Archive for May 2021
Heuer Autavia 2446 ‘Jochen Rindt’ Mark 3
In 2016, TAG announced a tournament to pit classic Heuer Autavia designs against each other in an online voting tournament. The winner, by a landslide, was what you see here today. It’s not difficult to understand the charm. The 2446 worn by German F1 legend Jochen Rindt was simple three register chronograph with one of…
Read MoreOne Characterful Pilot: Breitling 812 GMT Chronograph
If I’m aggressively, incriminatingly honest, the Navitimer tends to bore me slightly. Even the AOPA dials. I much prefer something like a Co-Pilot, Chronomat, early Premier, Unitime, or this. Breitling’s history is rich enough that they need not rely on the Navitimer’s past as heavily as they have historically. When most people think shouty, colourful…
Read MoreOmega 166.072 Seamaster Memomatic
If you’ve been here a little while, you’ll know I have a fascination with the alarm complication. You may also know I’m a bit biased toward the JLC Memovox and Deepsea Alarm. This is largely because I owned a Deepsea years ago and parted with it in a pinch, a move I regret weekly. But…
Read MoreVacheron Constantin 47245 Patrimony Retrograde ‘247’ LE
In my view, a 247th anniversary celebration should not be the rager. 250th deserves the splash. And while Vacheron Constantin’s 2005 Esprit des Cabinotiers (the golden clock-egg) was incredibly impressive, I like unique wristwatches. For reasons I cannot surmise, in 2002, Vacheron arrived a few years early with this incredible Patrimony retrograde. Who among us…
Read MoreDouble-Burgundy, Wabi-Sabi Tropical Rolex 6536
The classic, iconic small-crown Submariner is ageing remarkably well. Every single Black Bay 58 you see plastered across your Instagram feed owes its existence to this design. The red triangle bezel, proud small crown, tapered lugs, and Mercedes handset went on to define a design language for the following decades. If you wish to actually…
Read MoreAudemars Piguet Star Wheel 25720BA
If Urwerk took a more classical approach to watchmaking, I think the result would be something like this marvelous AP Star Wheel. The Wandering Hours complication, a recent revival, has seen Urwerk shot to fame alongside a handful of smaller brands. But Urwerk’s real innovation is in presentation and design. The mechanical complication has been…
Read More1 of 500 Seiko SSASS Alpinist SBCJ023
I’ve been casually waiting on the sidelines to feature a very special Seiko for some time now. I have search alerts set up for a wide range of rare references. Today, I was astounded to find this recent listing. Alpinists are, at risk of sounding pretentious, the beginner Seiko enthusiast’s pick. This is not at…
Read MoreSUF Helsinki 180 LT Purple LE
Legendary and storied independent watchmaker Stepan Sarpaneva recently announced a line of more attainable, simplistic field watches. The SUF Helsinki brand aimed to bring Finnish design philosophy and simplicity to the masses. This all feels deeply Scandy in philosophy and aesthetics. Think of this as the Volvo XC90 of mid-level watches: dependable, modern, attractive, and…
Read MoreRolex 16753 Root Beer GMT-Master II with ‘Volcanic’ Dial
This watch has all the hype words: nipple-dial, root beer, two-tone, tropical, GMT, and Rolex. And yet, I don’t feel it’s a hype watch in the slightest. This is a nuanced, Rolex collectors’ choice. The tropical (if indeed that is the correct term) dial holds a perfectly reddish/brown marble patina, a beautiful ageing known as…
Read MoreCertina DS PH200M Red Crosshair
The DS, short for double security, is Certina’s bread and butter diver. The double security moniker was a reference to a case design incorporating water and shock resistance. In essence, a water resistant case with a rubber cushion inside. The early 5101, 5301, and 5601 DS divers were steel bezel-ed with clear dials. The DS…
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