You will be aware, no doubt, of the legendary Memovox. Perhaps second only to the Reverso, the Memovox (shorthand for ‘the voice of memory’) is one of JLC’s most famed pieces. While the E855 reference is still fairly common, this particular E855 is not. The lion’s share of these references...

I often find that the designs which are most controversial upon initial release age the most gracefully, slowly gaining greater and greater commendation. The Ducati 916, Sagrada Famillia, and Tom Ford suits all spring quickly to mind. Of course, not all controversial designs age so well. The recent BMW M3/M4...

Ultra-rare Royal Oaks don’t come much prettier than the electric-blue Yves Klein perpetual. Klein was a French artist who became known for frequent use of an electric blue hue which he later patented under code IKB 191. This Royal Oak perpetual and its electric blue dial seem to have been...

Few defects are as beautiful as the Explorer II cream dial. Early white dial Explorer II production runs had a paint defect which, after a few years, aged the dials to a beautiful ivory. Less than halfway through the run, Rolex corrected this and left collectors with two rare references...

Rubber is not a precious material. Despite that, it has been fusing slowly into haute-horology more and more every year. This IWC bathed in vulcanized rubber was one of the first high-end Swiss watches to truly embrace the material. In addition, it was developed for a cause. IWC is a...

For a stretch of four months two years ago, I searched every single night for a 765 Co-Pilot. In time, I found just one. In the somewhat mad market conditions we have now, there are three currently on offer. I wrote about the first great example I came across recently...

Japanese culture is only a recent fascination of the West—myself included. I have two Grand Seikos in my watchbox and Yamazaki 12 on my shelf. I adore both addictions. Japan has become so in-vogue in the last few years, however, that they’ve had to limit export. Yamazaki and Hibiki with...

It may seem only topical to feature a 16520 Zenith Daytona a few days after the Daytona-copy Zenith hit media, but I assure you this 16520 is above that noise. With its steel bezel, screw pushers, and running seconds at 9, there is no mistaking one for another. What’s more,...

If Bruce Wayne wears a ‘Batman’ GMT-Master II (with Nolan, in fact, he wore a Reverso), the actual Batman suit would include this Urwerk. Urwerk’s engineered approach to watchmaking lends such a unique aesthetic that it almost seems like it belongs on the pages of a comic book. Completely disregarding...

A watch can bring with it a strong hit of nostalgia like few objects can. Swatch created the Jellyfish in 1983 and it was their largest success of the time. Notorious B.I.G., Keith Haring, and Damien Hirst were all fans of the design. Follow-up models, accessories, and whole decade of...

I think what appeals to me so strongly in a tropical watch is that it’s a massive middle finger to the idea of putting a watch in a safe and waiting for appreciation. I like watches to be used as intended—embracing the effects as a consequence of a life well...

In the early 70s, Omega brought out the ref 145.023 chronograph. It featured a bulky, bright-tungsten finished 44mm case. With a bright white tachy scale, advanced 861 chronograph, and helmet-like shape, the watch became known as the Anakin Skywalker. A few months after initial release, they followed it up with...

The last of Heuer’s manually wound chronographs, the Camaro is a bit of an acquired taste. It is a simple design, yet one which has stood the test of time, looking better today than ever previously. This more subdued Heuer (relative to a Monaco) sports a 37.5mm case with a...

The Speedmaster varies so widely between special editions that it can near become a new 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 few years back and...

Every collector has heard at least one journalist muse over the fine line between wear and abuse. Straddling that gap today we have a reference that has become, at least in my eyes, a bit of an icon. Or perhaps I should say ‘Legend’. The 7150 was Longines’ initial generation...

At a glance, this is a Cartier. But upon close study, this JLC ‘Tank’ presents a very charming alternative to the French monolith. If you like the aesthetic of Cartier but want a Swiss watchmaker’s expertise, this may be your best option. The 6129 features a slightly more rounded 18K...

I for one loathe all automaker to watchmaker analogies. As a keen enthusiast of each sphere, they are never right. Rolex is not like Porsche. Patek is not like Buggati and certainly not Rolls-Royce. Everything is too loosely connected to be useful, it’s always a vast over simplification. That said,...

Clebar is not a terribly well-known brand. They will not be at GPHG next year. But they—like Leonidas—had a partnership with Heuer that would see the creation of some lovely 70s chronographs. There were simple two-register affairs like this panda, pilots with large tachy scales, and a few slightly more...