If you’ve ever been Royal Oak-curious, there’s never been a better time. Genta’s most brutal, industrial case design is as beautiful as it has ever been, but much less expensive that it has been historically. This is particularly true of the mid-sized case, and that even extends to precious metal....

At this point, you might be asking why Hairspring is talking about a modern Deepsea. Well, flip it over, and you’ll find this is not like any other modern Rolex you’re likely to have handled. Milsubs don’t really exist today in the traditional, issued sense. Today, Tudor will make what...

Watchmaking suffered a severe blow in 2009 when Derek Pratt left us. But Pratt’s legacy lives in his inimitable work, teachings (from which there is much to study), and through his friends like Luca Soprana. Pratt is often considered to be one of the greatest and most determined watchmakers that...

Graph paper isn’t the sexiest thing in the world. And, yet, put it on an IWC dial as texture and it just might be. One of the best parts about this mid-sized Ingenieur from the early 80s is that there are multiple generations that each have equally attractive personalities. Are...

Despite the fact that they’ve almost entirely forgotten about it in favor of things like Spider-Man Royal Oaks, strange permutations of the Code 11.59 that nobody asked for, and stroking John Mayer’s ego, Audemars Piguet saved complicated mechanical watchmaking in 1978 with the reference 5548. This is the 25558, the...

I know this looks like another insane Legacy Machine creation from Max & co, and it is. But it is also one of the most significant updates made to the perpetual calendar complication of the last century. This is ground-up, first principles thinking as applied to keeping track of days...

Zenith in 1969 was firing on more than all creative cylinders. They went up to 11, 12, and then 36,000. The cases went for pure revolution over evolution. Gay Frères invented a new, very summery, and very 70s bracelet. Wether the calibre 3019 PHC was the first automatic chronograph or...

As a plebeian born in the US, my first contact with Harrods was in 2008 when I heard Jeremy Clarkson talk about Lamborghinis posing outside Harrods. But if you’re English, it means a whole lot more than that. And if you’re Patek Philippe, it’s one of your most important retailers....

Not only is this a burlwood Day-Date, quite an uncommon thing already, but it rather fittingly is sporting a what is known as (and I’m not making this up) a bark finish case. You see how the bezel and centre links are almost textured like tree bark? It’s a finish...

Breguet around Daniel Roth was something else. This is a 3355, which might sound a lot like 3350 if you know your Breguet. Roth worked closely with Lemania for three years to develop this one-second tourbillon, which debuted in 1989. In fact, after Roth branched out on his own, this...

Before Paul Newmans got everyone hot and bothered and way before anyone cared about the Nautilus, early Ovettone Datejust were what collectors thought should be all the rage. When there was no social media and you weren’t yet qualified to operate a motor vehicle, this was original hype watch at...

The Extract of Archive on this 25730ST states that this is a blue dial. Think of the quantity of life this Dual Time has experienced on wrist to be so caramel. The 25730 and 26120 Royal Oak Dual Times have been fascinating me lately, partly for how shortly they were...

Nothing in Cartier is even close to a value now, surely? No. The 2390 is a screaming value buy even today. It’s mechanical. Or, wait, because it’s Cartier it’s Mechanique. It’s almost a tool watch, here in steel. If you’re a Polo player, the Reverso isn’t the value play today....

There is no dial like a stone Datejust dial. The charm here is that this was effectively the base model Rolex at the time, elevated above the RRP of most Day-Dates because someone wanted a stone dial. That’s why we don’t see as many stone dials in 1601 as 1803,...

The 1675 GMT-Master is what you would call a classic of the genre. It’s casual, refined, and still very capable. But finding a great gilt example seems to be getting harder by the day, but not as hard as this watch is getting me. The 1675 was introduced in the...

This 16/1863 is going to be remembered as one of the great buying opportunities of this era alongside the 1860. It’s called the Quattro, and even though it says Chopard on the dial, it’s really a collaborative effort and Parmigiani at its heart. Just like the time-only 1860, it’s truly...

This is one of those exceptions we love here where the caseback holds more interest than the dial. Say what you will about the Peruvian Air Force (Fuerza Aérea del Perú or FAP), their military had style. FAP military engravings on provenance cover basically all the best professional 60s offerings....

Last year, one of our most popular posts of the whole year by engagement was a ref. 1186 Blancpain Split Seconds with a ‘Military’ luminous tritium dial. That was made in 20 examples. Seemingly, no one knew it existed. Meet the only 1186 that can make that military dial look...