People love and collect watches for various reasons and purposes. Some might collect for the beauty of each piece, some might collect for recognition (nothing wrong about that), some might still collect to use as tools, some might collect for aesthetical purposes. I personally collect for its aesthetic beauty in design, historical heritage, as well as appreciation for watchmaking, and I would like to believe that my collection reflects the reasons above. However, overtime I have realised something about myself. Deep inside me, somewhere swimming around in the dark side of my brain, I have developed massive appreciation for blingy/pimpy watches. Something about that in your face, diamond covered bling, as much as I don't want to admit it, speaks to me. This doesn't mean I like anything that's covered in diamonds. Bigger cut diamonds, how diamonds are set on the case, as well as colour stone settings in the past have more soul than gem settings in modern times in my humble opinion; just like vintage watches have more soul than modern watches. Here are a few I have had the pleasure of handling in the last year or so.
I think the watch world has come to a point where there is no such thing as “Men’s watch” or “Ladies watch”. We have normalised ladies wearing bigger sized watches and men wearing small sized watches/ jewelry watches, and I guess I am a product of the modern environment. Smaller sized watches have always been a thing for me, as I believe no watches (especially dress watches) should be over 38-39mm, unless they are specific tool watches.
Firstly, it is the Patek Philippe calatrava ref.5027P. I have had the pleasure of owning this full baguette bezel 33mm platinum calatrava . Although I consider this reference as more modern than vintage (90s) , the late 20th century still provides traditional proportions, and combining that with this generous sized diamond, it was a no-brainer for me to take it into the collection. If you have a look at any brands from 2026, Find me a 33-35mm traditional calatrava style dress watch that has this XL baguette diamond set. You literally cannot find any from modern watches. The modern gem sets offer small cut diamonds (stingy) and the retail prices are borderline ridiculous.
Another brand that made great gem set pieces were none other than Gerald Genta. Gerald Genta is more known for watch designs than gem sets, but this Genta Perpetual Calendar has ticked all the boxes to be an ultimate pimp watch, where the complicated perpetual calendar becomes secondary next to the bling that the watch provides. Not only is the entire case covered in diamonds, but also this meteorite/ferrite dial as well as full 18K yellow gold bracelet, this may not be for everyone, but this is for all the pimps who also appreciate fine mechanical watchmaking.
Final pimp watch has been one of my best finds of 2025: Nautilus ref.3800G/4 in 18K White Gold with 3 row diamond bezel. When I first saw it last summer, I couldn’t stop staring at this guy. I am usually not a big sports watch person, but my inner pimp has spoken; the heft of White Gold, and not 1 row, not 2 row, but 3 row diamond bezel was just dancing in my head, and I was fortunate enough to bring this guy home. 37mm diameter fits the wrist better than the jumbo size, especially in this combination of dial color and bezel, I believe it looks better as a 37mm case.
I have gotten plenty of comments about these watches being "Feminine", or being “Too Much”. But who cares. There will be days where I want to keep it traditional, and there will be days where you wanna go all out, and personally, if you are going for the gem set pieces, you might as well go all in or nothing. Do not settle for diamond indexes, 1 row diamond bezel , or small touches of bling. Go big or go home. As much as these gem sets are not daily wearables, they make me feel like someone I have never been or I never will be; rappers, and athletes I loved listening to growing up, or this loud, outgoing, flashy personality that I never am and will be, but at least my wrist will be.
