Bust down watches are a type of luxury diamond timepiece, typically a Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe or Cartier watch that has been “busted down” (taken apart) and then encrusted with high-grade gemstones. These watches are extremely expensive and require magnificent artistry to create.
Does Rolex make bust down watches?
Bust down rolex down a watch is an art that requires incredible precision, and a master gem-setter must be able to execute it. The process includes disassembly, drilling of the metal, creation of new pieces like a bezel from scratch, and setting perfectly fit high-grade gemstones.
The hottest look for bust down watches today is honeycomb pave diamond settings and baguette diamonds. These gemstone settings offer a more completely covered look as the diamonds are closer together than traditional bust down settings.
A Plain Jane
Taking a cue from the rap game, many people are giving up iced out watches in exchange for “Plain Janes.” This is because flooding a watch with aftermarket diamonds devalues it. This isn’t to say that a bust down watch won’t be popular, but it does mean that you should be aware of the resale value before buying a watch with aftermarket diamonds.
The trend of busting down watches started back in the 90s with rappers like Cash Money crew and Master P icing out 36mm Rolex President watches. From there, the trend grew to include Franck Muller 48mm watches that burrowed a brimful of diamonds.