The most difficult choice anyone will make when designing a personalized Tiffany CT60 watch is in choosing the dial color. Pretty much all other elements are dictated by that choice, especially the strap or bracelet. Dial colors abound and to be honest I had a lot of difficulty choosing. Most dials are available with the gold “poudre” (powder) numerals that I prefer, but white-colored numerals are also available. You can even choose the hands to match or contrast the gold or white numerals if you like.
After a lot of internal debate I ultimately decided I wanted to go with the Tiffany blue dial. Clearly that was not an easy choice because aquamarine isn’t really a typical color in my wardrobe, and likely isn’t in that of most men. With that said when the original CT60 collection came out I asked, “will there be a Tiffany blue dial option available?” The answer at the time was “no.” Now was my chance to have the complete Tiffany & Co. experience with the watch and the signature color. Other options were equally attractive (don’t miss the deep metallic green), but the matte Tiffany aquamarine was simply too enticing a choice for a personalized Tiffany & Co. timepiece to pass up. I’m happy I made the decision.
There is also something about the Tiffany blue dial on a men’s watch that I think communicates a confidence in masculinity. The modern size of the watch balances out the softness of the Tiffany blue and I think it makes a statement about the wearer being a man with taste who is comfortable in his own skin. Basically what I’m saying is that I think the Tiffany blue dial on the CT60 is going to be a bit of a chick magnet.
Clients can choose a steel, two-tone steel and 18k rose gold, or all 18k rose gold case. I liked the two-tone look as it was not something I saw for the original CT60 as an option, and given the impressively attention-grabbing faceted links on the bracelet, I felt that this was a handsome look to go with the blue dial. Many people will likely opt for an alligator strap to go with the CT60, and that would not be a poor choice. However, the bracelet goes really well with this watch, and in my opinion is a highlight – so I wouldn’t suggest anyone easily pass it up.
Tiffany & Co. include three different places on the watch that you can personalize it with your initials or name. You also get your name engraved into the box, which is a welcome addition to the overall package. Options to monogram the watch include your initials on the dial (right-center of the hands), on the back of the case (if you opt for a solid versus display caseback), and on the left-side of the case. You can even choose some attractive font options. All I wanted was my initials on the side of the case. To that I will add that engraving is really nice. Sometimes engravings are shallow and done with laser engraving tools which tend to look cheap. This is quality work and I’ve never seen “AA” look more handsome in metal before.
I should probably mention that inside of the Tiffany & Co. CT60 is a nicely decorated with custom rotor base Swiss Sellita SW300 (same profile as an ETA 2892) automatic mechanical movement. While it is nice to have a solid-caseback with your initials on it, I think it is nicer to view the movement through the sapphire crystal caseback window. This is a reliable movement in a watch that Tiffany & Co. has designed to be both ergonomically and stylishly reliable for many years.
In total the CT60 Watch Workshop offers 2,720 possible personalization configurations not including the engraving options, of course. Many of the color options are not available on their standard CT60 collection watches, but I believe you can theoretically customize versions that look like the stock models, but with personalized elements such as initials. The entire process can take an hour of careful deliberation, or in most instances can be a quick 20 minutes of fun with a Tiffany & Co. employee who genuinely wants you to have a memorable keepsake and timepiece. Of course when you delve into the world of personalization, your mind imagines the many possibilities that can arise as a result, but I have a lot of respect for both the options, and the restraints that Tiffany & Co. included into the Watch Workshop in order to make it an enjoyable and fulfilling experience for as many customers as possible.
Assuming you are lucky enough to visit a Tiffany & Co. store with a Watch Workshop station available, the wait for your final timepiece is actually quite short in the scheme of mechanical watches. Each timepiece is assembled on order and the entire process takes between 4-6 weeks total. That is actually really fast in the watch world context.
Pricing for personalized Tiffany CT60 watches is also quite reasonable. Tiffany & Co. doesn’t appear to be doing this as a way to make extra income on the watches, but rather a way to offer extra reasons to get their watches. Price per watch will vary depending on the materials and options that you choose, but I would say that pricing is fair for what you get, and not far out of line with the standard retail price of Tiffany CT60 watch models.
Tiffany & Co. is wise for making a comfortable and fun watch personalization service, that is nevertheless exclusive. That means people will likely hunt for the opportunity to use the service because its options are meaningful, and its cost is reasonable. More so, I want to explain that the appeal of the Watch Workshop is designed mainly for people who would not consider themselves die-hard watch collectors, even though the CT60 is a totally nice watch. People deeper in watch collecting will likely have their sights set on rare, and more difficult to access customization and personalization opportunities that are less user friendly, and require a deeper knowledge of the watch universe. Rather, the Tiffany & Co. Watch Workshop is an excellent choice for mainstream luxury consumers looking to get something personalized and sentimental (for themselves or a loved one) from a brand they know, and that will have lasting appeal in the future.
Currently the Tiffany CT60 Watch Workshop is available at the New York City and Tokyo Ginza Tiffany & Co. flagship stores. Prices for timepieces produced in the Watch Workshop range from $5,700 – $18,050. For more information Tiffany invites people to call 1-800-843-3269. tiffany.com
