Timeless Stories

I love vintage watches. That might not come as much of a surprise to many people I know. But there is something more to be gained from this passion for me, beyond simply owning or wearing an old watch. It's about a shared history and the sense that a few years under the belt for a watch imbues it with a greater value in my eyes. I like the fact a watch has lived a bit. Often I find myself wondering about that life and the events that might have marked the decades of a particular watch's life,...

For over a quarter of a century, Omega has been the go to watch for the world's favourite spy (assuming you weren't rooting for the bad guys of Spectre.) And the go to Omega of choice has, more often than not, been the venerable Seamaster.  It's a watch men want and other watches want to be, to borrow and butcher a favourite James Bond quote. From the Omega Seamaster professional through various incarnations of Planet Oceans, the Seamaster has embodied the qualities most associated with the B...

I don't pretend to be an authority on global finance. Likewise i've never really approached the idea of collecting watches as anything more than a passion pursuit. However recently I've begun to notice (along with people far more qualified that me) that inflation is creeping ever higher and sooner or later the Bank of England will be forced to do something about it. With a great many commentators forecasting a significant rise in inflation (maybe even to double figures!)  and with a post pand...

For some watch makers, the term 'Mark' is used so infrequently, that when a new version is issued, the fanfare is akin to that which might accompany a coronation. (they are about as frequent too) For other watch manufacturers the rotation of designs and upgrades are so regular they can barely keep up with a coherent naming convention and the term 'Mark' in that instance becomes largely meaningless.  I've always thought it's a sign of a relative lack of confidence for a company to make so many...

I read, with a certain amount of excitement,  about the recent contract awarded by NASA to SpaceX to help land the next generation of astronauts on the moon as part of the Artemis programme. We are going to back to the moon! And not before time either in my view. As a child of the moon landings I vividly remember the excitement generated by the original Apollo missions and it has always seemed crazy that what we could do 50 years ago, seems beyond us now.    Of course my thoughts also immedia...

This week we are delighted to welcome a review from esteemed publication Hairspring who have taken a look at a watch dear to our hearts, the Longines 7150 Skin Diver.    "I’ve written multiple times here on why I love the 7150. I love all EPSA Super Compressors for the most part, but this design hits just right. One property of the 7150 that never fails to impress me is their sheer diversity. Some go grey, some go rusty, some go chocolate. It is a reference that wears its history on its di...

Is there such a thing as a seasonal watch? I suppose it depends on which season you are talking about of course but, with Summer nearly upon us, my own thoughts have turned to the kind of watches I'd like to be wearing during the long hot days to come (surely!).  For me something you could easily wear to the beach comes to mind. There are no shortage of suitable dive options, from the ever dependable Rolex Submariner and Omega Seamaster collections through to the less obvious, but equally app...

Wherever possible, I steer well clear of politics, mainly because I'm right and everyone else is wrong and they don't like to hear it!  However, whilst not wishing to stir the pot in any way, what has become clear to me in recent months, is the cost of of doing business in Europe is becoming increasingly difficult, due in no small part to the unforeseen 20% VAT charge that must be placed on any items coming into the UK from the EU, in line with what has been happening with the rest of the wor...

Time flies for iconic design

Despite sounding like a watch themed tongue twister, this is actually a question I'm frequently asked. As the owner of 'more than a few' watches, it's a question I struggle to answer. It's the infinite variety of timepieces that has always appealed to me, from dive watches to drive watches and everything in between. So asking me to choose one watch is always going to be a struggle. But that doesn't mean the whole watch industry and market doesn't find itself obsessed with the idea of this que...

1968 Heuer 2446 Rindt with factory order Tachymeter dial. I'd like to introduce you to something very special. A 1968 Heuer 2446 Rindt with factory order Tachymeter dial. This might just be the most special watch that I hold in my hands this year! It's easy to become blasé about the history of some of the watches that come across my desk. I love them all, or else I wouldn't have bought them in the first place. But in a collection of hundreds of watches, it's easy to lose sight of the exciteme...

Is it me or is there a distinct sense of optimism in the air?   As I look out of the window of my study it even feels as though Spring is making an attempt to join in with the growing sense positivity that is sweeping the nation. I wouldn't go as far as to say my garden is a riot of daffodils but there is a definite shift in mood that is reflected in nature, the speed of vaccinations and, dare I say it, the vintage watch market. Regular observers of my site will have noticed a huge influx of ...