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To view the entire current selection of vintage watches available in the Hodinkee Shop, click here.
Since the start of Hodinkee Vintage, Wednesday drops have always been about offering excellent examples of watches that collectors are talking about and most interested in. In 2011, when we worked in partnership with GiltMAN, in 2012 posting up at the Pop-Up Flea, and the Wednesday drop cadence on the site that followed in 2016, vintage watches by definition were what collectors were most interested in. While vintage always has a place in the Hodinkee Shop and in auction catalogs all over the world, "Neo-Vintage" and even newer watches have become more and more a part of the cultural watch world zeitgeist. This week's Wednesday drop in the Hodinkee Shop focuses on this "new" area of collector interest in offering two "Neo-Vintage" watches as well as everyone's favorite time-only, blue-dialed, tantalum-cased F.P. Journe.
The team working on Wednesday drops is made up of three watch enthusiasts – the same people who give their picks here in the Vintage Watches article each week. This week's loose theme allows the team to offer truly anything they want, no longer limited to decades. Rich takes a trip to 1994 with the closed-caseback, original "Stealth" Lange 1, Saori brings a Chronomètre Bleu to the table, and Sean walks us through the first "Jumbo" Aquanaut. Read on and/or check out the full Vintage Watches collection right here in the Hodinkee Shop.
1994 A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 'Stealth' Ref. 101.005 In Platinum
Of the brands we most revere today as collectors, A. Lange & Söhne is uniquely a '90s baby – at least in the iteration that we know and love today. Considered a brand revival or reintroduction, the period of Lange's history from 1990 to 1994, culminating in the legendary press conference on October 24th, 1994 where the "first four" were presented, has been covered extensively on HODINKEE – most recently by Logan Baker during '90s Week. Of the four watches announced that day, the Lange 1 is by far the most recognizable, no matter how much of the brand's product you have come across. As Ben said back in 2019, "The Lange 1 is Lange."
Since 1994, the Lange 1 has steadily become one of the most sought-after and collected watches by many of the most discerning collectors in the watch world. The watch has an architectural and artistic quality that is really lost in many of the other icons of watchmaking and collecting, which tend to lean more function-driven. This one observation really sums up the Lange brand in my head. Where I am more accustomed to a very Swiss or French approach to watchmaking at the highest level, Lange is hitting a different note in everything it does with unique, unconventional designs while creating on at least an even plane in terms of finishing, quality, and precision.
The specific Lange 1 we have here is the reference 101.005, a first-generation example dating to the first two years of production. Alongside that growing collector interest and the Lange 1 becoming an icon was increased scholarship to understand which references and variants are most important to collectors and how to identify them. The most recent piece of scholarship identified a dial font unique to these earliest examples, coined the "Early MIG" dial. Differentiations such as these only make collectors go even more, crazy over correct examples like the one here.
With a monochrome look, the platinum ref. 101.005 Lange 1 has been nicknamed the "Stealth" due to the matching tone of the silver dial and white gold hands. Among closed caseback examples, this is a reference that doesn't come up all too often – dare I even say, it's rare. This is a watch we are excited to offer here on HODINKEE.
2013 F.P. Journe Chronomètre Bleu With Full Set
When we talk about independent watchmakers, the name "F.P. Journe" is one of the first names that pop up. I've always admired the creations of Mr. François-Paul Journe. Every watch he's come out with is beautifully designed and immediately recognizable as his. It sounds simple, but in the sea of watches that are presented one after the other, this is for sure a monumental feat. I remember many years ago when I first had the opportunity to handle his signature design, Chronomètre à Résonance. I had never seen a design like that before and I was instantly smitten. Completely by chance, I had the opportunity to meet him once for a very brief moment at his atelier in Geneva, and it felt surreal that I was standing in front of the person who is responsible for designs I've admired from afar.
Chronomètre Bleu was introduced in 2008, and I'd say it's a fresher and younger take than his previous designs. The case is in tantalum, which is still a fairly uncommon metal choice. It gives a slightly darker grey hue to the appearance compared to traditional steel or a precious white metal varieties. The tantalum finish gives a nice heft to the watch, as well. A vibrant blue dial feels like a very un-FPJ choice of color since his watches mostly have been champagne or grey until that point. The combination of the white painted signature numerals and the hand style make the watch stand out even more – you will notice the watch easily across from the table. When you turn it over, the movement is beautifully finished with a totally different configuration from a traditional movement design, which attests to FPJ's finesse and superb talent as a true watchmaker. Always elegant, innovative, and memorable, it's a watch I would want to add to my collection one day.
2001 Patek Philippe Aquanaut Ref. 5065A
In the year that the 5065 was introduced, I could not have cared less about Patek or watches as a whole, unless they had Pikachu or Darth Vader on them. While those may be somewhat collectible today, they really pale in comparison to what the 5065 has become to collectors in recent years. To be totally honest, I think that, this time, they are right. While this may be tempering fodder to refer to as 'Neo-Vintage' I would argue that it's not really. What typifies Neo-Vintage to me is a legacy design that has gone through some minor changes over the years but maintains enough vintage DNA to show some patina. This watch hits most of those marks but I would say that its late introduction excludes it from the 'vintage' part of Neo-Vintage. That said, it does hit all the best parts of what makes that category great: warm tritium lume and just the right amount of wear so we don't have to be so worried about scratching it.
To me, the most striking part of the Aquanaut, in general, is the contrast available within a singular watch. The octagonal but still fluid bezel stands in stark contrast to the incredibly aggressive greinade texture of the dial and strap. Even closer, within the dial, we have the smooth and bright, almost radial minute track that stands against the deep black of the center of the dial. Heck, we even have a contrasting date wheel. Pulling back a bit, the green strap leans even further into the military simile but it avoids being too mil-spec dress-up by being just the most luxe. All of these seemingly opposing features work in consort to give you the most wearable Patek there is.
Questions? Send us a note, or let us know in the comments. Want to sell your vintage watch through the Hodinkee Shop? Email us at vintage@hodinkee.com with some photos. Want to sell your pre-owned watch? Click here.
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