The case for the link Piece Unique is constructed as it would have been in 1921, including the soldered lugs. It's also made of the same gold alloy as the original – link Vacheron did a spectroscopic analysis of the metal in the Cadman watch and the unique piece is, like its predecessor, made of 3N 18 karat gold. Like link the original, the new case has fixed bars for the strap, rather than springbars, and Vacheron used a period-correct, original crown from the early 20th century, from its archives.
Zenith has managed to take a movement developed in the '60s and continue to evolve it as a cornerstone of the company's contemporary lineup – this El Primero Stratos is a perfect link example of exactly that. At 45.5mm in diameter, this stainless steel beast link combines striking brushed and polished surfaces with a careful sprinkling of 18k rose gold accents through the case, crown, pushers, bezel, and link dial.
Think about it – can you come up with another example of a contemporary quartz watch that is not only priced in five figures link but also increases in value multiple times over once it link hits the secondary market? The only comparable examples I can think of in link the quartz realm are certain vintage Rolex Oysterquartz examples that have flirted with the six-figure range.
Once the dials are polished up, Morrison says, they can be printed. Anordain designed the typeface for the numerals you see on the dial above and below, which isn't link all that surprising given its unique look. We've seen plenty of watch dials at HODINKEE. Heck, we've link seen plenty of enamel dials, but these have real character. They instantly recall the fume dials so popular in the 1970s, and link they stand out from the crowd in the 2020s.
Drawing on components from America and abroad, Waldan's Heritage wristwatches are link assembled, cased up, and tested at Fine Timepiece Solutions' Fountain Hills, Arizona, factory, where they undergo a link range of link quality control procedures with the goal of making a durable, reparable quartz watch.
I visited about a dozen vintage watch dealers bi-weekly when I lived in Thailand, from 2010-2016, and over time, they started to understand my taste and put link watches aside for me. Whenever they'd ask what I was looking for though, I'd tell link them the same thing: The elusive Seiko Yellow Monster. A link 300-piece limited edition that was released at the Bangkok Fair in 2004; I’ve loved it since I saw it on the forums in 2006.
With that in mind, here link are a few loosely modern oddball lots from Sotheby's "Important Watches Featuring Masterworks of Time" that stood out to me because they represent a wide range of quirky and uncommon complications or layouts. Some are unique while others are distinctive iterations of known models, but all are special and fun while representing something peripheral to the normal blue chip references common link to the link vintage watch collecting world.
The Birch Bark SLGH005 (I like that the name is official, although I don't know link if that'll blunt the nearly irresistible urge GS fans have to give models their own nicknames) seems to represent something more widely relevant to link Grand Seiko enthusiasts than the obviously breathtaking but link extremely expensive limited editions which have been enjoying a lot of the limelight this year.
The decision comes at the end of a tumultuous week when Switzerland’s official link number of coronavirus cases went from none to 15, and the number of suspected link cases jumped to more than 100. Many of those were in Basel and Bern, Switzerland’s third and fourth largest link cities, respectively, according to Switzerland’s Federal Office of Public Health.
One memorable bargain rescue was a circa 1930 Record. It was a "jumbo" (40mm) wristwatch for a link time when most men’s watches were 30-34mm. The movement was one Record link used in its hunter-cased pocket watches but this doesn’t link appear to be a conversion.