A solid eighteen carat yellow and white gold Harry Winston Tank. When one hears the name; Harry Winston, they automatically think of the world's finest gem stones, and pieces of jewellery starting in the six figure range. However, they also turned their hand to watch making as well. Harry Winston founded his company in New York in 1932 and quickly became associated with some of the world’s most important diamonds and colored stones. It was under Harry’s son, Ronald Winston that watchmaking developed into a more serious and independent part of the business.

Dating back to the early 1990s, the Classic Emerald is one of the more distinctive designs from the formative years of Harry Winston watchmaking. The watch features a beautifully constructed triple-stepped case in solid 18 karat yellow and white gold, manufactured by highly regarded case maker Guyot & Cie SA who made most notably for Patek Philippe. Its sharply faceted edges were designed to evoke the geometry of an emerald silhouette that mirrors Harry Winston’s iconic logo. This architectural quality continues through to the original solid gold buckle, itself constructed in three stepped layers of alternating yellow and white gold.

The quality of these early cases was equally important. Harry Winston employed specialist Swiss case makers and, on certain pieces, sophisticated high-pressure casting techniques capable of creating dense precious-metal cases with unusually crisp edges and facets. It was an expensive approach to producing what were often deceptively simple watches, but entirely consistent with a company accustomed to making objects where material and finish were rarely compromised for economy.

The vertically brushed silver-gray dial is wonderfully restrained, finished simply with polished solid gold hands and allowing the case to remain the focus of the design, and a watch that is easy to read. The watch is powered by a Swiss made quartz movement.

In 2001 Harry Winston introduced the Opus series. Rather than hiding the independent watchmaker behind the name on the dial, Harry Winston placed the creators themselves at the center of the project. The first Opus was created with François-Paul Journe, followed by collaborations with watchmakers including Antoine Preziuso, Vianney Halter, Christophe Claret, Felix Baumgartner of Urwerk and Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey.

At a time when independent watchmaking was still a comparatively small world, this was remarkably forward thinking. Opus gave some of the most inventive watchmakers of the period the resources and platform of a major luxury house while openly acknowledging their contribution. The series helped establish Harry Winston as an unlikely but important patron of the independent watchmaking movement.

It is the earlier watches, however, that perhaps reveal the house’s philosophy most clearly. Pieces from the late 1980s and 1990s were produced before Harry Winston had become a major name in modern watchmaking and often display an unusual degree of experimentation in their cases and construction. They were watches conceived by a great jewelry house rather than simply watches carrying the name of one.

These early pieces are now gaining traction with collectors and rightly so. They represent beautiful and high level watch making. The condition of this watch is excellent. The case is unpolished. There is some slight wear to the case, commensurate with age. The original case hallmarks are still bold on the case edge and all the serial numbers on the case back show no sign of a polishing wheel.

These watches are great to wear and from a great name in luxury. While today they remain at an affordable price for what they are. This will change soon.

The watch is presented with no original box or paperwork. A new battery has been fitted.