Posts by Erik Gustafson
‘Bart Simpson’ 5513 Rolex Submariner
Ah, Bart Simpson. For all the sexy nicknames that go along with the watches we love such as Nina Rindt, Padellone, Tasti Tondi, Newman, and all the rest, Bart Simpson is bit jaunty. But it’s actually a very significant dial in a lot of ways. These are the final years of the gilt dial Sub.…
Read MorePhilippe Dufour Duality
One of the ten Dufour Dualities ever made has surfaced and you can’t expect us not to point this out. What’s interesting here is that it’s on the market at all, but more on that later. While renown primarily for his superhuman finishing ability, Philippe Dufour first built his name in complication (much like Rexhep)…
Read More‘Lemon’ Dial 116520 Rolex Daytona
Is this the next Patrizzi dial? That is one of the most interesting, perennially-evolving questions in all Rolex. As watches progress from new to used, then neo or vintage, our relationship to them changes. Collectors are beginning to pay real attention, and sums, for ‘lemon’ dials. Now, these go equally by lemon, cream, or panna;…
Read More1563 Patek Philippe Split Seconds Chronograph
Little did we realize when our newsletter editor wrote ‘A Brief Guide to Patek Philippe’s 1563 Split-Seconds’ in an edition a few months back, one of the three known would be coming to auction later that year. It turns out, that’s the reality we live in. The 1563 is a lot more than just a…
Read MoreTerra Brown Dial 380.044 A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Automatik
It’s from Glashütte, so they won’t call it a Havana dial. But, make no mistake, that’s what this is. The 380.044 is a very interesting, somewhat unusual modern Saxonia. It has its imperfections and charms, . . .we’ll get there. But it was part of a revamp of the Saxonia Automatik mid 2016 which included…
Read More270.2.69 Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Chronographe Retrograde
Pre-Richemont JLC was unstoppable. Then CEO Henry-John Belmont, French designer Janek Deleskiewicz, and new recruit Günter Blümlein (of later Lange fame) wanted to take the Reverso and elevate it considerably. Using the model’s 60th anniversary as a bit of an excuse, the team then set about a decade long celebration of the Reverso from 1991 until…
Read More‘Obsidian’ Dial 1600 Rolex Datejust
Here’s just about the most controversial Rolex around today. It goes by Obsidian, a volcanic glass, and for recent years it has been hyped as one of the rarest stone dials made. But is it? That’s not an easy question to answer. The last few years have seen stone dial Day-Dates and Datejusts rise stratospherically…
Read More25654ST Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Quantième Perpétuel
We’ve all gotten used to wild Laurent Ferrier Grand Sport Tourbillons, FPJ Sport Rattrapantes, or even RMs, but this was the first time high complication met sporting ambition. It is impossible to overstate the significance of reference 5554, the Royal Oak QP, first debuted in 1984. Collectors and enthusiasts know, but everyone else has forgotten.…
Read MoreBlack Dial 1019 Rolex Milgauss
The Milgauss has always been the forgotten stepchild of the four-digit professional world, cast aside for the family-favorite Sub or Daytona who bathe in attention. Now, it’s gone entirely, at least for now. But it’s quietly excellent, austere, and massively handsome. While the refs. 6541 and 6543 are setting record highs at auction (up to 2.5M),…
Read More25558BA Audemars Piguet Quantième Perpétuel Openwork
Many ask what the ultimate 90s QP really is. Many will say a Beyer or Saatchi 3940. The VC equivalent of ultra-desirable, low volume is the 43032 Skeleton, preferably with blue subdials. The Audemars Piguet equivalent is this. Audemars Piguet saved complicated mechanical watchmaking in 1978 with the reference 5548. This is the 25558, the…
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