The Naked Watchmaker Deconstructs 71-Year-Old Vintage Vacheron Constantin World Time Pocket Watch (Video)

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Our friends at The Watches TV entertained a visit from Peter Speake, The Naked Watchmaker, as he took apart a Vacheron Constantin world time pocket watch from 1949 – a feat firmly categorized in the “don’t do this at home” rubric. This World Timer is 71 years old, displays the time in 41 reference cities, is housed in a yellow gold case, and is completely original with all of its original parts and even the dial.

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Are Today’s Vintage Watch Buyers Killing Watchmaking? – Reprise

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To the extent that new enthusiasts represent the future of the watch market, is it possible that their enthusiasm for the past will prove highly damaging, or even lethal, to the industry’s future? GaryG shares his thoughts on the subject here.

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Why I Bought It: Vintage Mathey-Tissot Type 20 Big Eye Chronograph

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This is the story of GaryG’s pursuit, and eventual capture, of a classic vintage watch: a Type 20 “big eye” flyback chronograph manufactured by Mathey-Tissot.

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Vintage Jaeger "Panda dial 4 ATM"

Vintage Watch Restoration: Should You Or Not? A Guide To The Oft-Controversial World Of Making Things Worse By Trying To Make Them Better – Reprise

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Deciding whether or not to restore a vintage watch is a tough decision to make. The internet is awash with tales of watches butchered by an incompetent independent watchmaker or, worse still, the brand itself. Even more confusing is deciding which options offered should be accepted. Refinish the case? Change the hands? Replace the crystal? Here is some help for you.

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Longines Heritage Military (photo courtesy Dr. Magnus Bosse)

Fauxtina: A Faux Vintage Faux Pas

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Ashton likes vintage watches so much that his prized possession is a 1978 Rolex Submariner Reference 1680. Why does he love this watch so much? Not because it looks like it’s from 1978, but because it is from 1978. So, he asks, is the current vintage trend something we should be wholeheartedly embracing?

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Meet The Spaceman: A Popular Fashion Watch Of the 1960s And 1970s That Was Almost Forgotten In A Drawer

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Launched in 1969, the Catena/Zeno Spaceman is special thanks to its funky design as well as its its fiberglass and chrome case. The Spaceman’s blend of ovals, curves, and straight lines was just right for that groovy time in fashion, touching a nerve in a hip watch-buying public. It was a polarizing watch: people generally either hated it or loved it at first sight, and remains so today. Here is the brief history of this fun vintage watch.

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Vintage Longines with diamond-set bezel

How, When, And Why Diamond-Set Watches For Men Were Commonly Accepted And The Significant Role America Played – Reprise

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Post-war United States boasted unique market conditions that allowed for diamond-set men’s watches from a variety of brands to thrive. Martin Green takes us on a journey to discover how and why diamond-set watches for men became part of the American Dream.

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Rolex Submariner Reference 1680 from 1978

The Superficial Value In Refinishing/Refurbishing Rolexes: A Watchmaker’s Rant – Reprise

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A common question in watch servicing/restoration is, “Who does the ‘best’ work?” In a word (or three), what is meant here is superficial case refinishing. And in other words: huge chamfers on Rolex cases, perfectly flat surfaces, and well executed sunburst patterns. And that’s got Ashton Tracy ranting. Find out why here!

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8 Horological Highlights From The June 2020 Dr. Crott Auction: Beautiful Rarities By Prestigious Brands

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The auction world is in some disarray right now, but the 2020 Dr. Crott spring auction in Mannheim, Germany will take place online and/or in place with a date moved from the usual May position to June 29, 2020 at noon CET. Elizabeth Doerr shares eight of her highlights here.

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Vintage 1950s Vacheron Constantin Reference 6087 chronograph

Vintage Watch Snobbery AKA How I Met Your Mother – Reprise

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Standing before his eyes was the most perfect of God’s creatures, a wonderful mix of Audrey Hepburn and Penelope Cruz. What Makes Me Tick thought his heart had skipped a beat, and he heard the chimes of every single minute repeater Patek Philippe had ever created – all chiming at exactly the same time! Six months later the gentle creature and he were married. This extraordinary story reflects the marvelous world of vintage watches: finding the rare bird, linking it to a story, and never letting it go.

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