Posts Tagged ‘Chronograph’
6239 Rolex Cosmograph-Only Dial
Inverse panda, pump pusher, steel bezel, single-line Cosmograph text: these are things dreams are made of. I admit to being a fan of this reference to an almost child-like extent. I’ll try to rein that in as I feature this example. You will be familiar with the Circuit de la Sarthe of the US, Daytona,…
Read MoreCream Dial Vetta Cronografo Ermetico Impermeable
I find it difficult to believe that a design from the 1940s can feel so perfectly at home eighty years on. Imagine being tasked today with designing a watch that would look good in the year 2100. That seems an impossibly difficult task with a low probability of success. This is why I am so…
Read MoreBreitling Chronomat 769
Though it is most famous the aesthetic, Breitling’s Navitimer by no means had a monopoly on the sliding scale rule chronograph. Breitling owned the patent from the very outset of WWII. This early 1940s Chronomat could easily masquerade as a model from decades later. The Chronomat’s design was advanced, its purpose was clearly defined, and…
Read MoreUniversal Genève 884100 ‘Big Eye’ Uni-Compax
It’s hard to articulate just how desirable I, and many other collectors, find the mythical Big Eye. So named for its oversized thirty-minute subdial, the two-register chronograph does not come in a more nuanced form. In production between 1963 and 1965, most estimate the quantity of genuine original dial examples somewhere under one hundred. A…
Read MoreNew-to-Market, Rare ‘Grey Racing’ 145.022-69 Speedmaster
Speedmaster collectors are notoriously as focussed, educated, and enthusiastic as any discipline of watch collector may come. Their scholarship is legendary and nearly unrivaled. Despite that, there are still some ultra-rare references that remain not fully researched. Rather, they are not fully understood. Over time, these darker corners of Speedy collecting are growing fewer and…
Read MoreFirst Generation 890101/01 Universal Genève Aero-Compax
In terms of historically significant flagships, the Aviator’s Compact Chronograph (Aero-Compax) sits right alongside the Polerouter as modern collector’s iconography. This mid-1960s second major iteration of the famed chronograph shifted focus from timing dual events to displaying a secondary 24 hour time through its very unique bezel. The aviation theme remained, shown through a 15…
Read MoreValue Proposition: Desotos Valjoux 72 Chronograph
Much like Heuer had Leonidas, Enicar (in their early Mk1 Sherpa Graph days) had Desotos. There aren’t many of these kicking around, but Desotos were Enicar’s generic-label Valjoux 72. The case is straight 40mm EPSA Sherpa Graph from the Enicar factory and the many of the Valjouxs were even signed specifically for Enicar. Despite this…
Read MoreStratos Flyback Rainbow Zenith El Primero
Reissues frequently run the risk of being trite or overly reductive and damaging the reputation of the original article. However, if there is one manufacture I trust to always nail a design update, it’s Zenith. They don’t replicate and they don’t get too flamboyant in their reissue efforts. More than almost any other modern watchmaker,…
Read MoreA Tasty, Taupe Enicar Sherpa Graph Mark IV
With the recent vintage value explosion of mainstream manufactures such as Rolex and Patek, collectors are increasingly peering into the more dimly lit corners of collecting for attainable and interesting watches. Enicar is one of those dark corners that, when observed closely, you find to actually be a hallway with other rooms attached. The recent…
Read MoreLip Genève Valjoux 7730 Diving Chronograph
A watch need be nothing more than a simple delight to win my love. Sure technical sophistication and precious metals are great, but occasionally pure charm is more than enough. Once-large French watchmaker Lip are probably most famed for their very colorful chronographs, shouty divers, or double-signed Breitlings. The brand was intended to slot just…
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