Watch Picking : A regular look at vintage watches in the market.

 Watch Picking : A regular look at vintage watches in the market.

This month we have some really special pieces, each with real character. That's the theme for this month, character. Something that can make a watch unique, a chance to own and wear something no one else will. For me that what makes a collection a real collection, a voice. Knowing something of the collector from their watches. 

We start with a piece from Monaco's Only Vintage. Only Vintage offer the most amazing watches  from a collection curated by Corrado Mattarelli. It is always worth a visit to their site, even if only to dream. What I found for you is a civilian version of the most amazing aviation watch, the Longines A7, very rare in stainless steel (the service models are chrome plated).

Photo: Only Vintage 

The Longines A7 Aviation was produced Pre-War, a single pusher chronograph for pilots. They were designed for the US Army Air Corps for the purpose of navigation. They are part of a long line of pilot watches, with IWC, Stowa and Lange & Söhne all producing examples. When we thing of tool watches we thing Dive watch, the Submariner even. But the pilots watch to me is the toolest (I know this isn't a real word, but lets pretend) of tool watches, but for a real world purpose, without them dead reckoning navigation would not be possible and flight would have never taken off the ground (yeah, I know, weak) there is such a romance to the pilot watch, an adventurer, taking risks, pioneers. The A7 from Longines dates from when the brand were a premium watch maker (go goggle the legendary 13ZN Chronographs) the dial is set at an angle to read without having to move your hands from the controls (pure tool) the crown mounted single pusher is really of the period and designed for single hand use. Like many early pilot watches the A7 is oversized for legibility, this coming in at 49mm, large yes, but a statement piece for sure. 

The Longines A7 offered from Only Vintage is such an amazing example, with a beautiful gilt dial and a rich warmth to the black dial. It includes an extract from the Longines archive dating the watch to 1937 and purchased by Canadian based Lufthansa Flight Captain Hans Erich Lochner. This really is an object with history and a story, Longines watches have such a rich pilot heritage, with aviation heroes like Lindbergh designing his own pilot watch. This A7 is offered at Price On Application, with prices moving so fast it is often the only practical solution. Do have a look at Only Vintage site, and dream.......... 

The Tudor Black Bay range is to Tudor what Viagra is the middle aged accountant, It gave it a new life. You could argue that the Black Bay has played it's part in the growth of the vintage watch market. For sure the Black Bay has increased interest in Tudor as a brand, the Bride's Maid of the Crown has never been more popular. 

Photo: Bulang & Sons 

Our second watch comes from the Dutch Dealers Bulang & Sons, who also deal in lifestyle products and offer an interesting array of watches. What caught my eye was a Tudor Submariner Ref. 7928 dating from 1966. Tudor watches have always had an 'everyman' appeal, a tool for the workers and this example has a real tool watch feel, it has the character of an object that has been used with purpose. The 7928 is a no date sub, which has a purity of design. That's what I love about a Tudor Sub, they are in some way less showy than the Rolex, but in no way less special. If you want anymore evidence that a Tudor Sub is the watch of the 'Doers' read this wonderful and moving story from Hodinkee The Long Journey Home really distils what Tudor and the 7928 stands for. 

This 7928 is for me a really classic example, just the right amount of patina, with a mix of silver and gilt printing and rich warm lume and a very unusual faded bezel. This really is the real deal. What makes this Tudor that extra special for me is the Mexican Jubilee bracelet, something we see on a GMT and not a Sub, but it works well. Bulang and Sons have this Tudor 7928 for sale at €14,900. Which shows us just how much Tudor has made traction in the vintage market.... Oh if only we could get in our DeLorean and pop back to pre Black Bay days and stock up on Tudor Subs. 

Next up a watch I've had my eye on for a while. The Jaeger LeCoultre Memovox. Back to a simpler time, a time where we could find a parking space in London and smiling at a stranger wasn't a hate crime, where an alarm feature counted as a Smart Watch, JLC gave us this great watch. The 1950s was boom time for many of the watches we know and love and the Memovox for me should up there, it just doesn't get enough love. 

Photo: Goldammer

JLC have a great history of alarm watches, the Deep Sea is truly stunning diver version, with the rather charming alarm alerting the dive when it is time to go back to the surface. Many brands have produced this novel complication, from Tudor to Seiko (The Bell-Matic needs your attention)  The JLC uses two crowns, one to set the time and other to wind and turn the inner alarm disk, simple but perfect design. There is just something naive about them, which is what makes them just so wonderful. Being woken by the gentle ring of a vintage watch is a better way to face the day than the manic iPhone alarms, you just feel more relaxed as you pour your orange juice and open The Times and read about the goings on in Parliament. Of all the alarm watches produced the JLC Menovox (what a name) is for me the purest iteration of a classic, it just oozes class and what be at home on any wrist, if you want to be a Gentleman or Gentlewoman this is your watch, the 1950s at it's best. 

The German dealer Goldammer have this beautiful JLC Memovox for sale at €4,500, which is a lot of watch for the money. With a 37mm case the JLC has a vintage feel, but large enough for modern tastes. Just look at that custard dial, it is one of the nicest I've seen. The crowns are listed as possible replacements, but for me that's not a deal breaker. This is as best an example as you'll find...... Yes I want one. 

Now for something completely different....... A brand that is gaining interest in last year or so, Enicar. The Swiss brand have produced some really original pieces and have a rich history. One interesting part of that history lead to their most iconic line. In the late 1950's Enicar became a suppler to mountain climbers, notably the Seapearl on the wrists of Albert Eggler's team on their 1956 expedition to the summit of Lhotse and Everest. As with all climbs in the Himalayas the Swiss were accompanied by a team of Sherpas. It was in their honour that Enicar gave us the Sherpa line. The watch that catch my eye is a Enicar Sherpagraph 072-001.

Photo: Vision Vintage 

If the mountaineering provenance was not cool enough the Sherpagraph has motor racing pedigree to add. A Sherpagraph has been photographed on the wrist of F1 driver Jim Clark  (if that's not cool, I don't know what is) and two times world champion. We have something in this Enicar that has class of a Daytona ( don't @ me !!) with nothing of the price tag. Why the Sherpagraph uses the Valjoux 72 under the hood, yes the same movement found in the Rolex until 1988. A wonderful hand wound three register chronograph movement, there is just something joyous about winding a chronograph, it gives you a real connection. This is just pure 1960's, you can see this Enicar on the wrist in the pits at Silverstone, showing from under the cuff of an unnecessarily handsome racing driver. 

I just love the dial on this Enicar, it has aged nicely, a little lume loss, but that kinda adds to the character. The 40mm case is a great size for a chronograph, giving it presence without bulk. Peak District based Vision Vintage are selling the Enicar for £5,850 and I think these are going to creep up in value.