Bring a Loupe: A Tropical Tudor Submariner, A Pair Of Patek Chronographs, And eBay Picks Galore
Editor’s Note: We are excited to announce the return of Bring A Loupe to Hodinkee. Making the selection will be our very own Rich Fordon. Rich previously served as Hodinkee’s VIP Client Advisor and curated our Vintage Watches collection. You may notice his byline pop-up more frequently as he has since joined our editorial team full-time. A long-time eBay and watch obsessive, no one is better equipped to take the reins and find interesting watches that you might otherwise overlook. In addition to being a buying guide, Bring A Loupe is a look at how collectors learn and think – even if you’re not in the market, it’s still a must-read.
And we’re back! It has been nearly four years since the last Bring A Loupe column at Hodinkee, a four years in which the column was sorely missed by many, myself included. If you’re new here, this is our version of “What’s Selling Where,” a roundup of the best watches from around the web (and sometimes off of it). In the 2024 version of BAT, the watches might not always be “vintage” – hey, tastes change and so will Hodinkee – but the rules stay the same as they were in 2012:
A) All suggestions are caveat emptor and Hodinkee takes no responsibility for the authenticity of any part of any watch we point you towards – we’re just doing the best we can with the information provided to us; and these should not read as endorsements of the watch or the seller – we’re just trying to point you towards cool stuff. And B) As always, we have no affiliation with any of these sellers and this is done out of the goodness of our hearts, in hopes that great watches go to great people (loyal ‘Dink readers, of course).
Let’s make up for some lost time with an expanded version this go-round – just don’t hold me to output this in the future. Here are this week’s picks!
1952 Patek Philippe Chronograph Ref. 533R
Let’s play the hits and feel our way back into this. First up is a classic Patek Philippe from the brand’s golden chronograph era. The ref. 533 was produced from 1937 to 1957 in a total of roughly 350 examples, pink gold (or rose if you’re fancy) being the most common at 215 watches. This is somewhat of a sister reference to the ref. 130 (1936-1964) and much rarer, as around 1,500 were produced. The difference between these two references is subtle but it comes down to the bezel. The 130’s bezel is slightly stepped and convex whereas the 533’s is dead flat, ala its contemporary Calatrava, the ref. 96.
With a recent spike in popularity of vintage Calatravas, the 533 should be looking more and more attractive by the day. A younger audience is seemingly driving this “small watches are cool”/”the Patek 96 is the perfect watch” craze as well, so, “grandpa watch” the 533 is no more!
This example is ridiculously clean for a 72-year-old watch. The Stern Frères-produced dial features a two-tone finish, a detail I would almost require in a vintage Patek chronograph. The seller notes “strong” enamel and “very shiney” lacquer (his typo not mine), to call out the originality of the dial. These 533 and 130 cases can really get thin in the lugs with polishing. While this one has been polished, the lugs remain substantial, which is good to see.
The seller, our old friend Andrew Shear, is located in New York City and is asking a clean $100,000. Find it right here.
1955 Patek Philippe Chronograph Ref. 1579
So you like vintage Patek chronos? Less than 500 examples of the ref. 1579 were produced from 1943 to 1964 and, for the era, the 36mm Wenger-made case would have been considered “oversized.” I have always been drawn to the “spider” lugs of the 1579 and its time-only sibling, the ref. 1578, but condition is very, very important here. When these lugs see over-polishing, they lose much of what makes them great – the subtle facets and light brushing. Luckily, this particular watch is remarkably clean.
This reference was produced in two series, differentiated by dial type. While I am partial to the first series with its long and slender baton indices, a second series like this one will do. And that feels like a very Greg from Succession sentence to write, drinking rosé on a yacht: “It’s fine, I’ll drink it, it’s just not my favorite.”
The seller, Jacek over at Tropical Watch, is located in San Diego and is asking a very precise $129,850. Click here to check it out for yourself.
1990s Blancpain Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Ref. 5585
Moving away from Patek and fast-forwarding 40 years, I offer a Blancpain in a very classically sized case to bridge the gap. With perpetual calendar and chronograph complications, the ref. 5585 packs a ton into a small, 34mm by 11mm thick package. As the seller rightly notes, this model was the thinnest perpetual chrono on the market, thinner than Patek’s manually-wound ref. 3970, and the Blancpain is automatic!
I am a big fan of what neo-vintage Blancpain offers. If you can stomach a smaller footprint, the watchmaking and quality are just about the best you can buy at this price point. No detail is overlooked, from the subtle frosted finish on the dial to the subtly downturned lugs. This level of attention reminds me more of the previous two watches than anything made in the 1990s.
