It’s a world of luxury brand conglomerates, so which brands are owned by what companies?
For Your Reference
For Your Reference
Everything you need to know about the Vacheron Constantin vintage chronograph reference 4072.
For Your Reference
This is a study of Movado 95M chronographs, particularly those housed in François Borgel manufactured, water-resistant, 35.5mm cases.
Articles in the For Your Reference series aim to serve as a resource to collectors and would-be buyers of important vintage watch lineages.
Discover
- A Lange
- Akrivia
- Amazon
- Andorian
- AnOrdain
- Apple
- Audemars Piguet
- Autodromo
- Baltic
- Baume & Mercier
- Bell & Ross
- Blancpain
- Braun
- Breitling
- Bulova
- Caravelle
- Cartier
- Chanel
- Chopard
- Christopher Ward
- Citizen
- Doxa
- Enicar
- Eterna
- Farer
- Favre-Leuba
- Fitbit
- Fossil
- FP Journe
- Frederique Constant
- G-Shock
- Grana
- Grand Seiko
- Habring2
- Halios
- Hamilton
- Hublot
- Ikepod
- Invicta
- IWC
- Jaeger
- JLC
- Junghans
- Keaton Myrick
- Kurono
- Lemania
- Longines
- LVMH
- Marathon
- Martenero
- Merci
- Ming
- Monta
- Montblanc
- Movado
- Nike
- Nivada Grenchen
- Nomos
- Oak & Oscar
- Ochs und Junior
- Omega
- Oris
- Panerai
- Patek
- Petermann Bedat
- Phillipe Dufour
- Piaget
- Popular
- Ralph Lauren
- Raven
- RGM
- Richard Mille
- Richemont
- Rolex
- Samsung
- Seiko
- Shinola
- Sinn
- Skagen
- Smiths
- Squale
- Stowa
- Swatch
- Tag Heuer
- Timex
- Tissot
- Tom Ford
- Tudor
- Unimatic
- Universal Geneve
- Urwerk
- Vacheron Constantin
- Vortic
- Vulcain
- Weiss
- White Star
- Wittnauer
- Zenith
- Zodiac
Rolex Guides
Going deep on the Crown.
In-Depth
From Buzz Aldrin’s Speedmaster to President LBJ’s ‘President’, the watches we’re still searching for.
In-Depth
"The heart of the scheme was a conspiracy to illegally sell Rolex watches to foreign grey market resellers to enrich themselves." A summary of the juiciest complaint ever filed against an AD.
Editor’s Pick
President Biden's Datejust serves as a reminder of the virtues of moderation and the dangers of extremes.
Guides
The Rolex Explorer reference 14270 is the best transitional Rolex around. Here’s why.
Guides
From the 1950s into the 1960s, many brands produced gilt dials for their timepieces. Most commonly associated with deep black dials and gold-hued text that gives the watch a warm and unmistakably vintage look, the technique is actually quite versatile. But, “gilt” is also one of those words that is perhaps used more than it is truly understood in the watch world.
Guides
When collectors think of Abercrombie & Fitch, they usually think of Heuer: through the 1950s and 1960s, Heuer made a number of Abercrombie-branded models. But, Rolex also made a model to be sold at Abercrombie & Fitch, and it’s extremely rare.
Guides
When people think of 1950s Rolex, they usually think of stainless steel sports watches. After all, it was the decade the Explorer, Submariner, GMT-Master, and Milgauss all first came into production. But, it was a hugely transitional decade for Rolex too: for example, in the early 1950s it was still producing its Oyster Perpetual reference 6062 with a moon phase. Another 1950s Rolex that exemplifies this dichotomy is the Rolex Veriflat reference 6512.
Guides
It’s a pretty common question: What’s the best in affordable vintage Rolex? Sure, six-figure Daytonas and Submariners grab all the headlines, but most of us just want to get our hands on any Rolex, much less some of the most desirable references around. And with authorized dealers often having limited stock of some of the more in-demand models, that means turning towards pre-owned or vintage Rolex as an alternative.
