Somewhere between madness and genius in Switzerland lies a small studio, Maximilian Büsser & Friends (MB&F). The don’t make watches as much as artful mechanical entertainment. When they decided to make a driver’s wristwatch a few years back (the HM5), it was unlike anything we’d seen. I called it ‘fit...

This is no tribute reference. The Reverso seen here has survived nearly a century and not lost any of its charm, despite showing some age. Jaeger-Lecoultre re-issued the 1931 Reverso a few years ago. It has become an iconic to the brand. There are many watches you can wear formally,...

The Navitimer is easily the most recognizable Breitling in the manufacture’s illustrious history. It has been a favorite of pilots and posers since 1952. If anything, the brand was a victim of their own earned success. In truth, the Navitimer is a very credible and well-designed piece. The Breitling 806’s...

One of the kings in all of vintage Seiko, the 1965 Seiko 62MAS was genesis for their quite popular modern dive series. The DNA is clearly visible throughout the current range. It was the first serious attempt to appeal to the new dive market, as all previous releases had 50m...

MN ‘snowflake’ milsubs tend to get all the glory, however Tudor’s military history extends far beyond France. Ci engravings shown here mark “Cuerpo Infanteria.” Originally thought to be from Canada, a long forum discussion with confirmation from Tudor determined these to be a rare series of 7928s issued to the...

Almost all Patek guys would consider the 570 to be the Calatrava. The 570 is an origin to so much of modern watchmaking, what the Stones are to rock. It was the clear inspiration when Patek Philippe decided to return to the simple Breguet-numbered Calatrava in 2004. However, much like...

The 2447, in any guise, is a reference hardly needing introduction. It is the model which set Heuer en-route to its present state. It’s an uncompromisingly bauhausian aesthetic with true purpose. There’s no secret that I have a soft spot for it and most of vintage Heuer. If I had...

Fair warning, this may devolve to a love letter. I’ll try to remain objective. Today we feature a hardly-worn white gold A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk from The Keystone. As a ‘standard’ striking-time Zeitwerk (if there is such a thing) 145.029, it’s not a particularly rare reference. However, it is...

The Zenith A. Cairelli AMI CP-2 represents a high-water mark of effortless Italian style. In its period, Turin gave us the Type 33 Stradale, Quant gave the world the miniskirt, Florence gave us the true Vespa, and Zenith gave Italy’s Air Force the CP-2. All of the above mark high-water...

It’s rare enough to find original Seamaster 300s. Yet, often, the original examples are worn to hell with flaking lume, abused cases, and corrosion peppering the movement. Today, we have the opposite: an original, yet very composed Seamaster 300. The 300 was introduced at the end of WWII to British...

I must plead guilty to sleeping when Contrapante introduced this Grönefeld to their inventory; I should have been more attentive. They’ve always kept a staggering inventory and this remontoire is no exception. Leave it to the slightly unhinged Dutch to design a constant power escapement like none other in this...

Every collector has heard a journalist musing over the fine line between wear and abuse. I’ll save you that. Straddling the line 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’...

I’ll be the first to admit I’m given to hyperbole, but on this occasion I’m free of exaggeration. This 5508 is about as perfect as they come. The small-crown sub is a cult favorite amongst Rolex collectors and for good reason. The 5508 was the genesis for all modern submariner...

The great Vacheron Constantin crossed some treacherous ground in 1970. The oldest watchmaking house in continuous operation, it had seen trouble before; but nothing like the 1970s. The quartz-crisis spelled impending doom for all of Switzerland. Audemars Piguet had just introduced the Royal Oak and Patek Philippe followed with its...

A beautiful example of one of the all-time great dials today, courtesy of the Keystone. The Blue Monte Carlo variation is amongst the most representative of the chronograph’s character (outside exotic dials). Considering Tudor as Rolex’s wild side, one may as well have the louder aesthetic. The 40mm Oyster case...

I apologize in advance for those of you who aren’t into the Speedmaster. But its one of my favorite lineages and for all of its unique intricacies, there is a lot of ground to cover. Although this is a relatively recent piece, dating to 2005, this Speedmaster Gemini IV presents...

The 13ZN is one of collectors’ favorite calibers from Longines and rightly so. The Longines 3756 13ZN movement, circa 1936, was truly innovative and beautiful. It featured an ‘in house’ (before it was cool) movement, one of the first ever chronograph complications in a wristwatch (argued, intentionally left vague), 17...

Some intangible thing about the early El Primero references is ultra-desirable. The movement is remarkable, the case is perfectly proportioned, the dial perennially interesting. They came from a time when Zenith was innovating hard with the first automatic chronograph and leaving the rest of the pack to catch up. The...