24 Of The Most Creative Watches Ever

The advent of the now nearly ubiquitous smartphone is slowly making watches and clocks obsolete, which is a crying shame because these both have a long and rich legacy of beautiful decoration and artistic craftsmanship. These 24 watches, whether homages to the grand-master clock makers of old or innovative new designs for the modern era, seek to keep our love of watches and timepieces alive.

One of the most enchanting things about watch design, especially when talking about mechanical watches, is the scale at which everything happens. Not only are these designs absolutely beautiful, they are all also constrained to a tiny disk strapped to your wrist. And yet, despite this limitation, there are round tables surrounded by knights, whirling planets, beautiful birds and poetic fairy-tales. Many of the world’s greatest watchmakers also no longer limit themselves to simply documenting a 24-hour day, either. Weeks, months, and the time in other cities around the world can all be monitored, and even the moon’s phases and the movement of celestial bodies.

On the other hand, digital watches have opened up a new world of opportunities for watchmakers that just weren’t available before. Sleek modern designs, lights, and the lack of moving parts are just a few of the basic hallmarks of the digital watches on this list. The lack of moving parts especially allows digital watchmakers to move in new directions – their faces can display information in totally new ways, and they can be made flexible or even see-through.