Archive for July 2021
Kurono Tokyo Grand Akane
Attempting to get an an allocation for a limited release Kurono piece is a bit like attempting to qualify for the Tour de France: one could spend their entire life preparing and still wind up empty-handed and sobbing. Thankfully, the secondhand market has a way of making these rare Pokémon a bit more capture-able, if…
Read MoreSeconds Series Patek Philippe 3970R
The perpetual calendar chronograph is a haute complication that Patek Philippe has perfected to such an extent as to become synonymous with the entire category. This 3970 succeeded the 2499 in the mid 80s and dominated the category for its production length. This post-quartz period was time when few complicated mechanical pieces existed; Patek saw…
Read MoreInverted Perfection: Voutilainen 28PI
I recently learned that there is a form of sweetener called invert sugar which is a synthesized blend of pure glucose and fructose. Our nervous systems interpret this as even sweeter than regular sugar, gram per gram. Do I even have to make the analogy? Kari Voutilainen’s 28PI inverts the movement to place its bridge,…
Read MoreJaeger-Lecoultre E558 Deep Sea Master Mariner ‘Barracuda’
The only watch to hold a candle to the European market Deepsea Alarm in terms of rarity or beauty (to my eye) is this: the JLC E558 DeepSea Master Mariner—better known as the Barracuda. Brevity is lost on the Swiss. The patented Super Compressor-cased model was produced from 1967 to 1974 for a total of…
Read MoreOmega Seamaster 6304 for Coca-Cola
Occasionally, Pepsi bezels don’t quite cut it. If you’d like to undermine an entire subculture of Rolex collecting, this is what’s referred to as a master-level troll. That said, this Seamaster is not just an antithetical pun. It’s a damn good dresser. While the design of this watch is massively restrained, its modern appeal is…
Read MoreTudor 7159/0 Monte Carlo
I recently featured a slightly rougher around the edges 7159 at a reasonable ask and called it the quintessential summer watch. It’s still out there. Today I’m sharing with you the opposite. This is the kind of Monte Carlo you wear carefully, because its dial still clearly resembles the roulette table from which it gets…
Read MoreFab Suisse-Dialed Movado M95
I am asked, it seems like every other day, what my vintage picks are for future appreciation. ‘Buy what you like and like what you buy’ is great advice, but not terribly practical or helpful. I don’t feel confident in much of today’s hyper-inflated market. One can only differentiate so many details in a Submariner…
Read MoreA. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 for Sincere Singapore
Singapore loves watches. There is a healthy and robust collecting sphere in the East that I hope to visit in the near future. In the mean time, the well-heeled may express their enthusiasm for that sphere in a different way. Watchmakers also love Singapore. In 2003, Lange chose to commemorate their appreciation for the retailer…
Read MoreA Reasonable, Late, Spider Dial 5513 Rolex Submariner
I think I have a real problem; I’ve started to like all the little nuances that exist in Rolex collecting. I enjoy spotting a rail, floating Tiffany Cosmograph, underline, or exclamation point dial. I know it’s sick. Today I’m writing to feature a lovely example of the late 5513 with white gold surrounds that sports…
Read MoreA Scientist’s Chrono: Wittnauer 242T Matte Dial
If you have ever wanted a more unique Speedmaster, a less-common Daytona, or a dial drenched in yellow tritium, heaven has smiled upon you. Wittnauer is not a name you know unless you’ve spent some real time in vintage. Later absorbed by Bulova and Longines, they used to make some beautiful chronographs. Although not confirmed,…
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