I occasionally feel privileged to share some of these watches with you. This is, of course, quite silly. I don’t own any of the pieces I feature. I often have no acquaintance or relation to the seller. But in spending hours digging through forums and retailer pages, I occasionally find...

When you think military-issued pieces, you probably think milsub for the Royal Navy, MN Tudors, or the dirty dozen. You probably do not imagine Heuers for the Kenyan Air Force. And yet, funky-vintage-cool does not come much more funky-vintage-cool than this KAF-issued 73663. The Autavia was, as I’m sure you...

If you want a classic Japanese ‘grammar of design’ and the early GS 36000 vph hi-beat movement, 45GS is your choice. Although modern Grand Seiko impresses mostly with their technical and detailed approach, they are leaning on something. They’re leaning on rock solid, beautiful designs forged in the mid 60s....

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: one of the great weaknesses of my generation (Y and over) is the un-appreciation of subtlety. For the most part, we like flash. Rolex knows this. I believe deep in my core that the Stella dial OPs released last year were...

I’ve written multiple times here on why I love the 7150. I love all EPSA Super Compressors for the most part, but this design hits just right. One property of the 7150 that never fails to impress me is their sheer diversity. Some go grey, some go rusty, some go...

Although field watch is somewhat ambiguous and meaningless designation, I think this RAF Hamilton could be a perfect working definition. The watch is completely without pretense, function over all other considerations. Mildly undersized for comfort, tritium for legibility, an uncluttered dial, and simple (easily fixable) movement. I long for simplicity...

Casual FP Journe is an oxymoron. Nonetheless, this rattrapante was an attempt at just that. If there is an unloved Journe category, the Line Sport is probably it. The centigraphe is remarkable for its complication and abilities, it occasionally sees mention. Yet, despite some others looking like lemondrops, they all...

Not many designs from 1940 feel at home today. Certainly, few have aged as gracefully as the humble multi-scale chronograph. This is particularly true of this Italian Valjoux-based clamshell. Vetta was the Italian-branded partner of Wyler’s European arm. Small alterations were made to the Wyler designs, such as the flair...

Superdive is a good name. 812 Superfast is also a good name. I often think to myself the adjectives which are most child-like and simplistic are best. Why do we say nephrologist and not kidney doctor? Latin-obsessed exclusionary fuckery. I digress. This oversized 1960s Enicar is, in fact, a super...

Impossibly conspicuous wristwatches and impossibly tasteful wristwatches are often mutually exclusive categories. An RM-030 with its declutchable rotor mechanism is very conspicuous and very innovative. But it most certainly is not tasteful. In fact, I’ve heard various RMs described as ‘Invacta for the 1%’. I may or may not agree....

Having recently featured the incredibly debonaire pink-on-pink 96R Calatrava recently, I thought I’d offer a more attainable alternative. More attainable, but no less unique. In fact, due to the incredible ageing this example wears, it may be more unique. Longines may be most associated with horse racing and the Kentucky...

This is perhaps reductive, but I tend to view any Lemania 2310-based watch as a movement wearing a watch. Let me elaborate. Usually, I evaluate a watch at its ability to accomplish its given purpose. I then assess how well a manufacture’s design of movement suits that task. But where...

The word quartz might be enough to make one skip to the next article. I understand that. If that’s you, move along. However, if you’re seeking a complete understanding of watchmaking, you cannot ignore the bear caged in the corner. Quartz was and is significant to the history of wristwatches....

I am a massive fan of Rob Reiner’s Spinal Tap mockumentary. I bring this up for one reason: if you were to turn up a Seiko Presage Cocktail Timer to 11, this would be the result. The 2019 SBGY003 features one of the brand’s greatest dial textures, a fresh take...

Vacheron Constantin is not only the oldest member of the holy trinity, they also have the most bizarre lugs. Without question, I have not seen any serious mainstream watchmaker experiment with lug designs to the extent that Vacheron have previously. Cornes de Vache teardrop lugs? Check. 222 hexagonally integrated lugs?...

If you can picture a Lapis Lazuli Memovox on acid, you’re already late. Lip Genève created it in 1972. Alarm watches are a deep rabbit hole and one that I’ve been descending further and further this year. There’s the abundance of Memovoxes, a few Deep Seas, and even that recent...

What we have here is a fresh twist on a classic drink. Patek’s Calatrava began with the 1932 reference 96 and has been dress watch royalty ever since. The Calatrava appeals for many reasons. The design is arguably their most timeless, with no distracting bells or whistles. The 96 was...

I present to you today a watch which is rare for very different reasons. It is a desirable modern release being retailed by Analog Shift at a reasonably competitive asking price. I jest. But, nonetheless, I speak truth. The Sub 200 T-Graph was released in 2019 by Doxa as a...