Hodinkee
Point/Counterpoint: This Was The Year Modern Watches Eclipsed Vintage
Look to the auction world and the local AD for all the evidence you need.
Results for The 2017-2022 Vintage Market Boom
41,055 articles · 6,415 videos found · page 36 of 1583
Hodinkee
SJX Watches
Swatch Goes Vintage with the 1984 Reloaded Collection
Launched in 1983 – with the driving force behind its conception being Ernst Thomke, the then-chief of movement manufacturer ETA – Swatch set out to be the antithesis of the traditional Swiss-made watch. Cased in plastic and quartz, the Swatch watch was cheap, cheerful, and vividly colourful. But it was a hit, with its unusual, funky styling making the Swatch a fashion statement – a million watches were sold in the first year. To celebrate the occasion, Swatch constructed a 13-tonne, 162 m-long mega-watch and hung it from the front of the Commerzbank skyscraper in Frankfurt. A homage to London’s Big Ben, the giant clock was a brilliant publicity stunt that boldly announced the ambitions of Swatch. The oversized watch indicated the time and three pieces of information: “Swatch”, “Swiss”, and the retail price of “DM60”. Now Swatch is remembering 1984 with a quintet of watches, each a recreation of the year’s bestsellers, but with a twist. Instead of plastic as the originals were, the remakes have cases of Bioceramic, while the straps are made of bio-sourced plastic – making the entire watch a little friendlier to the environmental than the 1980s originals. Initial thoughts Given the diverse and imaginative offerings at Swatch, it’s unusual for the company to reissue vintage watches, though it’s done a couple in the recent past. Interestingly, the 1984 collection resonates with the broader, luxury-watch market, which frequently returns to past hit...
Hodinkee
Introducing: The Bremont Supermarine Type 300 and Type 301, Smaller Dive Watches With Some Vintage Inspiration
Back in 2010, Bremont introduced the Supermarine 500, which introduced a fresh take on a pretty well-trod path: the dive watch. Its unique crown guard, sapphire bezel, signature Bremont three-piece "Trip-Tick" case, and overall styling set it apart from the pack. It quickly became a favorite of dive watch lovers. Then, in 2014, came the Supermarine 2000, which quadrupled the water resistance, introduced the anti-magnetic and anti-shock properties of Bremont’s MB watches, and beefed up the case from 43mm to 45mm. But for many, 45mm, or even 43mm, is too large for a watch, even a diver. So at last week’s "Basel-upon-Thames" event in London, Bremont released new additions to the Supermarine lineup – the Type 300 and Type 301 – both with an all-new 40-millimeter case.
Quill & Pad
3 Vintage-Inspired Pilot’s Watches For The Serious (And Less Serious) Aviator From Patek Philippe, Zenith, And Breitling – Reprise
Pilot’s watches rank among the most successful of all watch genres, owing their strong popularity to an unmistakable design with an instrument-like look resulting from over 100 years of history as a technical aid in the cockpit. Modern pilot’s watches still exude this spirit of adventure and audacity, and here are three prime examples from 2018.
Revolution
Vintage Calling: eBay is the New Hotspot for Collectibles in the Watch World
Watch collectors are turning to vintage markets for rare and valuable timepieces, buying luxury watches with services like Authenticity Guarantee from eBay are making it easier than ever to invest with confidence.
Video
The Bausele Vintage 2.0 Hybrid SmartWatch is the best of both worlds
Hodinkee
Vintage Watches: A 1956 Omega Seamaster XVI For The Melbourne Olympic Games, A 1970 Rolex Daytona, And A 1970s Vacheron Constantin
All that and more in this week's vintage drop. Tap in.
Hodinkee
Watching Movies: Tom Hanks Lives In An Airport And Wears A Vintage Omega In 'The Terminal'
He also learns English at an alarmingly fast rate in our watch-related movie of the week.
Hodinkee
Beginner's Guide: What’s the Difference Between Vintage and Pre-Owned Watches?
We love both. But they’re not the same thing. And as HODINKEE begins to sell pre-owned, we offer this primer on the merits of each.
Quill & Pad
Behind The Lens: Vintage Patek Philippe Reference 3450J
Despite the virus restrictions, GaryG has managed to venture out from time to time for brief, top-secret rendezvous in parking lots and on park benches to receive and return the generous loans of friends’ watches to photograph. Recently, he had the chance to shoot a true classic: a second-series Reference 3450J perpetual calendar made by Patek Philippe, which he shares with us here.
Revolution
Vintage Chronographs that Won’t Break the Bank
Here is a look at some options beyond the coveted Speedmasters and Carreras that offer plenty of period-correct design, legit heritage and sheer wrist appeal without the hefty price tag.
Video
Introducing The ABOUT VINTAGE 1926 At'Sea Automatic Vintage Diver Unboxing Miyota 8215
Quill & Pad
The Naked Watchmaker Deconstructs 71-Year-Old Vintage Vacheron Constantin World Time Pocket Watch (Video)
Our friends at The Watches TV entertained a visit from Peter Speake, The Naked Watchmaker, as he took apart a Vacheron Constantin world time pocket watch from 1949 – a feat firmly categorized in the “don’t do this at home” rubric. This World Timer is 71 years old, displays the time in 41 reference cities, is housed in a yellow gold case, and is completely original with all of its original parts and even the dial.
Revolution
Available Now: The UNDONE Vintage Chrono for The Rake & Revolution
UNDONE has once again partnered with Revolution to release a vintage inspired chronograph at an unbeatable price.
