This time of the week is back, and the review is as good as you’d expect. Kicking things off is a striking Pre-Moon Speedmaster Professional, followed by the single coolest fake Patek Philippe We met a long time ago. Scroll down and you’ll point in one direction of the unusual world time watch from the Breitling. Those who occasionally ‘have fun’ will appreciate Zodiac Sea Wolf with its bezel and Keith haring’s Swatch with its old and new designs and original watch.
To start the week, we have an iconic timepiece, if any, that’s a little earlier than it became famous. I’m talking about a Speedmaster, and no ordinary one, as the presence of its uniquely aged dial would suggest. Don’t be concerned, there’s no derivative recounting of the Moon mission ahead – we’re getting right down to the nerdy, nitty gritty.
On most examples of the Ref. 145.022, you’ll find that the fitted caseback boasts the timepiece’s NASA flight qualifications and Moon mission involvement, but on this replica watch, such an engraving is nowhere to be found. This can be explained by its production date, which, although it was built in 1969, still predates Apollo 11. For this reason, collectors call such examples “Pre-moon” Speedmasters. Like other reference examples produced during the year, the dial has reached tropical tones.
This is an attractive example for a number of reasons. First, it’s filled with the correct “dot over 90” bezel that’s been replaced on all too many examples after years of wear and tear. On this piece, it remains nearly unscathed, save for a single scuff near the six o’clock position. Secondly, this example comes complete with the correct 1039 bracelet and 516 end links that many spend a great deal of time and money attempting to track down. If you’ve been looking for a Professional case Speedmaster for a while, might I suggest taking a stab.
Seeing as many seemed to enjoy the inclusion of an often overlooked vintage replica Breitling in our last installment, I supposed we’d keep things going with another that unjustly gets even less widespread praise. Different from last week’s Top Time, this piece dates back roughly one decade prior to the 1950s, when Breitling’s offerings were arguably of a higher grade, and manufactured with a closer attention to detail. Your next pick of the week is known as the Unitime, and it’s quite the looker, if I do say so myself.
The Unitime’s name is actually ironic, in that it’s featured by its world time function that affords the ability to track different time zones. Like other world time watches, you’ll see a small map on the face of the dial, but unlike similar cheap replica watches, the graphics are very subtle. Paired with a coin border, the watch has an unmistakable ambience of sophistication, with a 37-millimeter-wide wristwatch that has a modern feel. Although the box may have been polished, its signature lines are still visible and there is a mark that adds a lot of mystery to an already exciting work. It is details like these that help give a fuller picture of the history of the watch and what it may have seen that make it even more appealing to discerning collectors.