10 Great Platinum Dress Watches at European Watch Company

Even within the rarefied realms of precious metal, platinum has an allure. Even heavier and rarer than gold, platinum is one of the perfect materials for a watch — if you’ve ever held or won one, we’re sure you’ll agree. From a metallurgical perspective, platinum has many of the benefits of gold; it’s dense, warmer in tone than steel, and more lustrous than gold. Plus, it’s stronger than gold, which makes it a great choice for gem-setting. All this, in addition to its exceeding rarity, makes platinum a truly desirable material for watches. So, now that you’re in the mood, here’s 10 great platinum dress watches

Cartier Crash Skeleton Limited Edition Ref. W7200001

Price: $250,000-$300,000, Case Size: 28mm x 45mm, Thickness: 9.62mm, Lug-to-Lug: 45.32mm, Lug Width: N/A, Water Resistance: 30M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Manually Wound, Material: Platinum

It’s hard to overstate the impact Cartier’s Crash has had in moving the needle of contemporary cool watches towards dressy, design-led watches. The limited edition watch, released in 2014 and only made in 67 examples, is a spectacular combination of two of the things that make Cartier’s watches legendary. Most obviously, the shape is an asymmetrical riff on the ovoid Baignoire Allongeee, which has been fluidly morphed into something Dali-esque. Next is the skeleton dial, with the open-worked bridges of this distinctive dial shaped into the flowing Roman numerals that are such an iconic part of the Cartier Crash design language.

Cartier Privee Collection Cloche de Cartier Platinum Ref. WGCC0004

Price: $44,000-$46,000, Case Size: 37mm, Thickness: 6.7mm, Lug-to-Lug: 28.75mm, Lug Width: N/A, Water Resistance: 30M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Manually Wound, Material: Platinum

Another example of Cartier’s remarkable shape works is the Cloche. Originally created in 1922, and named for the bell-shaped cover often used for keeping dishes warm, for a long time the Cloche was part of Cartier’s legendary assortment of near-mythical shapes. This 2021 platinum edition of the Cloche brought the reference back into the public consciousness in a big way, as the sophisticated case, with its mix of curves and angles and uncommon dial alignment, adds a rakish twist to what is, at its heart, a time-only platinum dress watch.

Make sure to check out our full review of the Cartier Privee Collection Cloche de Cartier Platinum Ref. WGCC0004.

Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse Ref. 5738P

Price: $35,000-$40,000, Case Size: 34.5mm Thickness: 5.9mm, Lug-to-Lug: 39.4mm, Lug Width: N/A, Water Resistance: 30M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: Platinum

In a world of round cases, trust Patek Philippe to create one of the most elegant and enduring non-circular case shapes in the Golden Ellipse. Created in 1968, this curvy case embodies the simplicity and harmony of the golden mean. The reference 5738P was released in 2018 as part of the model’s 50th birthday celebrations and features the iconic soft, satiny blue dial so associated with the model. Unsurprisingly, this particular shade of blue pairs perfectly with platinum.

Patek Philippe Retrograde Perpetual Calendar Ref. 5496P-015

Price: $60,000-65,000, Case Size: 39.5mm, Thickness: 11.19mm, Lug-to-Lug: 47.8mm, Lug Width: 21mm, Water Resistance: 30M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: Platinum

As a case material, platinum is often reserved for the most prestigious of calibres and the highest of complications. So, really, it’s no surprise to see it show up on the Patek Philippe Retrograde Perpetual 5496P Calendar Ref. 5496P-015. First introduced in 2011, Patek’s take on the QP is as outstanding as you’d expect. The layout eschews the traditional three-register look in favour of a retrograde date, prominent day and month apertures and a more subtle leap year display at 12. Oh, and of course, a moon phase at the bottom of the dial. To keep things from coming across too cold and sterile, the golden dial hardware adds a hint of warmth.

Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 5196P-001

Price: $35,000-$38,000, Case Size: 37mm, Thickness: 8mm, Lug-to-Lug: 45.5mm, Lug Width: 21mm, Water Resistance: 30M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: Platinum

Of course, not every Patek Philippe worth of the platinum treatment is packing serious complications. Some, like this classic 37mm Calatrava, just epitomizes good, timeless style. of course, the slender Calatrava case is unsurpassed, but the two-tone dial with applied Breguet-style numerals and leaf hands is something else. The reference was released in 2004, this clean and classic style will always remain a marker of distinction.

Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Tourbillon Ref. 6000T/000P-H025

Price: $125,000-$130,000, Case Size: 41mm, Thickness: 10.4mm, Lug-to-Lug: N.A., Lug Width: N/A, Water Resistance: 30M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: Platinum

There’s really no need to disrupt the dress watch formula. Vacheron Constantin knows this. This is why the Geneva-based brand honours the name of the Traditionnelle with a 41mm platinum case that doesn’t carry too much height at 10.4mm but has all the elegance of the old world, thanks to its broad bezel and softly curved lugs. Of course, it might take a moment to take all that in, as there’s also an incredible tourbillon dominating the verdant green dial, a tourbillon made all the more noteworthy because of the uninterrupted view allowed by the peripheral rotor of the calibre 2160/1.

Make sure to read our full review of the Vacheron Constantin 6000T here.

Rolex Perpetual 1908 Ref. 52506

Price: $48,000-$52,000, Case Size: 39mm, Thickness: 9.5mm, Lug-to-Lug: N.A., Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 50M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Winding, Material: Platinum

One of the most exciting releases from Rolex in 2024 wasn’t a sports watch — it was the Rolex Perpetual 1908 Ref. 52506, a platinum dress watch with a stunning ice-blue dial, the classic shade for platinum Rolex models. What makes this dial even more remarkable is the fact that it’s an engine-turned, or guilloché dial — something rarely seen on Rolex watches, and certainly never seen this century. Add to this the open case back, and this dressy platinum piece could well be an important transitional model from the crown.

Breguet Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Skeleton Ref. 3755pr/1e/9v6

Price: $90,000-$100,000, Case Size: 40mm, Thickness: 10.25mm, Lug-to-Lug: 45.32mm, Lug Width: N/A, Water Resistance: 30M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Manually Wound, Material: Platinum

Most platinum watches revel in the purity of tone, The cool white lustre of the heavy metal seems to bring out the seriousness in designers — there’s an inherent respect that goes along with the metal. Not that this Breguet isn’t serious — if anything, the opposite is true — it’s just a little surprising. The skeletonized golden bridges and brass wheels add an incredible warmth to the platinum case and (minimal) dial, with the blue hands adds a pops of color, making for a platinum perpetual calendar that is as charming as it is impressive.

Read our full review of the Breguet Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Skeleton Ref. 3755pr/1e/9v6 here.

F.P. Journe Chronomètre Souverain Nacre

Price: $115,000-$125,000, Case Size: 40mm, Thickness: 9mm, Lug-to-Lug: 44.2mm, Lug Width: N/A, Water Resistance: 30M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Manually Wound, Material: Platinum

There’s not a lot to say about Journe’s iconic entry into their particular brand of chronometric excellence that hasn’t already been said, but we’ll do our best. This particular example, a 40mm boutique edition, is particularly charming. Once again, the dial is a sophisticated complement to the hard white case. mother-of-pearl, or nacre, is a particularly underrated material for men’s watches, as it has a sophistication of finish and an organic texture that is often overlooked. Here, the tell-tale sheen is present on the icy blue outer section of the dial, while the inner segment is delicately worked with a clous de Paris finish and other fine engraving. This platinum number straddles a fine line between an ode to classicism and contemporary style, making it a near-perfect modern dress watch.

You can find our full review of the F.P. Journe Chronomètre Souverain Nacre Boutique Edition here.

F.P. Journe Chronometre Souverain Platinum 38mm

Price: $67,000-$70,000, Case Size: 38mm, Thickness: 8mm, Lug-to-Lug: 44mm, Lug Width: N/A, Water Resistance: 30M, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Manually Wound, Material: Platinum

In the world of high horology its easy to fall into the trap of thinking that more equals better. There’s an art to restraint and simplicity, and it’s an art that F.P. Journe, with his iconic Chronometre Souverain has clearly mastered. From the manually winding calibre 1304 to the subtle knurling on the crown and the marine chronometry-inspired dial details, the Chronometre Souverain is a textbook example of less is more. And, in this realm of classical watchmaking, the refined platinum case is the icing on the cake.

For more, check out all our favorite dress watches here.