Bring a Loupe: A Heuer Autavia ‘Rindt’ Reference 2446, An Angular Rolex Date Reference 1530, A Mysterious Wingo Yachtingraf, And More
After a full week dedicated to the SIHH novelties, vintage watches are finally back today. We start with a great Heuer Autavia “Rindt” coming from a very reputable source, and then look at an intriguing Wingo, which shares many features with the Yema Yachtingraf. You will also see an uncommon Rolex Date reference 1530 and a nice Zenith El Primero with fumé dial. This is your Bring A Loupe for January 20, 2017.
SIHH 2017 is a wrap. It’s done. After months of anticipation and speculation (along with regret for us Aussies leaving behind summer for subzero temperatures) the first watch fair of the year is behind us, the next one not too far away. But before we even think about the ‘B(asel)’ word, Felix and I want to share the moments that defined SIHH 2017 for us. You’ve seen some of the watches, you’ve probably had glimpses behind the scenes on Instagram and you’ve hopefully got the sense from us that the fair hasn’t been quite the doom and gloom many expected. Things are slowly, safely and steadily returning to business as normal, but very much a ‘new normal’, with some major corrections now absorbed. But the Friday Wind Down isn’t all business and neither was SIHH. Putting watch world machinations aside, here are three moments each that meant something to us. In the parting words of Vinnie Jones in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, “It’s been emotional.” And we make no apologies. It’s what happens after a 24-hour flight, and then five days of four hours sleep… Andrew moment #1 I was nervous about interviewing James Marsden for IWC – really nervous – because, as…
For many consumers and manufacturers, now is not the time for extravagant, outlandish watches. That’s not to say SIHH doesn’t have its fair share of outlandish, extravagant and (it must be said) amazing timepieces – but they’re very much a niche proposition. The vast majority of real-world buyers are after something simpler and in a soft and uncertain economy the versatile round steel watch, free of gimmick and full of quality is an appealing option. Happily, this year SIHH is delivering quite a few watches that fit this bill. For me, one of the best is the revivified Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control collection. For the past 25 years, these clean, round watches have been the starting point for many who’ve wanted to get into the brand, but (for whatever reason) haven’t heeded the call of the Reverso. These new Master Controls are pitch perfect heritage-ish watches that do everything right. The collection includes a dual time and a chronograph that we’ll show you down the track, but for now we’d like to focus on the Master Control Date. Before we get to that stunning dial, it would be remiss of us not to mention the well-proportioned 39mm steel case, which is très slim…