Modern, entry-level Rolex starts at $5,4000 with the 36mm Oyster Perpetual (and $5,700 for the 39mm version), so we’ll use that as our baseline to define what “affordable” means. Luckily, vintage Rolex can often be found at a fraction of that price. One of Rolex’s strengths as a brand is its offerings at both the extremely high and low end of the market. From six- and seven-figure Paul Newman Daytonas to $1,000 Oyster Perpetuals, there’s something for almost everyone.
I also gave a Primer on Transitional Rolex recently. Many of these models are affordable, and slightly more modern, thus making them easier to find around the internet. It’s a great companion piece to this article as you search for your next (or first) great vintage Rolex.
Tudor Guides
Guides
Sure, Tiger Woods is a Rolex ambassador now. But while his current relationship with the Crown dates back to 2011, his history with the Rolex family actually began soon after he burst onto the professional golf scene, back in 1997.
Guides
From the 1950s into the 1960s, many brands produced gilt dials for their timepieces. Most commonly associated with deep black dials and gold-hued text that gives the watch a warm and unmistakably vintage look, the technique is actually quite versatile. But, “gilt” is also one of those words that is perhaps used more than it is truly understood in the watch world.
Guides
The start of a new year is as good a time as any to take a step back and look at the broader market: what’s hot, what’s not, and where is there value to be found? In this list, we’ll take a look at some of the watches we’re watching this year, and why. These aren’t necessarily “bargain picks” or “value finds”, but they are vintage watches that tend to be overlooked by the market more generally, and all will set you back less than $10,000.
Guides
Way back in 2012, John Mayer wrote an article for a young Hodinkee titled “The Five Best Buys in Vintage Rolex for $8,000 or Less”. It was a fine article with a lovely premise: you don’t need to be rich like John Mayer to own a desirable vintage watch from the Crown. Well, I’ve covered the fact that since then, most of Mayer’s recommendations have ballooned in value, most now trading in excess of five figures. So where’s a modest collector to turn? Enter Tudor.
One Watch
It’s that time of year. Far and away, our most popular article of 2018 was The Best Everyday Watches of 2018. Turns out a lot of people are searching for the best everyday watch, the best go-anywhere-do-anything (GADA) watch, or the watch to make the perfect one-watch collection (yes, you can have a one-watch collection. That’s a hill I’ll die on).
With the 2019 trade shows (meh as they were) in the rearview mirror, it’s time to update the list for 2019. In 2018, I looked at the best watches that you could still buy new. For 2019, we’re changing the rules. I’m going to look at the best vintage, pre-owned, and new everyday watches out there.
A reminder: there are no real requirements for an everyday watch besides general durability and comfort. We’re talking about watches that can be dressed up or dressed down. Watches that look as good with a suit as they do alongside a t-shirt and jeans. Lume and water resistance are nice, but not necessary. An everyday wearer can come on a bracelet or strap, as long as it sits comfortably on the wrist. And while we’re willing to pay good money for a watch we’re going to be wearing every day, we can’t spend so much that we feel we have to baby it through every door jamb.
First, up, the best everyday watches you can buy new. I’ve broken them down into three categories: (1) the Under $2,000 Club, (2) the Microbrands, and (3) the Classics.
Guides
There’s been a lot of conjecture that in 2019, Tudor will re-release a new reference of its iconic Tudor Submariner collection. Tudor has done little to dissuade these rumors, and now seems to be actively encouraging the hype (and of course, its Black Bay collection shows the brand’s affinity for re-releasing old hits). [Ed. note: Okay, we were wrong about this one.]
On January 21 on its Instagram, Tudor posted a macro shot of a dial, zooming in on an hour marker that looks an awful lot like some of the vintage Tudor Submariners that enthusiasts are hoping inspire a new Submariner release. And since rumors are also swirling that a new Rolex Submariner is in the works for next year (new movement and all), many buyers may end up with a Tudor Submariner if they can’t stand to wile away on an authorized Rolex dealer’s waitlist. With the seemingly imminent release of a Tudor Submariner, it’s a good time to recap the history of the Submariner, its most important references, everything else a collector needs to know.
Grand Seiko
Analysis
Grand Seiko is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, and with that comes an intensified focus on the brand’s history. Central to that history is Grand Seiko’s Grammar of Design, first developed in 1962 by famed designed Taro Tanaka.
For Your Reference
In-depth with one of the most beguiling vintage watches there is.