True Romance: Our Favorite Timepieces That Say I Love You

Flowers and a fancy dinner are nice, but they are fleeting gifts. This Valentine’s Day, celebrate love with the gift of time! A watch says that your amour is eternal. And it’s a more thoughtful gesture in our modern times. After all, a box of chocolates might not go over with a lover of keto diets.

The following recommendations (mostly for men and women alike) still incorporate the symbolism of traditional V-Day gifts, but with a horological twist – a rose gold case instead of roses, say. We’ve also supplied some sentiments that you can write on a card or engrave on a case back. 
Please note if you are anti-Valentines, this group also doubles as a wishlist of watches you can give to yourself (self-care) or to me (my birthday is also in February).
 

Collectors have a lot of affection for rose and pink gold. And every brand has some offering with this precious metal’s warm and flattering glow. But there’s two timepieces that really make my heart skip a beat: The Bulgari Octo Finissimo with a sandblasted 18k rose gold case and bracelet and the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak in Frosted pink gold. The textured finishes of these otherwise classic designs give these watches a little extra quirk. Tell your love that it reminds you of the warmth of their embrace and the sparkle in their eye and they will swoon!
 

As Morrissey once sang “I wear black on the outside cause black is how I feel on the inside”, Bell & Ross’s pre-Basel BR 03-92 Bi-Compass has a matte black finish that lets you read the time quickly and accurately. Misanthropes and goths got love to give, they just express it differently. This limited to 999 piece edition lets you say, “I see you. Let the lume on this watch be the light in your darkness.”
 

Chocolate has long been touted as an aphrodisiac and Cadbury introduced the heart-shaped box back in the 1860s. Back in those days, confections were treated like edible works of art. And Richard Mille’s Bonbon Collection, introduced at SIHH 2019, takes a similar approach to watchmaking. So this year, you can skip the candy and still spark the joy with one of these sweet timepieces (if you are thinking of what to get me for my birthday, the Marshmallow is my favourite).
 

H. Moser & Cie. has a reputation for engineering elegant timepieces that turn the concept of timekeeping on its ear. With the Swiss Alp Watch Concept Black, introduced at SIHH 2019, it literally tells the time without displaying it. The glossy black dial features a one-minute flying tourbillon at 6 o'clock. And nothing else. To find out the time, you need to use your ears. The message this watch sends is “I only have eyes for you.”
 

The gift of lingerie is a racier Valentine’s Day tradition. With its gold threads, net, silk and feathers, Dior’s Grand Bal plume et nacre shares many characteristics of delightful delicates. But unlike unmentionables, you can wear this watch outside of the bedroom any time of day. And if its tricks of the watchmaking trade that turns you on, the functional oscillating weight swirls around like a petticoat. The sentiment? “Let’s dance!”