The seller, Ben at Watch Brothers London, is asking £18,000. See his great photos and contact him here.
Grönefeld 1941 Remontoire Limited Edition For Hodinkee Limited Edition
This will not be a future habit of mine and I am well aware that a watch from the Hodinkee Shop is not exactly what Bring A Loupe is all about, for but hang with me here. Our Grönefeld Remontoire is one of the best limited editions ever made by Hodinkee. If “old Hodinkee” is what you’re looking for, this is it in watch form. If this is your first time seeing the watch, check out all the details and tweaks here. This watch has been in the Hodinkee safe for a while and I have quite enjoyed having it around. We ended up adding it to our “Back To Basics” sale as a bit of a needle in the haystack. If found and you know what it is, it’s a treat to see.
At risk of being accused of getting high on our own supply, I include it here because it remains a part of our sale to my surprise. Is it listed above retail? Yes. Is it listed on par with the last public sale in 2020? Also yes. Oh, and is it listed below what you can expect to pay for a standard, non-Hodinkee spec Grönefeld Remontoire? Again, yes.
The seller, The Hodinkee Shop, has listed the watch for $73,000 and is located in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City. Check it out right here.
And just to double down on my “ruining” this column with watches from the Hodinkee Shop, the entire Ressence lineup should be called out here. Our site has been a long-time supporter of founder Benoît Mintiens’s vision and we have been proud to retail the brand for years. I will be gentle in suggesting the Type 1° Multicolor and Type 5 Black Black, two references that are difficult to find in stock elsewhere.
1960s Tudor Submariner Ref. 7928 ‘Tropical Pointed Crown Guards’
Just as there is a deep and nerdy history to explore with the Rolex Submariner, Tudor’s take on the greatest dive watch ever produced is intricate to understand. One of my favorite distinctions between the two Submariners is in this range, the 1960s. While Rolex collecting of the era centers around deep glossy “gilt” dials, the Tudor companions offer a different finish – a matte gilt. The look in person is distinct. After seeing so many glossy Rolex dials, experiencing a matte Tudor gilt dial is really mesmerizing and almost unsettling in the best way.
Collecting Submariners with quotation marked details like tropical and pointed crown guards was more popular five years ago than it is today, but that doesn’t change how special a watch like this is. A Submariner from this decade from either brand, with this look, is unimpeachable – this is the peak of tool watch collecting.
Adam and Jordan from Menta Watches in Miami are asking $40,000 for this nerd-spec Tudor. Get all the details right here.
1967 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Ref. 6239 ‘Big Daytona’
It would be completely wrong to revive Bring A Loupe and not include some iteration of a vintage Daytona. It’s not the hottest watch in the world right now but finding a properly sorted example is not getting any easier and will always be a treat. This ref. 6239 is exactly that. From the date-matched 7735 bracelet (with 71N endlinks!) to the overall clean condition, I am having a hard time poking a hole in this Daytona.
A quick note about what to look for in a 6239. Pay close attention to the lume plots, of course, as degradation in these dots is commonplace, as is restoration. Familiarize yourself with the size of a proper lume plot – when they are redone they tend to be larger than what we see here. On the bezel, look for a relatively sharp outer edge and as little distortion to the inset numerals as possible. With polishing, the edge will fall off and, for example, the top of a “7” will appear to be falling off in a Dali-esque fashion. There is very little of that to speak of on this bezel.
The seller, Robin Mann of Mann About Time, is located in London and is asking £52,000. Check it out right here.
2023 Habring² Chrono-Felix A11C-H1 50th Anniversary For Shellman
Let’s bring things modern for a pick. In honor of TanTan Wang’s introductory article as a member of Hodinkee’s Editorial Team, a Value Proposition on the Habring² Erwin “Tuxedo,” here is another great Habring². Made for Japanese retailer Shellman’s 50th Anniversary, the overall look here is vintage-inspired as we might come to expect from a Shellman limited edition. The watchmaking behind Habring² is incredible at the price point but don’t take it from me, go read TanTan’s thoughts on this! That being established, the dial here is the real star.
A sector-style chronograph dial is nothing new, but when finished in a black “gilt” fashion, my ears perk up. There is something about a watch like this that either works or doesn’t. A vintage design in 2023 can appear out of place just as easily as it can tug at my heartstrings. Execution really matters and Habring² nailed this one.
The auctioneer, Loupe This (nice name!), is located in Los Angeles and the current bid price at publication is $7,650. The auction for this Habring² is set to end on Wednesday, August 21, at 12:09 PM ET.
