SpotlightTeachers’ Day Special: Watches For The Ones Who Shaped Our Time

Teachers’ Day—celebrated in India on September 5 every year—marks the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, India’s first vice president and second president, scholar, philosopher and Bharat Ratna recipient. It was first celebrated in India in 1962 to honour teachers—the best minds in the country. Many of us have had teachers who have inspired us through our years as students or those that have been mentors and guides for us to this day. Honour these special teachers this year, as The Watch Guide presents gifting ideas in the form of watches for teachers of various subjects.

For The Mathematics Teacher: Breitling Navitimer 1 B01 Chronograph 43

With the dynamics of logarithmic calculations at play, the specialist in the field—Breitling—completes the equation. The Navitimer 1 B01 Chronograph 43 retains the signature bidirectional rotating bezel and slide rule (a rare commodity made for a specialist audience). Housed in a 38mm steel case is a detailed black dial with a date window at six o’clock. Fitted with a self-winding mechanical Breitling 17 movement, this watch offers a 38-hour power reserve. This stylish timepiece is available in steel and steel and gold with dial in black, blue or silver. The black leather strap completes the look.

For The English Teacher: Tissot T-Pocket Savonnette Quartz

Instruments of timekeeping have played a significantly influential role in the literature of the 18th century, with pocket watches having been an item of considerable interest. In fact, the literature of that epoch commonly featured personified commodities that had entire histories and lives given to them, referring to the fixation on material culture and the ownership of luxury items. Also known as clocks that are small enough to fit into one’s pocket, this vintage time instrument provides aesthetic pleasure as well as utility. A notable literary example of this is Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, wherein Gulliver called his pocket watch his Oracle and seldom did anything without consulting it, which lead the Lilliputians into believing that the watch is Gulliver’s God.

Thus, the choice apropos to a teacher of English literature will be the Tissot T-Pocket Savonnette Quartz. This exquisite quartz beauty epitomises the craftsmanship that was used back in the day, with a hint of nostalgia. Housed in a 48.5mm golden and palladium brass case is a white dial, which features a central 60-second hand, a date window at six o’clock and Roman numerals.

For The Science Teacher: Frederique Constant Classics Auto Moonphase

A science lesson in lunar cycles and moon phases is the Frederique Constant Classics Auto Moonphase that incorporates the complications of the heavenly bodies. The moon phase display is right at home on an elaborate silver dial, which also features the hours, minutes, seconds and a date by hand with a clous de Paris decoration, printed black Roman numerals and classical Breguet-style hands. The yellow gold-plated steel case measuring 40mm houses an automatic movement. Displaying the astronomical splendour, this moon phase watch also exhibits the finely decorated movement via the see-through caseback. Available with a brown leather strap, this watch offers water resistance up to 60m. Fitted with the automatic calibre FC-330, this piece certainly offers affordable luxury.

For The History Teacher: Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional

With the Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional, record-setting Swiss watchmaker Omega lets you own a piece of space history. After celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Speedmaster in 2017, Omega makes a grand statement on its association with space exploration and lunar landings with every Speedmaster timepiece. It all started in 1957 when Omega decided to launch the first Speedmaster under its Professional series, originally meant for motorists and racing enthusiasts. After it endured the toughest of trials, NASA declared it as the officially-certified watch for its manned space programme.

Mirroring the brand’s adventurous pioneering spirit, this 42mm watch houses a black dial covered by a hesalite crystal, which features a small seconds sub-dial, 30-minute and 12-hour counters along with a central chronograph hand. The black bezel, with its tachymetric scale, is mounted on the stainless steel case and presented on a steel bracelet. At the heart of this chronograph is Omega’s mechanical calibre 1861, the legendary manual-winding movement that was worn on the moon. Offering a power reserve of 48 hours and water resistance of 50m, this watch comes with a special Moonwatch presentation box.

For The Sports Teacher: TAG Heuer Formula 1

TAG Heuer is a dynamic brand that is synonymous with thrill and adventure. Despite being over 150 years old, the brand has a youthful spirit that they keep alive especially through the adrenaline-infused timepieces they make and their power-packed appeal. This is true even among the dressier and more feminine products that they create. Pulling at the heartstrings of their female fans is the glamorous TAG Heuer Formula 1—the brand’s bold answer to the demands of the modern, sporty woman living life in the fast lane.

The dial, the calfskin leather strap as well as the stitching on it flaunt the colour blue and harmonise well with the 32mm polished steel case and the rhodium-plated hands. Powered by a Swiss quartz movement, this watch is water resistant up to 100m. Its functionalities include the fixed bezel with a 60-minute scale and the date window positioned at three o’clock.

For The Art Teacher: Corum Bubble Lunar

In a nod to an unconventional and fanciful representation of telling time, the Corum Bubble collection puts all conventions to rest by breaking serious design codes making way for fun, artsy and whimsical watch dials. A creation of the 20th century, the Bubble sets the tone for a sea of change in haute horology, and also marks Corum’s renaissance.

An avant-garde timepiece in this collection is the Bubble Lunar—a case of art imitating life. Inspired by the moon, the domed dial is printed in a blueish-grey paint and hand-finished with a technique called serigraphy—a silk-screen printing method—to give an otherworldly representation of the lunar surface. The 47mm steel and black PVD case serves as a beautiful canvas for this design, the magnificent official Corum logo, the feuille-shaped hands and the black bezel, apart from being completely in sync with the black leather strap. Running on an automatic CO0082 movement, visible through the sapphire crystal caseback, this limited edition watch offers a 42-hour power reserve and 100m water resistance.

For The Music Teacher: Raymond Weil Toccata

For nearly half a century, Swiss luxury watchmaker Raymond Weil has been designing unique collections to pay homage to global music legends. In collaboration with internationally renowned classical violinist Nicola Benedetti—the brand’s first female music ambassador—the watchmaker offers the Toccata collection. A simply opulent timepiece from this watch family—a perfect gift for the ladies—features a white mother-of-pearl dial, set in a 29mm steel and rose gold PVD case. With precious diamonds as the 11 hour markers and a date window at three o’clock on the dial, with a stainless steel bracelet with rose gold PVD plating completing the look, the Toccata is a fusion of function and form.