The 1655 is one of the strangest anachronisms of the Rolex four-digit. By comparison to a GMT or Sub, it takes a very specific kind of collector: one who appreciates the start of a story, how a case wears, and dial beauty to exclusion of utility. We usually think of...

I know, a 5711 isn’t our usual fare. But we bring this example up in Finds because there’s a very interesting historic footnote to the ‘Piano’ dial, as the 5711/1A-011 is known, that is never talked about. Now, there’s no scenario in which this would be a first round pick...

Every Daytona we love, if you go back far enough, can trace its origin here. But particularly to the JPS and Lemon dials of our world, this is grandfather. This is the ref. 3525, not the first Rolex chronograph, but likely the first Oyster-cased Rolex chronograph. It goes by ‘Monoblocco’,...

Before the Datograph Honey-Lumen or Handwerkskunt, there was this. It doesn’t fall neatly into any normal Lange category despite debuting in the 1815 collection. And it was out of chronology, Lange did the advanced homework first. They conquered the Double Split (splitting minutes and seconds) in 2004, Pour Le Mérite...

Doorstops aren’t cool. But they’re insanely cool when placed on dials as indices. This is a pink gold 1803, which is a pretty sick thing in itself. But the two angled markers at 6 and 9 make it something I can get really excited about. Pink gold really isn’t a...

If there is such a thing as a modern classic of watchmaking, the Datograph is it. We all know, we all adore, the first L951.1 Datograph ref. 403.035. But they’re not all quite the same. This is a first generation dial, which although very minutely differs from the Datographs which...

The ref. 6262 is known as the transitional Daytona, only in production for around one year. It featured the upgraded high-beat Valjoux 727 with pump pushers, but was quickly replaced by the 6265 with Oyster pushers only. The 6262 (metal bezel) & 6264 (acrylic) were the bridge to the better-known...

(A special note for this Find, the actual example being sold at K2 Luxury is pictured last, other photography is of a separate example sold a few years ago by our friends at A Collected Man, who captured that tricky Saatchi dial’s tone beautifully.) To most, the word Saatchi is...

Right up there with the blue Soleil dial Omega recently referenced with the new blue FOIS, this is one of those extremely uncommon, quite mysterious Speedmaster dials. It’s a 2998-5. It also has a neutrally silvered (almost Porsche Nardo) grey dial. That’s right: not black. Also, it’s not patina. The...

The transitional 16550 is a perfect Explorer II. I know, the 1655 is also perfect. But the 16550 isn’t even close to as famous, so we’re here to help correct that. The Polar 16550, more often known by its cream dial patina, is the ultimate Explorer II to my eye....

The fifth major Laurent Ferrier calibre wasn’t what anyone expected in 2018: an Annual Calendar. Until then, it felt like everyone had been waiting and hoping, imaging what could be with calendar complication and one of the great independent old guard. But what the world saw in the Montre École...

This is a really exceptional and understudied little corner of Audemars Piguet history. It is the reference 25563, simply called the Skeleton Chronograph. Just 67 pieces were manufactured across all metals. It was never a part of the main catalogue but made available to order for select clients, much like...

There is a place at FP Journe for those who prefer warmth to the cold depth of the tantalum blue Chronomètre Bleu: Havana dials. Journe’s Havana guilloché dials are a celebration of handcraft, in the same way that CB is a story of resilience and perseverance. It took FP Journe’s...

The 1016 is where function meets restraint. There are more robust Rolexes. There are more luxurious Rolexes. But I’m not aware of any better designed Rolex dials. The 3-6-9 is divine intervention, so good that even the Sub had to start somewhere. We’re all very aware, also, that this is...

Almost as soon as the Royal Oak was born, it became complicated. For the Nautilus, and indeed Overseas, this couldn’t be further from the case. It took until 1998 for the Nautilus to sport its first complication, a humble power reserve under 12 alone in the ref. 3710. That’s all....

Around the late 80s, AP got wildly experimental with the mid-sized Royal Oak. Many speculate that the mid-sized case was utilized the testing ground to gauge demand for what might make sense to incorporate into the Jumbo RO, AP’s flagship. Day-Dates, Dual Times, and Annual Calendars flourished. Further, the some...

Gilt, chapter ring, and PCG. These are the adjectives that nerds like us care about, and they mean everything. This is about as beautiful a GMT-Master as exists without going all the way to 6542. Some might even argue it tops it, but they’re wrong. What are we looking at...

This is the spiritual successor to what might be the most universally adored Patek reference: 3974. That is an unenviable act to follow. The 3974 was made by Philippe Stern with a case by JPH, it’s the best names from the best era. That said, 5374 is surprisingly not off-piste....