Archive for April 2021
Breguet 3230 in Rose Gold
This is perhaps reductive, but I tend to view any Lemania 2310-based watch as a movement wearing a watch. Let me elaborate. Usually, I evaluate a watch at its ability to accomplish its given purpose. I then assess how well a manufacture’s design of movement suits that task. But where the Lemania 2310 is concerned,…
Read MoreUniversal Genève Unisonic 852100
The word quartz might be enough to make one skip to the next article. I understand that. If that’s you, move along. However, if you’re seeking a complete understanding of watchmaking, you cannot ignore the bear caged in the corner. Quartz was and is significant to the history of wristwatches. And, due to the general…
Read MoreGrand Seiko SBGY003 Spring Drive
I am a massive fan of Rob Reiner’s Spinal Tap mockumentary. I bring this up for one reason: if you were to turn up a Seiko Presage Cocktail Timer to 11, this would be the result. The 2019 SBGY003 features one of the brand’s greatest dial textures, a fresh take on the radial folds of…
Read MoreVacheron Constantin 4241 Triple Calendar
Vacheron Constantin is not only the oldest member of the holy trinity, they also have the most bizarre lugs. Without question, I have not seen any serious mainstream watchmaker experiment with lug designs to the extent that Vacheron have previously. Cornes de Vache teardrop lugs? Check. 222 hexagonally integrated lugs? Check. 1940s triple calendar hooded-bar…
Read MoreLip Genève Alarme 42992
If you can picture a Lapis Lazuli Memovox on acid, you’re already late. Lip Genève created it in 1972. Alarm watches are a deep rabbit hole and one that I’ve been descending further and further this year. There’s the abundance of Memovoxes, a few Deep Seas, and even that recent Jenny. But all of those…
Read MoreRare Double Pink Patek Philippe 96R Calatrava
What we have here is a fresh twist on a classic drink. Patek’s Calatrava began with the 1932 reference 96 and has been dress watch royalty ever since. The Calatrava appeals for many reasons. The design is arguably their most timeless, with no distracting bells or whistles. The 96 was introduced by brothers Jean and…
Read MoreDoxa Sub 200 T-Graph Reissue
I present to you today a watch which is rare for very different reasons. It is a desirable modern release being retailed by Analog Shift at a reasonably competitive asking price. I jest. But, nonetheless, I speak truth. The Sub 200 T-Graph was released in 2019 by Doxa as a modern reissue of the 1968…
Read MoreA Gilt, Ghosted Tudor 7928 Rose Submariner
The classic four digit Tudor Submariner has never looked better than it does today. No date, gilt, and a rose dial to die for. Although the apple didn’t fall far from the Rolex 5513 tree, there’s some intangible appeal to Tudor’s alternative offering which is even stronger. This is particularly the case when examples are…
Read MoreTropical Heuer 1163 GMT ‘Red Needle’
The 1163 GMT is one of the Heuer’s diamonds in the rough. Though the myriad vaguely-racing-oriented chronographs they’ve produced can easily be confused, this GMT stand out. It may not have been a commercial success for Heuer, but, like the early Daytonas, that has only made it more desirable to collectors today. Pieces like this…
Read More1960s Gallet Flying Officer World Time
This two register chronograph with a world time dial and rotating bezel has almost certainly become Gallet’s most famed model. The watch was produced for the US Army Air Corps, even being worn by Harry Truman at its height. Some have argued this is the world’s first time-zone wristwatch, others point to Cottier and prototype…
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