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...

A simple Lange is an oxymoron, to be sure. But what better contradiction is there than this Saxonia thin? Lower independent manufacturers can often hide behind complication, as reverse engineering them is actually easier than developing a high standard of finishing. When you pair back all the the jumping hours,...

Rolex changed the 1680 sub over to the 16800 in 1980. As usual, the changes were subtle. The bezel became racheted and uni-directinal, the crystal went sapphire, a slimmer case was introduced with a 100m deeper rating, and quick-set date function was added to a higher-beat movement. Okay, maybe the...

Grand Seiko and Omega are never ones to shy away from good limited edition. If it’s Tuesday, there’s a new Speedmaster LE. If the seasons are changing, count on Grand Seiko to turn that mood into a dial texture. One of the downsides to fairly frequent LE releases is that...

You likely know Gerald Genta’s design and the Nautilus story—sketched over dinner on a napkin whilst staring at a yacht. The iconic porthole case was born later that year and, despite pricing above the Royal Oak, to immediate success. Then Hublot bought some tracing paper. What happened to the Nautilus...

If I’ve featured JLC a little heavily in the last month, I apologize. In my defense, I’m not sure you can feature JLC too heavily. There have been a few very appetizing references surfacing lately. I remember a period of four months where there wasn’t a single Polaris LE 190.8.96...

In today’s edition of rare Speedmasters you probably won’t see again this year, here’s the white gold Apollo XI. The lovely thing about white gold Speedmasters, as platinum, is the stealth wealth. If you’re not a fan of metallurgy, and most aren’t, it looks like a steel Moonwatch at a...

I am constantly amazed at how variably different pieces may patina. A bakelite GMT from the 60s can look well and truly fucked, while simultaneously this Compax from the 40s looks under a decade young (if it weren’t for the proportion & design). That is testament to how well constructed...

In today’s collector climate, where Rolex buyers obsess over the slightest font alignment of a rail dial, it’s refreshing to find an authentically unique dial. An authentically unique piece, at that. Khanjar or Omani Rolex are their own market with a dedicated following. In recent years, they’ve become more highly...

If you’d like a 9F equipped Grand Seiko to try out the brand, you could do worse than this JDM-Only SBGV003. Almost as a rule, I prefer mechanical movements. But there are exceptions. Well, basically three exceptions: G-shock, Beta-21s & Oyster Quartz, and 9F Grand Seikos. But that’s just me....

I often the more archetypal, paired-back offerings from a house the more attractive options. This Pioneer, for example, is like a distilled essence of Moser. The Pioneer offers a classic Fumé dial with a contemporary case, crown, and hand design. No frills. Instead, Moser focussed on perfecting their craft. The...

A traditional double rattrapante is a notoriously difficult complication to engineer, assemble, and service. In 2004, Lange introduced a double split that was for many years a king of the genre. Lange are famous for machining and assembling an entire movement only to fully disassemble, check for wear, and finally...

The SuperOcean reference 2005 is a diver decidedly unlike any other. First, there’s the ‘slow’ minute-step chronograph to measure time elapsed underwater. Second, there’s the fact that the chronograph hand is effectively spatula-shaped with a rotund lume plot. Third, Breitling included an indicator above 6 on the dial to mark...

I’ve already written at length about the 3705 when we sold one in 2018. Even then, the 3705 was a highly coveted and rare reference. Today, it’s the same only more. I can’t add anything to the previous article’s story, except that this IWC only looks better every time I...