Which watch from his impressive collection will King Charles III wear to his coronation?

This will be the event of the weekend. Around 600 million viewers around the world are expected to watch the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla on Saturday 6 May. And for good reasons. This is a historic moment that will be played out in London as part of a lavish religious ceremony. King Charles III will be 40^e The monarch will be crowned in Westminster Abbey in the ‘coronation chair’ like her mother, Queen Elizabeth II, 70 years ago.

Despite his appearance, he is described as an idealist, bon vivant with a sharp sense of humor, devoted to the protection of nature and a bit of a maniac. The man nicknamed the “Sweet Prince” is also an ardent lover of fine watches. In any case, it reveals the Watchfinder & Co platform, founded in 2002 in the United Kingdom, as a pioneer in the used watch market. Indeed, the second-hand watch specialist is creating a retrospective of King Charles III’s long love affair with luxury timepieces. But what do we find in his impressive collection of tic-tac-toes? Like their owner, elegant models of classic historic houses, whose connection with royalty is not surprising: Bréguet, Patek Philippe or Jaeger-LeCoultre, but also more unexpected pieces on the wrist of the monarch, leaving the workshops of less famous manufacturers, but equally. dedicated to the art of watchmaking like Parmigiani Fleurier. A chronological walk around 7 watches from the collection of King Charles III.

Today, a more secret room

It’s definitely his favorite watch of the moment, the Parmigiani Fleurier Toric Chronograph. The first watch created by the founder of the manufacture in 1976, this model, which could care less for the royal wrist, was purchased by King Charles III during his stay in the Swiss Alps in the late 90s. This is the piece she chose for herself. first state appearance at Prince Harry’s wedding, but also in his last official portrait.

2017: limited edition for a good cause

We’ve never seen it on his wrist, but it’s closely associated with the monarch. Limited to 100 pieces, the Classic Fusion Prince’s Trust by Hublot, with Prince Charles’ seal on the dial, was created in collaboration with The Prince’s Trust charity. For every model sold, €850 was donated to the association to fund programs to help young people in disadvantaged areas of the UK.

2000s: A royal birthday present

The relationship between Bréguet and royalty dates back to 1775, when the Swiss manufacture counted Louis XVI among its clients. Marie-Antoinette, King George IV, Napoleon Bonaparte… The list of admirers grows with history. In 2008, Prince Charles received an exclusive watch, the Bréguet ref. 3680 B, packed with complications and housed in a gold case. The reverse is engraved with the seal of the Prince of Wales and a personal commemoration of His Royal Highness in honor of his 60th birthday.^e anniversary

80s. icon for playing polo

The watch, which “spins” thanks to its rotating case, created by Jaeger-LeCoultre in 1931 at the request of polo players who wanted to protect their watches during games, is one of the monuments of watchmaking history. Like his mother, Elizabeth II, who owned a diamond-encrusted set at her coronation in 1953, King Charles III, a great polo player, fell under the spell of the Reverso.

1980s. gorgeous classic

The British royal family’s favorite jeweler, Cartier, signed, for example, the gorgeous Halo tiara, which has been worn by four generations of monarchs, including the Queen Mother and Kate Middleton. In terms of watches, Elizabeth II owned the extremely rare Tank Cintrée, while Diana regularly appeared in a Tank. As for King Charles III, it was Santos’ two-tone model that caught his eye. He preferred the traditional leather strap to the usual integrated metal bracelet.

1970s. A precious creation for Lady Dee

Certainly in the top three of his favorite watches is the Patek Philippe Calatrava Date and its 35mm solid gold case with engraved crown. Princess Diana wore it alongside her own Patek when her husband shone on the polo field.

1971: a more affordable model

The king has a Hamilton “Fab Four” Chronograph in his collection, the price of which is estimated at 2830 euros. This may seem incongruous, as the luxury of the British royal family is endless. And yet… He’d get it during jet pilot training in the Royal Air Force. This version is mounted on NATO tape.