Harry Winston Premier Automatic Chronograph Platinum Blue Dial n°069

The Harry Winston Premier Automatic Chronograph in platinum belongs to the earliest generation of the Premier collection, a period that marked the maison’s emergence as a serious force in contemporary haute horlogerie. Produced around the turn of the millennium, these first references were created before the highly technical Opus and Project Z eras, at a time when Harry Winston sought to establish a distinct watchmaking identity rooted in elegance, mechanical legitimacy, and architectural design. Housed in the characteristic Premier case inspired by the arches of the historic Fifth Avenue salon, the watch combines refined proportions with a strong visual presence, embodying a uniquely understated vision of luxury watchmaking. The use of platinum further elevates the watch, adding a discreet exclusivity and substantial wrist presence befitting the most prestigious execution of the model.

What makes the present example particularly desirable is its rare blue dial configuration, a variant encountered far less frequently than the more traditional silver or salmon dials seen throughout the early Premier production. The rich blue tone transforms the personality of the watch, bringing a greater sense of depth and modernity while preserving the formal elegance that defines the collection. Combined with the sculptural platinum case and applied markers, the dial creates a striking balance between contemporary aesthetics and classical chronograph proportions. The result is a watch that feels distinctly different from the majority of luxury chronographs produced during the same period.

From a collector’s standpoint, the first-generation Premier Automatic Chronograph represents one of the most important watches of Harry Winston’s early horological development. Beneath its elegant exterior lies the celebrated automatic calibre FP1185, one of the finest integrated chronograph movements ever produced, renowned for its column-wheel architecture, vertical clutch construction, and exceptional thinness. Its use immediately positioned the Premier among the most mechanically sophisticated chronographs of its era. While later Harry Winston collections would pursue increasingly complex and avant-garde expressions of watchmaking, the early Premier references remain admired for their purity, restraint, and enduring design coherence. Rare platinum examples fitted with blue dials are encountered only exceptionally, reflecting a production that was already highly limited from the outset.

Our example is particularly noteworthy as it bears the individual number 69, a charming and memorable detail within what appears to have been a very small production run. Preserved in excellent condition, and equipped with its original 18k white gold folding clasp it captures a fascinating moment in Harry Winston’s history, when the maison was translating its reputation for exceptional jewelry into a credible and highly refined watchmaking proposition. Combining a platinum case, the legendary FP1185 chronograph movement, an exceptionally rare blue dial, and a highly limited production, this Premier Automatic Chronograph stands among the most desirable and collectible early Harry Winston timepieces available today.