These Are the Watches We’re Obsessing Over in December 2018

As watch lovers, we spend our afternoons poring over watches both new and vintage. When a new timepiece comes across our radar, one that particularly resonates with our tastes, we can’t help but obsess over it. So, here’s a taste of that process — six timepieces that our watch-loving staff are obsessing over right at this very moment.

Rolex Datejust 36

Once you have had the opportunity to try this thing on, it’s hard not to think about it. The weight, bracelet, and overall fit are without equal and this configuration is possibly one of the most timeless tools to come from the halls of Rolex. — Tim Murray, Account Manager

Timex Archive Navi Harbor 38mm Fabric Strap Watch

Sometimes, while in the process of saving for a grander watch purchase, you need a little something to scratch that new watch itch and shake up the rotation a bit in the meantime. This little 38mm nava- meets-aviation style Timex does just that. At a very accessible price, you get a stylish tool watch at an extremely wearable size with a domed crystal, unique brushing pattern and a 12-hour bezel for tracking multiple time zones. The hour hand also sports an ingenious little skeletonized opening highlighting the military time. Slap it on a genuine NATO strap and you’ve got yourself the perfect grab-and-go. — Kyle Snarr, Head of Marketing

Heuer Skipper “Skipperera”, Ref: 7753/54

The “Skipperera” was the first Skipper model that Heuer made and was first introduced in 1968. It’s a manual-wind chronograph housed in a Carrera case, but features a beautifully colored face aimed at yachtsmen. It’s incredibly rare, and only about twenty originals are thought to exist. An example from 1970 sold at Bonhams in June for $103,709. That’s far more than I’ll ever spend on a watch, but if I get too obsessed with the 7753/54, Hodinkee and Heuer released a limited-edition modern version that retails for significantly less. — AJ Powell, Assistant Editor

Rolex Datejust 16233

One day in what I hope is the not-too-distant future, I’m going to pull the trigger on a vintage Rolex Datejust from 1989. It’s the year I was born, but even if I were a little older or younger, I think I’d still love the archetypal models of this iconic timepiece made at the end of the decade of greed. There’s something so classic about the combination of steel and gold that makes it go with, well, everything. Plus, there’s no other kind of wearable I could put on that was exactly my age — and still as good looking as the day it was brand new. — Justin Fenner, Senior Associate Editor

Rolex Oyster 6426 “Pre-Precision”

If you’re a regular GP reader you may or may not be aware that I have more than a passing obsession with vintage 34mm Rolex. Why? Because I can’t damn well afford vintage 40mm Rolex, that’s why! But seriously — there’s so much variety to be had with these smaller offerings from The Crown, it seems downright dumb to ignore them. Take this 6426 from c.1950, for example — you get a gorgeous white, time-only dial with radium lume, Rolex manual-wound movement and Oyster case with screw-down crown and case back, all for significantly less than you could ever hope to pay for a Rolex sports watch such as a Sub or GMT. If you have a smaller wrist and can pull one of these off, I say why the hell not.— Oren Hartov, Assistant Editor

Ollech & Wajs ETA A120

Upon first glance, most O&W models offer something akin to a poor man’s IWC or Montblanc. It’s a rugged but refined watch, with enough finishing quality to pass muster at a wedding and more than enough grit to tell you whether it’s night or day in a foxhole. Not that I go to many weddings, or that I’ve ever been in a foxhole, but you get the point. The world of watches is a world of superlatives.

If Marathon’s TSAR feels too much like a blunt instrument or Hamilton’s Khaki Automatic feels a little too ho-hum, but you’re still looking for a well-made mechanical field watch, I encourage you to look in the direction of Ollech & Wajs. I sure am. — Andy Frakes, Editorial Assistant

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  These Are the Watches We’re Obsessing Over in October 2018

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