In many ways, the ‘triple six’ is the archetypal modern Sea-Dweller. While the 1665 is undoubtedly lore, a watch built to be invulnerable truly deserves sapphire in my eye. Moreover, it embraces the beastly proportions necessary to declare a 1220m depth rating. Early examples preserved much of the charm inherent...

It’s no secret that steel sports Rolex are in their own class these days. Hell, people are even willing to sell a kidney or more for a Lange 1 in steel. As steel Rolex auction results routinely break new highs, it seems worth considering their precious metal-based siblings as an...

The Chronomaster is not only handsome, but may perhaps be one of the best examples ever of unrecognized depth within a single reference. Unrecognized not for its merit, but unrecognized in the sheer degree of depth and comparably vast scholarship that surrounds this still-attainable chronograph. Its production spanned differing dials,...

Very recently, you will have seen here a quite rare empty grey dial Santos Carrée. That is something of an attainable grail to many. However, it is worth remembering that even Cartier’s ‘standard’ neo-vintage integrated steel offering deserves respect. More than respect. In fact, it is the very platform which...

Perhaps not terribly well known, the storied A386 is not the sole Zenith chronograph to sport the famous ‘tricolore’ dial. One lesser known, latter analogue took the theme and moved the design forward substantially. Moreover, this latter four-digit reference brought in a sportier ‘cover girl’ A3818-styled tonneau case and the...

If you’re going to opt for the classic Cartier, a Tank, you might as well opt for the variant that looks like its namesake. The Tank À Guichets is perhaps the watch which, in Cartier’s entire set of offerings, stands furthest apart from the limelight. This has shifted slightly in...

As pumpkin lumed 76100 snowcones, and MN milsubs are growing astronomically more expensive by the day, it’s worth considering the base original. I wouldn’t wear an MN on the daily for fear of bashing it or worse, theft. But I would wear this 9400-series. Every damn day. There’s a lot...

There are surprisingly few watches which will get you ‘the nod’ from knowledgable collectors. Often, all a watch says about its wearer is ‘I have money.’ More interesting, to me, is a watch which says about its wearer ‘I have painstakingly studied this subject and/or developed a personal taste within...

This humble calatrava is arguably thee quintessential Vacheron dress watch, which is to say the archetypal watch from the archetypal, storied 1755 marque. Mid-century modern designs don’t come minimal or romantic. While unadorned dress watches have recently been seen as less-desirable (as opposed to complication or sporting credentials), their restraint...

Despite being in the throes of February, there may be no better watch to remind one of summer waves than this lemon-drop Certina. Attention for Certina has been growing steadily the last few years. More pieces are starting to surface in the market as increased demand attracts a higher valuations....

The Speedmaster varies so widely between limited editions and specific references that it can near become an entirely foreign model. At the extreme of that spectrum, there is this: the Alaska Project. It more closely resembles a space coconut than any new Omega. I posted that tagline on Instagram a...

Very few watches have the privilege of contributing toward wider culture. One could fairly say the Submariner expanded the purview of tool watches as a category, transcending purpose for luxury. The G-Shock married indestructible construction to creative design, capturing rappers and armed forces simultaneously in admiration. Before either, though, Jacqueline...

In watches, as most luxuries, there is often an asymptotic relationship between the amount a watch commands and the extra value you receive. In tangible terms, it means this: a 20K watch will not give you twice the enjoyment of a 10K watch, often it will give you about 1.5x...

No, this is not the proverbial Swatch group reissue. Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms is arguably the most influential dive watch of all time and inarguably the first ‘modern’ dive watch (by modern, I mean a uni-directional rotating bezel with substantial water resistance). While borne to meet the needs of the French...

IWC first marketed the 666 Ingenieur with the tagline ‘For the man who expects the impossible from his watch’. Perhaps that line has never been more true than with this example, minus the casual sexism. This very first Ingenieur is a classic with innovative engineering, elegant design, and understated 37mm...

Patek’s 3940 was released unto the world during troubled times as a bold step toward the modern era. When Philippe Stern chose to celebrate mechanical complication at the dawn of Patek’s future, he did so with the help of his close friend, Theodore Beyer. If you’re past a certain point...

The quantity of inconspicuous vintage Zenith references whose value remains unrecognized bewilders me. This is probably the result of a somewhat chaotic and ever-changing brand philosophy filtered through the El Primero name. The De Luca took Zenith’s incredible hi-beat calibre 400 base (or 3019 PHC in the very early ones)...

This is not an everyday occurrence, or even a yearly occurrence. Chances to pick up a Lange 1 are plentiful, even for rare variants like the early solid-back, Darth, or 1A. Chances to acquire a fully factory, fully platinum Wellendorff bracelet version with accompanying reference and documentation are vanishingly slim....