Archive for January 2023
Comex 16610 Rolex Submariner
When Rolex turns to you for expertise, you’re doing something right. That was role of Comex in 1970, a French dive company that aligned well with Rolex’s aims to push the Submariner to new depths. The strategic partnership was simple: Rolex provided Submariners and Sea-Dwellers to Comex free of cost and, in return, Comex tested…
Read MoreBA 345.0802 Omega Speedmaster
Omega gave the world the 861 Speedmaster in 1968. Despite many loupe-carrying nerds decrying the changover from column wheel to cam switching, the movement proved so effective for Omega that it remained in production effectively unaltered until 1992. And even then, the change wasn’t huge moving the 1861. Effectively, you were getting a Lemania 1873…
Read MoreSAS 216570 Rolex Explorer II
It’s really not often that the rear of a watch without a display back is more captivating than dial-side. It’s all a bit Kim K if you know what I mean. But that’s about all this Explorer II shares in common with the Kardashians, because otherwise this one of the hardest modern tool watches out…
Read More‘State of Qatar’ 16014 Rolex Datejust
Trigger warning here, I’m about to assault an icon. I’ve always found the name Datejust a bit hilariously apologetic. It’s as if Hans himself went, ‘Well, we can do a Day-Date, but this one is just a date, sincerest apologies.’ Make no mistake, any DJ is an excellent watch. But this one has less to…
Read MoreFrancois Borgel M95 Movado in 14K Yellow Gold
Few watches tell the world that you know exactly what you’re doing like an FB-cased M95. When one has spent years immersed in the vintage world, they start recognizing shared componentry. You recognize a Singer made dial. You know that Zodiac is running a Valjoux 7734. And you know that one of the greatest case…
Read More2914 Omega Railmaster
There aren’t many truly underrated references in Omega’s back catalogue anymore. Every collector knows and loves the early Seamasters, Ultraman 145.012s, Mad Men Constellations, hell even Schumacher’s Daytona is on the rise these days. However, amongst the dazzling base 1000 bezeled 2915 Speedmasters and tantalizingly-lollipopped 2913 Seamaster 300s, it’s easy to overlook the more reserved third musketeer. That’s a shame,…
Read More869109/01 Universal Genève Polerouter Sub
Nothing gets me like attention to detail. It’s why it hits so wrong when Ben Affleck sports a modern Deepsea in Argo while everything else was perfectly 70s. It’s why James Bond’s undersized NATO makes my nails itch. It’s also why I love the fact that this trapezoidal date window is matched in the crystal…
Read MoreGuilloché Dial 1802 Rolex Day-Date
The history of the Day-Date flows much like a river or family tree, there are tributaries branching every which way leading to exciting new places. Many of these historical tributaries were dead ends, never to be revisited or referenced again in Rolex production. Some of the better known paths are the Stella dials, Stone dials,…
Read More‘Red Racing’ 145.012-67 Omega Speedmaster
For those who worship at the altar of moonwatch, there’s a lot to learn. Good luck distinguishing a CB case from an HF. Same goes for a 105.002 from a 2998. This problem is made worse by the fact that Omega people are so keen to demonstrate themselves as in the inner circle that they’ll…
Read More4520-8020 Seiko Astronomical Observatory Chronometer
Competition breeds excellence. It puts a deadline to your goals. It gives you a reference point for your abilities. It rewards effort. It punishes laziness ruthlessly. So what happens when you take famously scrupulous and detail-oriented culture, then get them to compete in horology? The competition I speak of were the Neuchâtel Observatory trials, a…
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