Luxury watches: The joy of vintage watches with a modern twist
If there’s one material object that invariably has an emotional connection to people or a personal story behind it, it’s a wristwatch. This facet of its appeal is clearly going nowhere and I don’t tire of talking about it. Some people may claim that a watch serves no purpose, but its lasting quality, discreet style and healthy dose of nostalgia have cemented its relevance.
Nostalgia has also dictated one of the most noteworthy recent trends in the world of timepieces – the vintage reissue. As the name suggests, this means a watch that existed in a brand’s historical catalogue being brought back to life today. This is sometimes done with virtually no changes in design whatsoever. As if it were freshly retrieved from a time capsule.
Vintage in design and character
While there’s no single visual template of what a vintage watch could or should look like, you can perhaps think of the small, elegant timepieces your grandparents may have worn. They had charmingly straightforward designs, with just enough flair to keep things warm and interesting. So essentially, mint-new versions of those watches are now all the rage.
In fact, vintage, as a broader subculture, is thriving across design and fashion too, even if it may not necessarily hit mainstream billboards. For example, we’re seeing an accelerated revival in cafe racer bikes, patinated leather goods, rustic furniture and a love for the Italian coast.
Vintage reissue watches infuse some raw, retro character into our mindlessly fast-paced and worryingly homogenous lives
Vintage reissue watches are arguably an extension of this trend and another way, then, to infuse some raw, retro character into our lives, which today sometimes swing between mindlessly fast-paced and worryingly homogenous. And you know what? More and more household names are hopping on the reissue bandwagon – from Timex to Rado to Omega.
A brand like Longines, for instance, has achieved much of its recent popularity in the inner circles of timepiece collectors, thanks to a stunning variety of heritage models, which look back to its rich design history. They have recreated many of their watches from the 1930s to the 1950s. Then there’s Zenith, hitting one home run after another with tributes to their El Primero watches. The El Primero was first released in 1969 and is one of the most storied chronographs of the 20th century.
They don’t make ’em like they used to
To achieve a period-correct aesthetic for these reissued timepieces, different means are adopted by watchmakers; from emulating the look of an actual-aged watch dial to employing materials like domed crystals and aluminium bezels, while keeping dimensions relatively compact. All this adds up to a vibe, which is true to their vintage roots. And the effect, in many cases, is extremely convincing.
If you have a fondness for vintage items of any category, I’m sure you find yourself lamenting how “they don’t make ’em like they used to”. The same can be said of watches, especially in terms of design. You see, mid-century watches possessed a certain integrity in their appearance, which came from their intention to be a real aid to timekeeping in the absence of alternatives.
The utility-first approach of these vintage watches meant that good form followed good function, as it often does. Because before the technological boom, watches weren’t art pieces or statements of luxury for the most part. They were just essential devices to tell the time, even for a working man counting down the working hours.
An anti-magnetic watch like the Omega Railmaster (1957) was for scientists and technicians exposed to magnetic fields. The Breitling Navitimer (1952) had a slide-rule bezel for pilots to make quick calculations of speed, distance or fuel consumed. Hamilton’s Khaki Field (1966), made to US Government specifications, was a military-issue watch for soldiers going to war. Each of these, among many others, has been recently reissued with remarkable dedication to staying faithful to the original.
So if you do find yourself fascinated with any of these stories or times from the past, you can just choose to live them vicariously through a vintage-reissue watch whenever you want. Because the watch will look just as it did in the place your sepia-toned imagination took you to. As a bonus, this comes without any of the risks and perils of sourcing a true vintage piece.
The utility-first approach of vintage watches meant that good form followed good function
And, therein lies the real appeal of the genre. Apart from offering something with a style and design language that’s conspicuously (and regrettably) absent today, you’re getting the opportunity to don a watch, which speaks to you and says something about you. Something belonging to a time when you’d have worn it with decidedly greater intent and dependence. It’s immensely satisfying.
Amish Behl, 30, is India’s first Swiss-certified watch expert and founder of Winding Ritual, a digital publication about the world of wristwatches
From HT Brunch, December 20, 2020
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