Auction Report - 10 Highlights of the Upcoming 97th Dr Crott Auctioneers (Part 2)
Yesterday, in our first selection of highlights of the upcoming 97th Dr Crott auction of this Saturday, 12 May?we focused on the hidden gems, and not so much on the usual suspects. Today we’ll focus on those! Here’s our selection of the highlights, stunning pieces that will certainly attract a lot of attention at the auction that will be held in?Frankfurt, Germany. Don’t forget that you can also bid online!The auction catalogue is packed with hidden gems like we showed you yesterday, and there are plenty more. For instance a lovely old Thomas Mercer table clock (lot?545), or a pre-Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos clock (lot?602). But now let’s move on to the usual suspects, the watches that attract the most attention and that will probably fetch some spectacular prices.Heuer Autavia Ref. 2446C for Abercombie & Fitch from 1969Heuer’s Autavias of this reference are gaining in value, especially after TAG Heuer re-introduced the Autavia last year. Vintage Heuers mad

Patek Philippe Chronograph Annual Calendar Steel 5905/1A
The annual calendar chronograph is one of the most fascinating yet rarest combinations in the industry, as we’ve experienced in this in-depth article. And one brand in particular does it better than the rest of the bunch, and that is Patek Philippe. For a good reason, since the brand invented the annual calendar function back in 1996. Now, there’s a rather large collection of watches using this unusual combination, and specifically the 5905 is often regarded as the most attractive model. Today, Patek launches a new, surprisingly sporty version of this watch with a steel case, a steel bracelet and an olive green dial, with the new Chronograph Annual Calendar 5905/1A.While on paper we’re certainly talking about just a new version of a watch that has been in production for some years now, this new iteration of the large Chronograph Annual Calendar, the reference 5905/1A, comes with some rather interesting attributes. Yes… steel case and bracelet, not something that

Hands-On - Patek Philippe Annual Calendar 5205G Gradient Blue Dial (Specs & Price)
Blue dials have been popular for some time now. So much so, that they have almost become the rule instead of the exception. To stand out from the crowd with a blue dial nowadays, you are going to have to pull off something special. That's exactly what Patek Philippe has done with the latest iteration of its reference 5205G. Although not a new watch per se, the addition of a mouth-wateringly delicious blue gradient dial has reinvented this model in my eyes, driving its desirability factor through the roof. We spent some time hands-on with this watch recently, and let me tell you, the only thing harder than capturing the gorgeous blue tones was giving it back.If you're a watchmaking devotee, then you no doubt already know that Patek Philippe invented and patented the Annual Calendar complication back in 1996. More functional than a standard calendar, and more accessible than a perpetual calendar, it can automatically account for the difference in the number of days in each month (with th

Kicking It Old School: A Grand Complication by Stacy Perman - Monochrome Watches
Give us a book steeped in horological history, featuring names like Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin, filled with tales of watch collecting one-upmanship, and available on Kindle, and we have the perfect summer read. A Grand Complication by Stacy Perman transports us to the worlds of James Ward Packard and Henry Graves Jr. Ward and Graves went head-to-head in a phantom duel to reach the summit of haute horology, the grand complication.Perman writes, The two men never met, although their lives intersected. Obsessed with watches, they crossed swords in the dark, each attempting to possess the most ingeniously complicated watch ever produced. As much a glimpse of America's Gilded Age of the 1920s as it is a tale of watchmaking frontiers, Perman's A Grand Complication transports the reader to a bygone age of industrial tycoons and irrational economic exuberance – an age when anything was possible. Match these two well-heeled collectors, for whom money was no object, with their

Rado Captain Cook Bronze Burgundy (Hands-on, Price)
Since 2017, Rado has found a spot in the market for cool, vintage-oriented dive watches with its successful Captain Cook model. Largely associated with the use of high-tech ceramics, Rado also benefits from a rich history, and several emblematic watches from the past have been reintroduced. Inspired by a 1962 piece with a distinctive case/bezel design, the Captain Cook has been released in multiple iterations, such as compact 37mm limited editions and, more recently, some enlarged yet very appealing bronze versions. In addition to the green, grey/brown and blue models, today Rado launches a new and striking version: the Captain Cook Bronze Burgundy.A vintage example of the Rado Captain Cook – photo: Michael Stockton, Fratello WatchesAs explained in this article on the previous Captain Cook Bronze watches, this watch is inspired by a glorious and quite conspicuous watch produced by the brand during the golden age of the dive watch. This watch was released in 1962 with a 37mm case