« Antique Collector's Watches and Historically Inspired Models »
How much fascination would modern wristwatches hold without their rich history? Historic watches bring the glorious past of timekeeping back to life, and for many enthusiasts they are the ultimate obsession. Small wonder, then, that prominent manufacturers regularly launch heritage collections in honor of their early models. Even more steeped in tradition is the legacy of pocket watches and clocks, which have accompanied people through their days for centuries. Read on and join us on a journey into the nostalgic world of vintage editions.
Pocket Watches: The Gold Standard for 400 Years
If you have your sights set on antique collector's watches that are well over 100 years old, wristwatches quickly run out of options and the pocket watch takes center stage. For more than 400 years, from the 16th to the early 20th century, it dominated portable timekeeping and produced incredibly complex masterpieces. Historic watches such as the Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication (Ref. 198.385) of 1932, which with 24 functions held the title of the most complicated pocket watch of all time for more than 50 years, marked the spectacular finale of the portable timepiece. After World War II it became almost irrelevant, yet it still enjoys a loyal following today and offers a great deal of history at an affordable price.
If you don't want just any model but are looking to buy pocket watches of historical significance, the first thing to look for is a big name such as Breguet, Girard-Perregaux or, indeed, Patek Philippe. Because demand is limited, prices are often surprisingly low, but they rise sharply with the perfection of the condition and the degree of complexity. As investments, these portable models can only be recommended in exceptional cases, since they lack the appreciation potential of a Rolex Submariner, Patek Philippe Nautilus or other popular wristwatches. Incidentally: if you'd rather avoid historic watches but still want to carry a ticking companion in your pocket, Tissot's T-Pocket collection offers a remarkably large selection of modern editions.
Clocks: Dangerously Close to Perpetual Motion
The world of clocks proves that a passion for historic timepieces needn't have anything to do with wearable instruments. Whether it's a magnificent grandfather clock with a weight-driven pendulum or Jaeger-LeCoultre's legendary Atmos table clock, which draws its energy from minute temperature differences and comes dangerously close to the dream of perpetual motion – there is no more interesting home decor than ticking machines. Antique collector's clocks are often available for a song on auction sites such as eBay and come in acceptable to very good condition – frequently, a few minor repairs and some fine adjustment by an expert are all it takes to make these pre-owned pieces fully functional and accurate. That said, these large timepieces shouldn't be underestimated: genuine vintage clocks featuring handcraftsmanship, prestigious materials such as gold and fine decoration can cost a fortune.
Rolex Deepsea Challenge: The Return of the Most Extreme
Back to the wrist. When people talk about historic watches today, modern heritage collections honoring a specific predecessor from a brand's history play a central role. The spectacular Deepsea Challenge, a special model based on the Rolex Sea-Dweller Deepsea and water-resistant to 12,000 meters, is purely experimental and not available for retail sale, but it can look back on an unparalleled history. It pays tribute to the legendary Deep Sea Special, which in 1960 accompanied Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh on the first exploration of the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Mounted on the outer hull of the bathyscaphe Trieste, it effortlessly withstood the pressure of the 10,916-meter-deep Challenger Deep and earned its place in the history books of horology. There are plenty of historic watches, but how many have withstood a thousand times atmospheric pressure?
Even if the Rolex Deepsea Challenge were for sale, its massive construction would come with practical difficulties: a diameter of 51.4 millimeters and a hefty thickness of 28.5 millimeters make the instrument better suited to bear paws than human wrists, and it features a sapphire crystal whose 14.3-millimeter height could house a chronograph of its own. Pure history – just, sadly, not one you can get your hands on.
First Omega in Space: A Tribute to the Legendary Speedmaster CK2998
Considerably more compact than historic models like the Deepsea Challenge is the current First Omega in Space (Ref. 311.32.40.30.01.001), whose slim 39.7-millimeter case recalls the early Speedmaster editions. More specifically: the iconic CK2998 from 1962, which reached Earth orbit on the wrist of American astronaut Walter Schirra during the Mercury-Atlas 8 mission. That made it the first Omega in space – a major achievement that the Swiss manufacturer honored 50 years later with the First Omega in Space series.
Since 2012, these modern vintage watches have appealed to enthusiasts who value the Omega Speedmaster above all for its cosmic history and prefer comparatively slim proportions. The model presented here is numbered, is still powered by the famous hand-wound caliber 1861 and, with its black look, is as purist as a Speedmaster can be. Historic watches revived – with the First Omega in Space, the dream comes true.
Zenith El Primero A384: The Return of an Icon
Few wristwatches have influenced today's industry more than the Zenith El Primero. Its finest hour came in 1969, when the venerable brand from Le Locle launched the world's first automatic high-frequency chronograph movement with its El Primero caliber ("The First"). Historic! – the famous chronograph beats at a brisk ten steps per second (36,000 vibrations per hour), far surpassing the usual frequencies and earning Zenith its well-deserved fame. The first posters advertised the movement in the A384 with its distinctive tonneau case, long believed to be the first chronograph in which the celebrated caliber ticked. Current research, however, suggests that this honor most likely went to the A386.
Both historic watches have recently enjoyed a breathtaking revival. While the Zenith El Primero A384 Revival (Ref. 03.A384.400/21.M384) lends new luster to the striking tonneau case of the original, the Chronomaster Revival A386 Manufacture Edition (Ref. 03.Z386.400/60.C843) brings a never-before-seen prototype dial into the 21st century. Add the three typical, differently colored subdials, and you might think you were looking at historic watches in mint condition.
