Want to take some of that weight off his shoulders? Put a watch on his wrist, and a smile on his face

So in spite of everything, we’ve made it to June now and Father’s Day is fast arriving. How do you properly celebrate and honour good ol’ pops? Besides good booze and great food, obviously. Those are par for the course in any celebration. So if you want him to truly feel like the world’s greatest dad and the champ that he is, even just for a day, treat him right with the gift of time.

But this year, why not level up your Father’s Day gifting game with a limited edition watch that only a few lucky people in the world will get the chance to own? Not only will daddy dearest appreciate the luxury touch, but the knowledge that you went the extra mile to score something rare and therefore precious is enough to keep him smiling for a long time – even if he doesn’t always show it.

So this Father’s Day, Robb Report Singapore curates a selection of the nine best limited edition watches just released in 2021.

Cartier Santos-Dumont

A slender and elegant square-cased model, this extra-large model offers more than just an upsized version of last year’s exquisite revamp collection. Notice the unusual design on its ice-blue dial featuring Arabic numbers instead of the Cartier signature Roman numerals.

And if that doesn’t tell you how special this watch is, look at the spiral guilloché pattern which is completely new to Cartier. There is also an engraving of Alberto Santos-Dumont’s invention, the guide-rope machine, on the back of this platinum timepiece set with a ruby cabochon on the crown.

Delivered with an exclusive lacquer box and a pair of on-theme cuff links, this watch might well be the one dad’s thinking about come Father’s Day.

Yours for S$42,900. Limited and numbered edition of 100 pieces

A. Lange & Sohne Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar

It goes without saying that the Lange 1 is A. Lange & Sohne’s most iconic pillar but the German manufacture never stands still, and is always evolving the timepiece with innovative technical features.

This perpetual calendar is proof positive of its amazing horological mettle as A Lange & Sohne manages to retain the distinctive hallmarks of the Lange 1 yet include all the features of a classical grand complication.

The outsized date takes pride of place of course, while the retrograde day indicator sits nearby. For the month, A Lange & Sohne ingeniously used a rotating ring around the dial, and leap year blends discreetly with an arrow pointer at six o’clock.

Yours for €109,000 (S$175,630). Limited edition of 150 pieces

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Single Flying Tourbillon

Is it really a Roger Dubuis if it doesn’t come with a tourbillon? Jokes aside, the new and improved Excalibur Single Flying Tourbillon flaunts more refined lines, as well as a thinner look and feel.

Meanwhile, the openworked dial design re-emerges with greater clarity and depth, as its movement has been rebuilt from ground up. The maison’s favourite astral motif levitates prominently above the calibre which is Poinçon de Genève certified despite its ultra-modern construct and aesthetic finishes.

Use of high-tech materials such as titanium for the lower tourbillon cage and mirror-polished cobalt chrome for the upper cage reduces the weight of this mesmerising device. This way you get improved chronometric performance, and longer power reserve (72 hours), in a timepiece that is all about redefining the rules of the game.

Yours for S$217,000 (rose gold). Limited edition of 88 pieces

Jaquet Droz X John Howe Petite Heure Minute Dragon

Fans of The Lord of the Rings are no stranger to John Howe, whose vision and illustrations provided the artistic direction of the JRR Tolkien movies. If your old man loves fantasy fiction, then this is definitely your go-to gift for Father’s Day. Living in Neuchâtel, where Jaquet Droz is based, Howe sketched a very special dragon motif exclusively for the Petite Heure Minute.

The manufacture responded by rendering this drawing in its most exalted artistic métiers, grand feu enamel. Painted in gradated tones of greys, blues and blacks, the mythical creature frolics against a midnight sky, with the moon in its grasp, and continues to the back of the watch as a solid gold relief engraving.

Yours for CHF74,550 (S$109,846). Limited edition of 18 pieces

Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Split-Seconds Chronograph Ultra-Thin Collection Excellence Platine

Don’t let this watch’s placid anterior fool you into thinking it is anything other than a grand complication timepiece, and one with an in-house manufactured ultra-thin split-seconds chronograph to boot.

Clad in the full platinum get-up that is a signature of Vacheron Constantin’s Collection Excellence Platine line, this classic model delivers elegant design with technical prowess the only way the manufacture knows how: with a twist.

Even the stitching on its alligator leather strap is forged in this noble metal, as it uses a special thread woven of silk and platinum.

Price on request. Limited edition of 15 pieces, boutique exclusive only

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Nonantième

French for 90th, the Nonantième celebrates 90 glorious years of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, the world’s most famous watch with a swivelling case. More than just a tribute, this model ushers in a new complication for the collection, revealed as a surprise on the verso dial.

Keeping the top dial classic and elegant with a grande date and moonphase display, this watch debuts a breath-taking jump hour and wandering minutes complication. In addition, it offers a stunning day/night indicator made by the Jaeger-LeCoultre Métiers Rares atelier, featuring blue lacquer with golden sun, moon, and stars.

Yours for S$58,500. Limited edition of 190 pieces, boutique-exclusive only

Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Seiko 140th Anniversary Limited Edition SLGH007

Tapping into nature for creative inspiration has given Grand Seiko much to go on lately, especially with this new 140th anniversary model. The Japanese brand has definitely struck gold here, because what better way to mark the passage of time, or mark an event like Father’s Day, than with a beautiful ebony dial that captures the natural beauty of tree rings?

Featuring a delicate texture revealing the dark and light tones of wood grain, this commemorative piece fuses design ingenuity with technical fortitude. Powered by the new high-beat Calibre 9SA5, it operates with the Grand Seiko Dual Impulse Escapement, in-house free-sprung balance, and a twin barrel construction.

Yours for €60,000 (S$96,637). Limited edition of 140 pieces

Chopard L.U.C QF Jubilee

If you could distil the essence of Chopard’s L.U.C line into one single timepiece, it will be the L.U.C QF Jubilee. This elegant model with a trendy sector dial bears the prestigious Qualité Fleurier hallmark and embodies the aesthetic sensibilities of Chopard co-founder Karl-Friedrich Scheufele.

Its 39mm case brings ideal proportions as inspired by an L.U.Chopard watch from the ’50s, and uses for the very first time, stainless steel in a QF-certified L.U.C model. A chapter ring in blue stands out against a silver-tone backdrop, while SuperLuminova-coated chevron indexes lend a distinctive sporty touch.

Yours for US$14,500 (S$19,189). Limited edition of 25 pieces

Greubel Forsey GMT Sport

With this model comes the first ever metal bracelet on any Greubel Forsey creation. It was entirely created within the atelier and specifically for this timepiece which has a curved elliptical case and bezel made of ultralight titanium.

This unique shape offers glimpses of the beautiful three-dimensional movement architecture visible through the partially open-worked dial now dressed in bright shades of cobalt blue. A replica of the globe takes the spotlight here, and with the 25-degree-inclined tourbillon, is just breathtaking beyond words.

Yours for CHF480,000 (S$707,096). Limited edition of 33 pieces