Quill & Pad
Bollinger 2012 Champagne: One Of The Very Best Wines And Vintages Of The Century
The Bollinger 2012 is fast gaining a reputation as one of the very best vintages of this century. Ken Gargett thinks it's fantastic champagne, and while truly wonderful now it has a great future. 98/100. Just wow! A couple of cases of this and we would feel a lot better about an extended period of isolation!
Two Broke Watch Snobs
11 Ugly Vintage Watches: The 70s Called… and They Want Nothing to Do With Your Watch
Overwhelmed Swiss factory guy 1: “Hold up, why is there a tachymeter scale if half the numbers are gone?” Overwhelmed Swiss factory guy 2: “Because of le quartz, man. Don’t ask questions. Do you want to lose your job?!”
SJX Watches
Editorial: The Meaning of Quality in Vintage Watches
There are endless ways to collect in any category of art and collectibles, including watches. The easiest way is to buy whatever strikes one’s fancy, as a hobbyist’s pastime. Carried on over an extended period of time, one is bound to possess a sizeable collection, a mixed bag consisting of nice and, more likely than not, middling objects. But is this the best way? The alternative – and far more meaningful – way to collect, is the focus on quality. But just what, one may ask, is “quality”? In this day and age, it is a word thrown around a lot, by laymen, dealers, and collectors alike. To me, “quality”, first and foremost, refers to the significance of a given object. For the most serious collectors of timepieces made by Rolex and Patek Philippe – the two most important manufactures in watchmaking due to their continuous histories of producing illustrious craft – it entails the pursuit of models that are the most significant both aesthetically and technically. At the pinnacle of Rolex collecting lies the ref. 6062. Debuted at the Basel fair in 1950, the 6062 was the world’s first waterproof, self-winding wristwatch with complete calendar and moon phase (pictured at top, a steel Rolex ref. 6062 from 1953). One of only two original Rolex models with moon phase – the other being the non-waterproof ref. 8171 with snap-back case – the 6062 represented the epitome of postwar Rolex watchmaking: a complicated yet robust and accurate automatic movement s...
Video
Let's Talk Day In The Life & Watch Market/Business With Roman Sharf!!
Hodinkee
Sunday Rewind: The Basics Of Buying Vintage Rolex
A thoughtful primer to help you better understand just how bad you might need that vintage Rolex.
Quill & Pad
Khanjar And Qaboos Rolexes: Are They The Vintage Watch Industry’s Blood Diamonds?
Increasing demand for timepieces, especially Rolexes, with the Omani emblem is understandable given the high quality, good condition, demonstrable provenance, and rarity of most of these watches, combined with the fact that they had often been presented to their first owners in the 1970s by Sultan Qaboos in person as a token of gratitude for services rendered. Colin Alexander Smith takes a very close look at the meaning behind these rare timepieces.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
3 New Orient Star Divers Hit The Market… and They Look Incredible
These new Orient Star references represent something totally new. What strikes me off the bat is that these are actually quite dressy divers in comparison to other Orient divers out there. There are no sharp edges - lots of curved angles with virtually no points. The aesthetics really are quite smooth.
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Breguet Type 20 For Only Watch, With A Vintage Valjoux Movement
A handwound vintage movement and on-point military looks make this one a winner.
Hodinkee
Editorial: Thoughts On Vintage Rolex Parts, And The All-Original Watch
In vintage Rolex collecting, what you see may not be what you get.
Video
Nodus vs NTH - Retrospect II vs Amphion Vintage Gilt Which is the better Diver? Micro Vs Micro
SJX Watches
Editorial: The Pursuit of Greatness in Vintage Complications
There is no real point in collecting anything unless for the sake of beauty. The moment I see a watch for the first time is always the most crucial. The pieces that ended up entering the collection always touched me viscerally when I first saw them. Over time, almost unconsciously, as the collection took shape, the watches not only have a uniformity of standard and taste, but also reflect an intuition distinctly my own. Taste is the developed perception of aesthetics unique to every collector, while standard pertains to quality and rarity. In the big picture, “beauty” – in both tangible and abstract terms – has come to encompass all three: aesthetics, quality, and rarity. The watches I crave and seek, be it the best examples of the most important references of the most important manufactures, or unique “time-only” examples of incredible quality and design, must be eternal in their beauty. In this article we delve into a few complicated watches close to my heart. Passing time cannot affect an object that is truly beautiful. Just look at two of the most important Patek Philippe landmark complicated references: ref. 1518, the first perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch in the world, and ref. 3448, the first self-winding, perpetual calendar wristwatch. Their designs are perfectly balanced, timeless, as fresh today as when they were first introduced – in the early 1940s and the early 1960s, respectively. For years, the daunting challenge had been in ...
Revolution
In the Market for a Japan Racing Dial Speedmaster?
Revolution considers the origins of the Racing Dial Speedmaster and why the 2004 Japan Racing Dial is on a superb upward price trajectory.
Hodinkee
The Grey NATO: Episode 80: Vintage Cool Or Too Cool To Wear?
The boys weigh in on the idea of an old watch becoming too valuable to be treated like a real watch.
Revolution
Vintage Curio: The Tool Watch You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
Is Sicura Safari fitted with a folding knife the watch every action hero needs?
Revolution
Revolution Awards 2017: Revolutionary of the Year - George Bamford, Founder of Bamford Watch Department
Once again, the global editors of Revolution weigh in on the best timepieces of the year, as well as the personalities that shaped the watch industry.
Video