LuxeSyndicate

"Well, would you agree?  Based upon what is on your wrist, in your valet or at the top of your wish-list we would like your feedback."

The Luxury Institute's 2007 Luxury Brand Status Index found that when its wealthy consumers chose a watch brand in the United States they pick IWC (International Watch Co.) Closely following IWC were Vacheron Constantin (No.2,) and Patek Philippe (No.3.) The Luxury Institute quantified wealthy consumers for the survey as those earning a minimum of $200,000 and a minimum household net worth of $5 million.

"The timepieces made by IWC are secrets shared by only a very few in the world; their workmanship and quality is unquestioned, their craftsmen are artisans of time itself," the institute concluded from the survey.

The "ultimate" watch is not garish or gaudy consumers stated. Other brands rated, in alphabetical order, included: Audemars Piguet, Baume & Mercier, Blancpain, Boucheron, Breguet, Breitling, Bulgari, Cartier, Chopard, Dior, Dunhill, Ebel, Franck Muller, Girard-Perregaux, Harry Winston, Hermes, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Longines, Louis Vuitton, Montblanc, Movado, Omega, Patek Philippe, Piaget, Rado, Rolex, Tag Heuer, Tiffany, Vacheron Constantin, and Van Cleef & Arpels.

"This year's survey included a new brand referral metric, as well as a next brand purchase intent metric, that helps to understand the strength of each brand," said Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute.

[Via Rapaport, Jeff Miller]