Common lore of the mythical Blancpain Air Command goes something like this: after Blancpain’s success with the US Navy Fifty Fathoms through Allen Tornek, the manufacture made just a few (estimates range from 8-12) flyback chronograph prototypes in the hopes of attracting Air Force contracts. Nothing really came of that...

As Patek’s 3945 is the 3940, so this extravagant, full-bracelet, engraved 5548 is the ‘standard’ 5548 (if there is such a thing). AP demonstrated with this precise reference that they are the masters at, and the last bastion of, mechanical horological artistry. Yet, this precise QP take that notion a...

As many have pointed out, I have a soft spot for four and five digit Rolex. I could nod toward the charm, immense history, or the fact that I regret letting many go in equal measure as cause. The thing is though, I don’t have to justify it. Everyone loves...

Independent watches which defy mechanic and design trends often impress on a very deep level. However, not all of these more audacious efforts remain front of mind or desire as time evolves. The 1941 Remontoire has not only crystalized Grönefeld’s deserved reputation as among the very best independent watchmakers, but,...

The humble three-register chronograph: executed by many, yet perfected by few. I am not claiming that the 22705/1 is a perfect chronograph, within Universal that’s probably something we call Nina. Outside of Universal, that title usually goes by 1463, 6263, or 2915. However, I am saying that outside of this...

Some watches require very little explanation; their appeal is inherent. FPJ’s resonance is intriguing on the dial side and downright bewitching once flipped over. VC’s skeletonized perpetual calendars will not let your eye rest. Watching a Lange rattrapante split seconds with complete equanimity is mesmerizing. Others take a bit more...

This unsuspecting yet charming diver holds a wealth of intrigue. This is partly due to its monoblock frontloading single-crown compressor case, immense legibility, and bakelite bezel. Perhaps even moreso, however, for its mysterious and shrouded military history embroiled in the Vietnam War. Scholarship is very much currently developing. The 6088...

The DB28 is modern De Bethune’s halo offering. It has won all the awards, sustained market interest, and was perhaps the brand’s most audacious project of all time. In the wake of that success, De Bethune have been iterating and, year on year, offering slightly more niche DB28s in smaller...

There are days where you just want an F-off brick of integrated gold on wrist. When those times arrive, it is hard to say F-off more tastefully than with a first generation Overseas. By the 90s, Switzerland’s renaissance of mechanical watchmaking was fully embraced at VC. Shortly after being acquired...

The Tank Cintreé has been around since 1921, very shortly after the first 1919 Tank. It was adopted by British soldiers in the Boer War for its relatively masculine proportion and the fact that it wasn’t a pocket watch. Post war, those same credentials propelled it to be the ultimate...

Somewhere inside the Venn diagram of horological significance, pop culture, and master-level trolling lies this: the very elusive Domino’s-signed Air-King. The standard Air-King is an oft-overlooked, undersized, and restrained bit of Rolex sporting metal. The reference ran from 1989 to 1999. Inside that timeline, Domino’s was flying higher than ever....

1969 was quite the year. Aside from Omega’s all-time greatest product placement, the Swiss were manufacturing some seriously attractive metal. There was the iconic Speedmaster, the 6263 Daytona, and the El Primero. Zenith’s chronograph did not receive attention in proportion to the impressiveness of its engineering in period. The El...

It is possible for something to be expensive and massively undervalued. Much in the way that a multitude of collectors have only recently begun to acknowledge the exceptional watchmaking in early CPCP pieces or early Datographs, a subculture is forming around LUC. Chopard may be mostly known for the Alpine...

2889-1. There is no shortage of adjectives one could throw at this title . . .321, chocolate, radium, pre-moon, base 1000, and alpha-handed, I could go on. Save to say this: the 2998 is a sweet spot in pre-moon references for its alpha handset, chunky straight case, and historic significance....

We tend to think of inter-reference variation as something that only defines vintage Rolex. While alterations were certainly more common and easily discerned years ago, Rolex are still iterating . . .without telling anyone. Perhaps one of the greatest examples of this is the 14270. The 14270 is beloved by...

Modern Lange are, despite their reputation, still relatively young by comparison to their Swiss peers. Three decades of consistent excellence is a remarkable achievement and infinitely deserving of utmost respect. However, some Swiss contemporaries have been in constant production three to four times as long. In the younger years of...

1960s Seamasters and Constellations are, undoubtedly, one of the most tasteful and tempting buys in all of horology right now. This restrained Seamaster was in fact Omega’s halo product in the era of Sinatra, James Dean, and Mad Men. Chronometer certification was not economical or easy in this era, or...

This Zenith is, by definition, an oxymoron. Black rainbows don’t exist in the physical world, but do exist—if only just—in El Primero. The Rainbow is an El Primero with a complex and fascinating history, from 1992 introduction with one calibre, to 1995 Elite Rainbow introduction with another, to 1997 EP...