There’s nothing like an obscure, meaningless detail to get watch enthusiasts researching. Early Carreras and early Daytonas share more than just a column-wheel Valjoux 72 heartbeat. We’re talking same hour markers, milled subdials, and subdial numerals. See, the earliest Carreras had dials manufactured by Singer—the very same of Rolex fame....

In all its ninety years in widely varying production, it’s easy to overlook a great Reverso reference. This grail-to-me, the Art Deco, has largely faded into the background of watch collecting attention. Or perhaps, having pre-dated Instagram as a limited edition in production from 1992 to 2002, it was never...

The Dirty Dozen is the title of 1967 film, which I have never seen, in which 12 fictional soldiers had some misadventures in WW2. But I have seen all the watches 12 watches lovingly nicknamed after this movie, the watches which actually served in WW2. This dozen are a group...

Chronograph pushers don’t get better. The 1463 was Patek’s first water resistant chronograph, succeeding the previous and iconic 530 chronograph in 1940. The improvements were characterized by a larger, modern case, rounded pushers, and a screw-down back. Some call this Patek’s first ‘sports’ watch, though it is a bit of...

There are some watches so attractive that I feel something adjacent to physical pain at the fact that they will never be in my watch roll. Usually, they are highly unique: things like a Frodsham Double Impulse, a ‘Vieux Panier’ Vacheron 43031, royal blue dial E855 Memovox, . . .the...

Neo-vintage is not just collectable in Patek, VC, or AP; the era has more practical offerings as well. One, largely unsung, is the transitional 76100 Tudor sub. The reference was in production for just a few years in the mid-to-late 80s, but the 94110 ‘Snowflake’ of the same period stole...

‘The want’ is very strong with vintage Zenith. As a blanket term, ‘vintage Zenith’ covers so much: the original covergirl, G381, A277, Moonphase Calibre 3019 PHF Prototype, I could go on. In that list most definitely lies the A386. Its design is attractive, the contrasted overlapping big-eye subs uniquely lovely....

Of the last decade, Universal’s Polerouter has slowly shifted from being a niche enthusiast’s micro-rotor to a foundational reference of attainable watch collecting. No one will argue that this is not deserved; the Genta-designed aesthetic is graceful as they come. However, that shift has also seen values skyrocket, as with...

A true gilt dial just hits different. See, there is no one perfect 5513 dial; there are some less common such as the ‘Bart Simpson’, some more common such as the latter productions with white gold surrounds, some common yet gorgeous such as Maxi dials, some a bit bizarre such...

In the pantheon of Universal Genève, three stand above the rest: they are the Big Eye, the Clapton, and this: Nina Rindt. Of all Compax chronographs, this humble Valjoux 72 is almost certainly the most desirable. Surprisingly rare, beautiful in detail, and with a well-photographed tragic love story of a...

This is a rare and eccentric showing of playfulness from Mr Journe, not likely to be repeated. Like much of Journe’s work, there is a story behind the visually striking watchmaking on display. This partially openworked dial is not executed in a remotely traditional way. In addition, it is one...

This is really, really not just any yellow gold Lange 1. The 101.001 is the very first Lange 1 ever made. While the exterior is similar at a glance, the back is not. Lange 1s with a solid gold caseback hail from very early production, as it was customary then...

For being one of the most influential independent watchmakers to have ever walked the Earth, Daniel Roth is today not a part of the discourse in the way that Journe, Voutilainen, MB&F, or even Akrivia are. This, I suspect, is because Roth is not easily understood immediately; Roth requires study....

If Rolex had an essentials album, the 1803 would undoubtedly be a starred track. In production for nearly three decades as the halo product, Wilsdorf’s innovative Day-Date complication became synonymous with status after a 1966 ad with a red phone which simply stated, ‘the president’s watch.’ Day-Date collecting could be...

The three-register Carrera is one of the most adaptable and iconic chronographs to ever house a Valjoux 72. Many will think of the 2447 as a clean, minimalist, and scale-less chronograph. But that’s not entirely accurate, the Carrera is not one dial. Scratch the surface of On the Dash and...

Despite all the admiration, scholarship, and even Jack Forster’s article in the last year, the 3521 remains an alternative and yet-to-be-fully-appreciated modern classic. Whatever it means precisely to be a modern classic, I know not. But it seems to me as if the category were invented for these Ingenieurs. This...

The difference a simple bezel can make is quite extreme. In the 1675, which enjoyed quite a long run, there was a period of a few years where early aluminum bezels were manufactured with a paint composition that would turn from red to this beautiful fuchsia tone over time. They...

While the Royal Oak was intended to be a time-only sports watch, its abilities quickly diversified after the 5402 with a range complications. The most iconic of these must be the Quantieme Perpetual (or perpetual calendar moonphase to us peasants). It is a beautifully contrasted blend of sporting pretense and...