It can be adorned with guilloché—hand-engine-turned patterns that play with light—or feature exquisite enameling, stone marquetry, or even miniature paintings. The case, sculpted from stainless steel, precious gold, platinum, or high-tech ceramics, is the guardian of this delicate universe. Its heft, its polish, its ability to resist the elements, all communicate a sense of permanence and resilience.
A luxury watch is a wearable piece of history. To strap a Omega Speedmaster to your wrist is to connect with the Apollo missions, to feel a kinship with the first humans who walked on the moon. To wear a Panerai Luminor is to evoke the daring night-time dives of Italian commandos.