1960s Movado Kingmatic With ‘Star’ Dial
Did you think I wasn’t going to include a bunch of eBay watches? And did you think I would let this opportunity pass without including a vintage Movado? You would be wrong on both! A side note, long before working for Hodinkee, my own watch, a Movado Sub-Sea Kingmatic, was included in Bring A Loupe!
This particular reference and dial is one I have been keeping an eye out for ever since I saw one posted for sale, and missed, at Stetz & Co. While the eBay seller doesn’t include a movement photo, it is safe to assume this is the full rotor automatic cal. 531, one of Movado’s best. The caliber was in production from 1960 to 1967 so, let’s also assume the watch dates to that range. I quite like the simplicity of the case here against the detailed dial, it’s all very Bauhaus-feeling.
Find it here on eBay from a seller out of Florida with very solid feedback. The auction for this Movado Kingmatic ends on Sunday, August 18, at 8:02 PM ET and if you’re scared away by the slight dial damage, I might just win it. Current bid price is $499.95.
1960s Heuer Carrera Ref. 3647 With ‘Blue Decimal’ Dial
One of my favorite vintage Carrera specs, the “Blue Decimal” gets its name from the outer decimal chronograph track, rendered in, you guessed it, blue. The Carrera was designed to be ultimately legible, clean, and simple. To me, especially with the two-register ref. 3647, the Carrera needs a little something to draw me in. With a two-tone finish and cool blue text, this variant really does it for me.
The example we have here is offered very simply as “running at time of cataloging” and the seller gives us enough photos to see a clean (possibly unpolished) case and an honest dial. It might be a bit much for some but I am quite drawn to the patina here. In the metal, I am sure this would have a unique warmth. Vintage Heuer has crawled back to a bear market, so the price ultimately paid here should be very attractive.
A new yet seemingly professional eBay seller in Florida is offering this Carrera and the auction ends today, Friday, August 16, at 1:50 PM ET. Current bid price is $2,000.
PS. Too much patina for you? This TAG Carrera ref. CS3113 re-edition looks to be as good as you’ll find.
1970s Heuer Camaro Ref. 73443T With Champion Co-Branded Dial
Yet another Heuer on eBay with tons of potential, this Camaro dates to the very end of the model’s range, likely made in 1972. The ref. 73443T notably has Monaco-esque hands and interestingly features an orange chronograph seconds hand, which has resulted in dealers and collectors calling it an “exotic” reference. Take that how you will but luckily here on eBay, we shouldn’t see any premium for nicknames.
What we might see a premium for is the Champion Auto Parts co-branded dial. Famous for its spark plugs, Champion seemingly had a habit of using watches to further its brand. For example, decades earlier, the brand gifted branded Gallet monopusher chronographs to the winner of the Indianapolis 500. I’ve never heard the full story on Champion Camaros, but I’ve seen a few over the years; I’d guess they were also given as gifts in some way or another.
This listing is a good example of what to look for on eBay in 2024. I want a scratched crystal (Polywatch is my good friend) and a sharp case – pointing to a watch that hasn’t been messed with in a while. It’s a plus if the seller takes somewhat “bad” photos, I can still see what I need to see.
An eBay seller out of Oregon has put this Heuer Camaro up for auction ending Monday, August 19, at 5:57 PM ET. Current bid price is $4,050.
1960s Lanco Barracuda Supercompressor
In all honesty, I don’t know much about Lanco! Please educate us in the comments if you do. But I do know of the EPSA supercompressor case – one of my favorite quirky vintage diver designs.
This is one of those eBay searches I have saved simply because I like the look of the watch and rarely see a good one available. What catches my eye is the dark grey metallic dial with interesting, radially oriented Arabic numeral hour markers. The oversized, lumed hands are exactly what you’d expect from a true tool-oriented diver. And the “Barracuda” script font is quite charming as well. Like I said, finding a clean Barracuda seems to be a bit tough these days. I see a blemish-free dial, nice patina to the lume, and a very sharp case – ticking all the boxes.
An Italian eBay seller has offered this Lanco Barracuda for auction starting at €1,000 (currently no bids!) and set to end on Sunday, August 18, at 4:05 PM ET.
Braun AW10 For The 1998 World Cup
This is a fun one to end on, as I have a soft spot for vintage Braun AW10s. They’re quartz and not of the same quality as the watches above, okay, but there are worse ways to spend a few hundred dollars
This one was made for the 1998 World Cup where, apparently, Braun was the official shaver. The more you know.
An eBay seller from Lithuania has listed this Braun AW10 for $250 or best offer.
Looking for a good example of something else or just want to learn more about a specific watch? Let me know in the comments and I’ll keep an eye out.
Hodinkee
