I have been accused once or twice of showing my vintage feed favoritism. This is perhaps fair, I do find myself drawn to bit a tritium, manual chronographage (that’s a word, just invented it), and acrylic crystal. However, I love modern watchmaking. An enduring favorite of mine within the genre...

A watch need be nothing more than a simple delight to win my love. Sure technical sophistication and precious metals are great, but occasionally pure charm is more than enough. Once-large French watchmaker Lip are probably most famed for their very colorful chronographs, shouty divers, or double-signed Breitlings. The brand...

If one were ever in doubt that Girard Perregaux has pedigree, I dare venture to say this 6083 Triple Calendar would quell doubt. Though today the manufacture is mostly leaning solely on its Laureato to sustain interest, their back catalogue is extremely diverse. This 1940s triple calendar presents gold feuille...

Though not issued, this 105.012 saw a life of service. This 321 powered, CB-asymmetric-cased Speedmaster saw its way through the British Government’s Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes after manufacture. The NAAFI provided recreational outlets and sold goods at discount to servicemen of the British Armed Forces. Though the watch...

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 sports steel. The reference ran from 1989 to 1999. Inside that timeline, Domino’s was flying high. To commemorate...

If you’ve spent time here, you’ll know I have an immense affection for Laurent Ferrier. The man’s work speaks for itself, very eloquently. Mr Ferrier is perhaps most famed for contrasting classic design and proportions with thoroughly modern movements, all finished to an exacting standard. He is also known for...

I find I am still subject to small dopamine releases when eBay presents me an alert for something very desirable. I defy you to tell me that this rough-around-the-edges, original, DON90 blueberry Ed White doesn’t turn you on at least mildly. I known I tend to favour either beautifully preserved...

A 37mm sport Rolex would cause standing ovation across all of social media in today’s climate. Yet, set your year back a few decades and 37mm was absolutely massive. This rose gold IWC would have been a behemouth in its period, but a very sexy one. One may observe just...

Breitling’s Navitimer and its logarithmic slide-rule bezel have remained a staple of aviation since inception. The 806 made its debut in 1954 at a massive 40mm with a very flat crystal. Those proportions, when combined with its distinctly flat crystal and . . .let’s be kind and call it ‘busy’...

Halloween is coming in August this year, or so this 1655 would have one believe. The 1655 Explorer II is undoubtedly a grail sport Rolex for many and could be a real contender for my personal perfect one tool watch (I don’t frequent the Mariana Trench often, before you object)....

I’ve often said here that I tend to gravitate toward a given brand’s more minimal offerings. Pairing back the flying tourbillons, flyback chronographs, and deadbeat-seconds leaves room for a watchmaker’s design and finishing efforts to shine through. Leave it to the slightly unhinged Dutch brothers to design a time-only watch...

Developed after the initial Worldtimers by Louis Cottier, the 2597 is damn cool Travel Time from the very start of the jet age. The reference can be thought of as a 570 with a little je ne sais quoi complication. The watch featured an early iteration of a travel time,...

Polarizing is not a strong enough word to cover watch collectors’ vast opinions on this reference. Bulova has some heavy hitters in their back catalogue. If you don’t believe me, take a deeper dive with this 885104/01 worn on the surface of the moon which sold at auction in 2015....

This is last bastion of manual-wind Carreras and it’s a damn attractive holdout. This early-70s iteration of the Carrera sported a sunburst silver dial, contrast subs, and tritium. That tritium is, in my opinion, what makes this example. That is in addition to a bulletproof caliber, strong 39mm case, and...

Green dial 5711s are one thing. That is watch which says you are either an extremely close client of Patek or a bit of an idiot. And because the two are indistinguishable from a glance, the net effect Patek’s reseller’s are having is that of making their most valued customers...

Veteran watchmakers don’t come more likable than Peter Speake-Marin. The manufacture bearing his name has created wild flying tourbillons, highly finished ETAs, technotime mods, and everything in-between. What makes this independent special is the highly-specialized design and proportion. The Piccadilly case with its three-piece design and stout lugs are instantly...

If you’ve been around here for a bit, you’ll my stance on the world’s first true automatic chronograph: all of the three. I call it convergent evolution in watchmaking. This is not that. This is something more akin to Cartier looking over their metaphorical shoulder at JLC’s exam answer bubbles....

What you are looking at is not hype or hollywood-adjacent marketing. I like to think of it this way: a 5513 with a PhD. The Milgauss was created in the 6541 generation to meet the demands of scientists working in heavy magnetic fields. The level of significance this steel sports...