This is the opposite of a Fashion watch. The Omega Chrono-quartz, occasionally referred to as the Montreal or Albatros colloquially, was a truly innovative piece. Omega was contracted as the Official Timekeeper for the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Ahead of that duty, they created the first ever ani-digi (analog or mechanical...

The Zenith El Primero, in almost any guise, is an attractive proposition. There’s something intangibly alluring about owning an automatic chronograph that was made by the inventor of the complication. The El Primero is to automatic chronographs what Mercedes Benz are to the automobile: first. Over its 50 year history,...

For those who lament the days when 5517s could be found south of 100K, listen up. Today we have one of the few ‘Rolex’ references (arguably) with issued military origins. The Marine Nationale (Division of French Navy) used a wide range of references, but a majority came from Rolex &...

It is said that science advances in irregular leaps and bounds rather than consistent steps. Perhaps not by coincidence, the same could be said about Rolex. This particular Milgauss, in my opinion, is one of the most attractive Rolexes ever produced. I hold it on equal footing with issued military...

The phrase grail watch gets thrown around a lot these days. I’ve heard the term applied to Tudor Big Blocks, Doxa No Ts, Seiko Spacewalks, and the last Speedmaster article I wrote. It seems to me, however, that when a piece is truly a grail no one need say it...

This unassuming Speedmaster seems an unlikely candidate for the title holy grail. Nonetheless, Speedmaster collecting legend Chuck Maddox settled on the title after tirelessly seeking one out with “the same fervor as King Arthur sought the Grail”. In the era during which Maddox wrote his articles for print, much less...

Today we have one truly rare bird. The Polerouter is regarded by many as the perfect dress-daily for collectors. It is mildly complicated with a micro-rotor architecture, understated with a Gerald Genta design, and svelt in its slim case proportion. It’s not even ruinously expensive. But the greatest joy of...

Porsche and military are words not often combined. Granted, the VW people’s car does have a tenuous connection to certain German politics but let’s gloss over that very quickly. In the 1980s, Orfina was contracted to provide a watch for the Bundeswehr. They turned to the newly established Porsche Design...

Not everything here has to be a heavy hitter. I’d like to think this site spans the breadth of what watches can offer, regardless of price. It is enough to simply present value. The humble Oris 65 is as ubiquitous as it is lovely. But this 65, at 1200 some...

It’s not hard to make the case for a gold Datyona. Some might call it predictable, even. Amongst vintage collectors, the Daytona has become such a theme that today it is its own genre. If you’re the kind of person willing to splash a hundred grand on a YG 6265,...

Cartier’s re-entry to mechanical watchmaking was a strong one. Famed initially for the 1920 mechanical Tank, Cartier was a quick adopter of quartz. By the mid 1980s, 75% of their range was entirely electric (due to some acquisitions/mergers that created quartz vertical integration). In fairness, the technology was suited to...

The Tri-Compax is model which has spanned decades in numerous configurations. There are varying combinations of cases, dial, hands, colors, and movements to suit any taste. Few, however, are more desirable than this: the Eric Clapton (reference 881101/01). In 1966 Hendrix and Clapton met for the first time. At that...

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...