Posts Tagged ‘Split Seconds’
1563 Patek Philippe Split Seconds Chronograph
Little did we realize when our newsletter editor wrote ‘A Brief Guide to Patek Philippe’s 1563 Split-Seconds’ in an edition a few months back, one of the three known would be coming to auction later that year. It turns out, that’s the reality we live in. The 1563 is a lot more than just a…
Read More5004A Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Split Seconds
Patek Philippe only has the reputation today that can see it ‘get away’ with things like the rainbow minute-repeating Aquanauts because of the reputation it built with watches like the 5004. In 1994, Patek Philippe faced a question. They’d successfully brought high complication to meet serial production, in a way that few marques had, in…
Read More22560 Universal Genève A. Cairelli Split Seconds
Universal Genève are coming back. For true vintage lovers, they never left our thoughts. And throughout all these 70 years, one reference has always remained the apex. Elusive and extremely scarce, this is the 22560 A. Cairelli Split Seconds. This 44mm oversized chronograph is wafer thin, made for the Italian Air Force/MoD, and a classic…
Read MoreMother of Pearl Dial 1186 Blancpain Split Seconds
Last year, one of our most popular posts of the whole year by engagement was a ref. 1186 Blancpain Split Seconds with a ‘Military’ luminous tritium dial. That was made in 20 examples. Seemingly, no one knew it existed. Meet the only 1186 that can make that military dial look commonplace. This is the only…
Read More3751 IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Rattrapante
Patek may indisputably own the perpetual calendar chronograph, but IWC contested the 5004 Perpetual Calendar Rattrapante in the same year it debuted with this: the ref. 3751 Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Rattrapante. It included the most infamous advertising campaign any watch has ever braved, almost unimaginable today, which began in the early 90s with the…
Read MoreMilitary Dial 1186 Blancpain Split Seconds
Meet the king of sleeper split seconds. Blancpain’s six masterpieces are widely regarded to be some of the greatest forgotten feats of neo-vintage fine watchmaking. But this 1186 with an extremely rare tritium ‘Military Dial’ is not just forgotten, almost no one knew it existed in the first place. The 1186 was officially introduced in…
Read More766 Breitling Duograph
The rattrapante is not just a classic high complication, it’s actual magic. I maintain that no one man really understands fully how they actually work, a bit like electricity. Even all the mental might of Jack Forster, who probably came closest to making the topic relatable in his Lange 1815 article, took four long paragraphs…
Read MoreBeyer Rattrapante Moonphase
This charming Beyer has a remarkable ability to delight just about everyone, even the most jaded collectors who’ve seen it all. Beyer is the watch person’s signature, found on everything from Rolex to Patek, and longest continuously running watch boutique in the world. But it was Theodore Beyer who built a personal collection which is…
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