From the mid-1970s onwards, mechanical watches became functionally obsolete

The moonage watches were the watches made right at the end of the era when mechanical horology was still the most advanced method of personal timekeeping

The story of an exceptional IWC Yacht Club

I recently wrote about the vintage Yacht Club, IWC's highly successful sports-dress watch of the late 1960s and 1970s, comparing it to a Rolex Datejust 1601 of the same period. The comparison can be extended to the range of luxury options that were available for this model, which included versions in yellow and white gold as well as diamond-set dials. The watch I want to talk about today is a rare piece, an R811A in solid 18K yellow gold with a slate grey, vertically brushed

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The story of an exceptional IWC Yacht Club

I recently wrote about the vintage Yacht Club, IWC's highly successful sports-dress watch of the late 1960s and 1970s, comparing it to a Rolex Datejust 1601 of the same period. The comparison can be extended to the range of luxury options that were available for this model, which included versions in yellow and white gold as well as diamond-set dials. The watch I want to talk about today is a rare piece, an R811A in solid 18K yellow gold with a slate grey, vertically brushed

1 hour ago6 min read

Vintage duel—the IWC Yacht Club vs. the Rolex Datejust

It's a long time since I've posted here. One reason for that is that I have quite a lot of other interests and commitments besides vintage watches. Another is that I'm sometimes not even sure if I'm really a "watch guy" at all. If I'm completely honest, not all aspects of watch culture appeal to me. I find most modern mechanical watches rather pointless (derivative aesthetically, unambitious and anachronistic technically), and I can't afford any of the genuinely horologically

Oct 1815 min read

The legacy of the "Beads of Rice" and the Rolex Jubilee

Vintage watch bracelets are unfairly maligned. They were stylistically more diverse and functionally superior to their modern equivalents.

Jan 29, 202516 min read

The Longines Ultra-Chron “jumbo” models. Part 3: dials and hands

Last in a three-part series dealing with the Longines Ultra-Chron 37 mm "jumbo" references, this time covering dial and hand variations.

Nov 2, 202413 min read

The Longines Ultra-Chron “jumbo” models. Part 2: case variants and reference numbers

In this post I aim to demystify the case variations and reference numbers used in the 37 mm "jumbo" Longines Ultra-Chron models.

Jul 7, 20246 min read

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From the mid-1970s onwards, mechanical watches became functionally obsolete

The moonage watches were the watches made right at the end of the era when mechanical horology was still the most advanced method of personal timekeeping

The story of an exceptional IWC Yacht Club

Recent Posts

The story of an exceptional IWC Yacht Club

Vintage duel—the IWC Yacht Club vs. the Rolex Datejust

The legacy of the "Beads of Rice" and the Rolex Jubilee

The Longines Ultra-Chron “jumbo” models. Part 3: dials and hands

The Longines Ultra-Chron “jumbo” models. Part 2: case variants and reference numbers

Subscribe

Contact