luminor Marina PAM1104, all of your friends and relatives are going to know you are wearing a Panerai, no matter how bad the connection quality is on the Zoom call. Nearly any Luminor will achieve the same effect, but this one is just simple and classic Panerai design with its black dial, prominent Arabic numerals, and running seconds hand at the 9 o’clock location.
As an added bonus, this particular Panerai Luminor Marina PAM110 comes fitted with a green leather strap, making it perfect for the holiday season. Switching out straps on Panerai watches is incredibly easy and the brand offers a wide selection of options for owners of its watches. You can always swap the green one out for something a little more “everyday” but having this bright green option in your strap collection for holidays such as Christmas or Saint Patrick’s Day allow you to match your Panerai to the event for an extra festive touch.
Omega Speedmaster Skywalker X-33 Solar Impulse Limited Edition
Speedmaster Skywalker X-33 Key Features:
Case Size: 45mm
Materials: Titanium
Functions: Multifunction Quartz Module
Dial: Analog/Digital Hybrid Display
Bezel: Bidirectional, Blue Ceramic Insert w/ 60-Minute Scale
Crystal: Sapphire (Flat)
Movement: Caliber 5619
Strap/Bracelet: NATO Strap
Click here for our Ultimate Buying Guide on the Omega Speedmaster.
The Skywalker X-33 may be a purpose-built version of the classic Omega Speedmaster that was designed specifically for astronauts, but it also makes an absolutely perfect watch for this era of social distancing and video communications. The Solar Impulse Limited Edition swaps out the stoic all-black color profile of the original Omega Speedmaster Skywalker X-33, and replaces it with one that is deep blue with small neon green accents.
Like other Skywalker X-33 watches, the Solar Impulse Limited Edition features a high-tech analog/digital hybrid multifunction quartz movement, granting you access to a wide range of advanced functions via its digital screen. Additionally its titanium case paired with a matching nylon NATO strap makes for an incredibly lightweight and comfortable package that blends into your wrist, despite its relatively large case diameter.
With that in mind, the real party piece of the Skywalker X-33 (and the reason why it may be the perfect watch for your holiday Zoom party) is its ultra-loud alarm. Need an excuse to step out of screen for a few moments? Set the alarm and when it goes off, you can tell everyone that you need to check the food in the oven. With the ability to track multiple time zones, the Omega X-33 allows you to keep tabs on all your family members in all their different locations, and its three programmable alarms give you built-in excuses for when you need a quick break from them.
Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 126710BLRO – “Pepsi”
GMT-Master II 126710 BLRO Key Features:
Case Size: 40mm
Materials: Stainless Steel
Functions: Time w/ Running Seconds, Date Display, GMT-Functionality
Dial: Black w/ Luminous Hour Markers
Bezel: Bidirectional, Red and Blue Ceramic Insert w/ 24-Hour Scale
Crystal: Sapphire (Flat w/ Cyclops Lens)
Movement: Caliber 3285
Strap/Bracelet: Jubilee Bracelet
Click here for our Ultimate Buying Guide on the Rolex GMT-Master.
Rolex’s catalog is full of iconic watches, but there are few models more instantly recognizable than a GMT-Master with a bright red and blue bezel. Often imitated by other brands, the half-ref and half blue “Pepsi” bezel has become the signature design detail for Rolex’s line of pilot’s watches, and a quick glance is all you need to be able to spot what kind of Rolex a person has on their wrist.
The current stainless steel “Pepsi” GMT-Master II reference 126710BLRO is immediately identifiable as a Rolex so all of your friends and relatives are going to know you’re wearing a timepiece from a brand with an irreproachable heritage that pursues perfection in everything that it does. Additionally, the combination of its iconic Pepsi bezel paired with the Jubilee bracelet makes for an appearance that is both refined and casual, allowing the ref. 126710BLRO to be paired with an incredibly wide range of different attires, from the ugly Christmas sweater to a nice button-up shirt.
However, more than its brand recognition or versatile styling, the Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLRO is a great watch for your holiday Zoom party because its two hour hands and GMT bezel allow it to be used to simultaneously track up to three different time zones. Useful both while on the call and while trying to coordinate a convenient time for everyone in their different locations, the multi-time zone capabilities make it a top pick and one that you will be happy to have on your wrist long after the holiday Zoom party is over.
