Ahmed Rahman at Mark’s Club in London © Craig Gibson

Bangladeshi textile and pharmaceutical manufacturer Ahmed Rahman is a respected voice in watch collecting. A trained engineer, he speaks about timepieces with an insight and a knowledge that puts many modern watch executives to shame.

Yet his journey into the world of horology began not with his interest in mechanical engineering, but at the cinema. “I’ve always been a huge James Bond fan and, when I was a teenager at boarding school in England, Pierce Brosnan had taken on the mantle of James Bond, wearing an Omega Seamaster,” he says.

“I was completely enamoured with the Seamaster and dropped a hint to my parents that, when I graduated from boarding school, I wouldn’t mind receiving that as a graduation present. They very kindly obliged. But it turned out that they bought me the quartz one, so I ended up taking it back to the retailer and exchanging it for the mechanical one. That was my first proper watch.”

His second ‘proper’ watch purchase was a vintage Heuer Monaco. “I don’t consider myself to be a vintage watch collector”, he says, explaining that this was another cinematically motivated purchase. “I was influenced by Steve McQueen, in Le Mans.”

It was while studying engineering at university that his interest in watch movements began. He recalls with great fondness an Elysian period before the instant information age of the internet. “It was a lot more fun to try to look for things. In those days, you really had the thrill of the chase.”

With time and experience, he has become a disciplined collector and, to enter his collection today, a watch has to satisfy at least one of three criteria: “Either the watch tells a story, or it is mechanically very interesting. The third test is that it just looks very nice.”

1. Cartier Tank Cintrée

Cartier Tank Cintrée
© Craig Gibson

Cartier’s Tank Cintrée is one of the brand’s classics that has come to the fore again in recent years. Its slender, straight-sided, curved case blends elegance with ergonomics and this example with a blue sunburst dial was a special order from Cartier. “It’s one of the most elegant watches in the history of Cartier, especially from a masculine point of view, the curved, elongated shape of the case hugs the wrist.” There is also link to cinema. “In The Thomas Crown Affair, Steve McQueen wears a watch which is very similar and that was the inspiration for my watch.”

2. Patek Philippe Reference 3733

Patek Philippe Reference 3733
© Craig Gibson

Another favourite dress watch is the Patek Ref 3733 with the lapis lazuli dial. For Rahman, this is an unusual choice. Dating from about 40 years ago, it crosses the line into vintage. Nevertheless, he appreciates the timeless modernity and dressy discretion of a recondite and underrated Patek Philippe. “Along with the Cintree, the 3733 is my dinner jacket watch, a go-to timepiece on formal occasions.” Like almost all the watches in his collection, the watch is white metal, in this case white gold.

3. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin
© Craig Gibson

This ultra-thin perpetual calendar speaks to Rahman’s inner engineer. Its innovative movement architecture and the multifunctional nature of components means that all parts can be on one plane, rather than superposed, making it exceptionally slender. If Rahman has one criticism it is of the choice of polished platinum for the bezel — “a scratch magnet”. But those scratches testify to the time it spends on his wrist and the affection he has for the most famous creation of legendary watch designer Gérald Genta.

4. Patek Philippe Reference 5970

Patek Philippe Reference 5970
© Craig Gibson

The Ref 5970 is regarded by many, including Rahman, as the perfect 21st century Patek grand complication. “When I went into collecting, chronographs were something I focused on.” He feels that a chronograph gives what he calls “mechanical substance” to a watch while adding visual interest. “A chronograph always makes a watch look very interesting. The 5970 marries that with a perpetual calendar in a 40mm case size which, for me, is the sweet spot when it comes to case sizes. The aesthetics and proportions of the 5970 have always spoken to me in a way that other watches don’t.”

5. Rolex Daytona

Rolex Daytona
© Craig Gibson

No collection of watches can call itself complete without least one Daytona and Rahman’s is no exception. “Rolex, in general, is all about practicality and wearability. They are rugged and dependable.” What makes his Daytona slightly different is that it is on a Jubilee bracelet launched in 1945 to accompany the newly launched Datejust model. “I got that watch on the Oyster bracelet, but switched it to a Jubilee on the recommendation of a friend. It’s supple, and has the right amount of lustre. It’s not overpowering. It’s just a very, very comfortable bracelet to wear all the time.”

6. FP Journe Chronomètre à Résonance

FP Journe Chronomètre à Résonance
© Craig Gibson

“What attracts me to FP Journe, and this watch in particular, is the idea behind it,” says Rahman. “I read about the phenomenon of resonance and how resonance works in physics, and to be able to transpose that idea to high end watchmaking was miraculous within the confines of a wristwatch.

“It remained quite affordable on the secondary market for a long time. Luckily, I bought mine at auction some years ago as, today, I would not be prepared to spend the money these pieces now command, as prices are now driven by speculators.”

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