Luminova

Around '98 Rolex stopped using tritium. For just two years they used luminova before switching to superluminova. These watches can be identified quite easily: at 6:00 you'll see 'Swiss' instead of 'Swiss Made' or 'Swiss T<25'. These are commonly refered to as the 'Swiss-only's'.

The beauty of patina

Yesterday a friend came by to deliver this little prince charming: a Rolex Datejust ref. 6605. The original dial has changed colour and aged gracefully to this über cool warm tone - no plastic surgery done here folks. We love the + (brevet) crown and original hands. The bracelet is of a somewhat later vintage, but it finishes off the look nicely. The 6605 is the last Datejust to feature the butterfly movement and (semi-) Bubbleback style caseback. Also, this style of bezel is not to be found in the 1600-series that replaced the 6605. This watch has had a full movement service and runs like a champ.

My white friends

We got this white dialed Panerai Base (PAM114) in a trade. The white dials are not nearly as loved as the black ones, but the fan base is growing and in our opinion it's a awesome piece, especially for summers.

Classic

Just last week we acquired this Datejust.. oh boy how we love these little marvels! This one sports a case in wonderful condition, a matte blue Sigma dial and a tight rolled Jubilee: in other words, the good stuff. Although the Datejust is not nearly as high profile as a Submariner or Daytona, it is a great classic worthy of some love and attention. In a configuration like this one it's likely more rare than a FF 5513 or a white 1680...

We're back!!

After a few setbacks we're back in business and ready to start blogging again. So, let's get this party started! F just sent me this crazy pic of the Valjoux 230 powering the Heuer Bundeswehr Flyback. This Heuer is a very affordable vintage considering the goodies it's packing: military heritage, nice size @ 42mm, killer movement and a nice complication (flyback chronograph) to finish it off. Nice piece!