Wristclassics Zenith El Primero
A huge part of the allure of vintage watches, beyond the cool styles of bygone eras of design, are the deeply personal stories they tell. These stories are at the core of what Wristclassics focuses on as a vintage watch dealer. They only stock watches with unique hallmarks and distinct features that make them stand out in the crowd. For example, this Zenith El Primero Ref. A386 MK3 from 1973 with the signature three colour tricompax chronograph display in a case measuring a svelte 38mm.
Available at Wristclassics.
Primitive Haus Timekeeper Type-A, $369 (approx. £280)
Finding what inspires you is always the foundation of a good microbrand and Primitive Haus are clear on where their inspirations lie. Influenced by the German minimalist movement spearheaded by Bauhaus, they aim to bring colourful watches to life that blend style and function seamlessly. Recently with the TimeKeeper Type-A they’ve been exploring fresh colours and designs, such as fumé blue, vibrant purple, and a gorgeous dimple dial variant that looks like freshly fallen snow. They house the Miyota 82S5 with 42-hour power reserve.
Available at Primitive Haus.
Zanuti GMT, £342
If you’re going to invest in an homage watch, you may as well look for something with quality and class. Zanuti produce an extensive range of homage watches that capture the styles and vibes of some of the world’s most famous watches at a fraction of the price. The GMT, for example, features a colourful two-tone GMT bezel available in numerous iconic colourways like brown and black or red and blue. It’s also available housing either a quartz or automatic movement, giving you plenty of choice as a collector.
Available at Zanuti.
Wayforth Voyager, £314
Wayforth’s Voyager is designed to keep up with you on your travels wherever they may take you. In that endeavour, it’s equipped with a chronograph function and a dual time zone display. A chronograph can be used to calculate your speed or even distance travelled with a quick calculation while the dual time display, consisting of an inner rotating bezel with 12-hour scale, lets you track local time and home time while globetrotting. There are eight colours to choose from, each housing the Seiko VK64 meca-quartz movement.
Available at Wayforth.
Héron Marinor Atlantic Blue, £495
The Héron Marinor Atlantic Blue is a gorgeous dive watch with a 39mm diameter hardened steel case and 300m water resistance, which is outstanding for a mechanical watch this accessible. The style, with a domed sapphire bezel and large, lumed hour markers draws inspiration from legendary dive watches of the 20th century, but at a much more approachable price point. Powering the watch is the Miyota 9039, one of the Japanese manufacture’s premium movements with a 42-hour power reserve.
Available at Héron.
Oracle Time