It’s the middle of the week, and what better way to get the day started than with a new vintage watch round-up in the HODINKEE Shop? We have an excellent selection of uncommon sports watches and a chronograph today, as well as some of the classic, blue-blooded timepieces you know and love. We also realize that Mother’s Day is right around the corner (it’s this Sunday – FYI), so we’ve sourced a few options that will be perfect for the special lady in your life.
1980 Tudor Prince Oysterdate Submariner Ref. 94110
The Snowflake accents found on vintage Submariners like today’s example are perhaps Tudor’s most recognizable aesthetic attribute, and they continue to influence the company’s modern design decisions. Tudor introduced this style of handset and replica watches hour markers in 1969 in order to increase legibility while underwater, a strictly utilitarian purpose that eventually endeared the watch to the personnel of the French Marine Nationale. This black-dialed example (Tudor also produced a blue version) offers the appearance of a classic Submariner, but the Snowflake hands and hour markers grant it a style that is entirely its own.
1990s Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Day Date With Moon Phase Ref. 25594.0.789
Audemars Piguet has released countless variations of the Royal Oak since the watch debuted at the hand of Gérald Genta in 1972. Here we have a version from the 1990s equipped with both day and date sub-dials as well as a moon-phase display. The day and date counters are placed in the center of the dial, parallel to the watch’s central pinion for the handset, adding an extra bit of symmetry to the watch’s design. Audemars Piguet incorporated the moon-phase display at six o’clock, and to balance the dial, the company branding is located near 12 o’clock. To top it all off, the model we have here is rendered entirely out of solid yellow gold and features a champagne-colored dial. The mixture of gold tones, from the brushed and polished surfaces of the case to the champagne sheen of the dial, allow this watch to just sing in the daylight. Finally, the emblematic screws in the bezel, made out of contrasting white gold, and the touch of blue on the moon-phase disc, really tie the whole package together.
1980s Excelsior Park Monte Carlo Ref. 7740
Despite not being a super well known name today, Excelsior Park is a brand that has a ton of history, and as a result, the company’s watches have become a bit of an inside-baseball choice for vintage collectors. The Monte Carlo chronograph we have here is an excellent option for those just learning about the brand. The design of the Monte Carlo is immediately familiar, evoking watches like the Zenith CP-2 Cairelli and Bulova Marine Star, but this watch stands out on its own attributes. This is a triple-register chronograph with a nice date window between four and five o’clock that does not obscure any part of the dial. The watch was originally offered with either a black or white dial, and the white-dial example we have here is quite attractive. The large luminous hands and Arabic numerals on the dial also offer a great deal of legibility, something that isn’t always the case on white-dialed chronographs.
The Full Set
In addition to the three highlights above, we have a nice Longines Ultra-Chron from 1972, a beautiful Rolex replica watches Day-Date in white gold from 1974, and a classic Rolex Oyster Precision with a Jubilee bracelet from 1966. Head over to the HODINKEE Shop to check them all out!
