Jorg’s Top-5 Vintage Chronograph Watches
What’s the first to say about a Top-5 list of vintage chronographs? That there are too many to choose from. I have to say that compiling this list and seeing the watches together did open my eyes to some of my preferences. The most important? All of these chronographs have a strong link to the 1960s and have their roots within a decade of each other. I never considered myself a 1960s chronograph guy, but now it’s hard to deny that’s exactly what I am. So let’s check out my Top-5 Vintage Chronographs and see if you are too.
The fact that these watches are all from the same period in time is not the only thing that links them. As they are all from the same era, you can see a connection in some of the key visual elements. Except for one, they all feature round-shaped cases, short pump pushers, and black bezels. And the one that doesn’t have a round-shaped case retains the pump pushers and a black bezel. On top of that, three of them feature high contrast black and white dials. My God, I have become terribly predictable! Let’s just stop analyzing this before it gets even more depressing…
5. Breitling Superocean ref. 2005
For me, there it cannot be a Top-5 vintage chronographs list without a Breitling! It’s rather a case of which one to choose. Over the years, the Breitling Superocean ref. 2005 — introduced in 1964 — has been the watch I connected with most. I believe that this is true of a lot of people. As such, the watch has become something of an icon in its own right (alongside the other, more famous, Breitling icons). What is it about this Superocean? I adore the black and white aesthetic of the Superocean ref. 2005. In every picture and every line-up, I keep coming back to its striking looks.
As Tomas perfectly explained in his article on the Superocean ref. 2005, the watch looks like a simple three-hander instead of a chronograph. With the absence of a chrono second hand, there is just a central minute hand moving slowly, giving the watch its SuperOcean “SlowMo “nickname. Taking out the chrono second hand meant that Breitling had to modify the Venus 188 movement in-house and add a chronograph “status” aperture above the 6 o’clock hour marker. This oddball feature only adds to the quirky but oh-so-cool character of the watch.
And as Tomas also mentioned, supposedly the Superocean ref. 2005 was also worn in a Bond movie by a supporting character. Apart from the conclusive evidence on that, do you need more proof this is one hell of a cool watch?
4. Rolex Daytona Paul Newman 6264
Was there ever any chance the Rolex Daytona Paul Newman wouldn’t make this list? The simple answer is, “no!” Unlike Rob, I would add the Daytona Paul Newman to my Top-5 best Rolex watches ever. But it’s not for all the obvious reasons. I completely agree with Rob’s explanation in his article that there is something crazy about the infatuation with the Daytona Paul Newman. As Rob so perfectly put it: “We are locked in the bizarro universe that treats a hammer price of nearly 2 million for a failed watch design as the norm.”
Failed at that time, though. Looking back, it’s hard to believe that people ignored the watch in the Swinging Sixties. If anything, you would expect that its black, white, and red colorway should have greatly appealed to people. It spoke to me when I first got into watches seriously almost twenty years ago. Which one specifically? I always loved the black bezel, and I don’t like screw-down pushers, so it leaves the 6241 and the 6264. Which one to choose? I’ll tell you when I can afford one.
At that time, the price for a 6239 or 6241 started somewhere around 30-35k — expensive but not entirely out of reach. But completely out of reach for Robert-Jan and myself, who were living in the same building together at the time.
That was around the time he started Fratello. We used to talk watches a lot. We also talked about graduation and what to do in life after the fun times were over. Jokingly, we said many times that these fun times would not have to end if only we had a Riva Aquarama, a Rolex Daytona Paul Newman, and a briefcase full of cash. Twenty years later, that still sounds like a lot of fun.
Image courtesy of Hodinkee Shop
3. Zenith El Primero A384
The only chronograph on this list without a round-shaped case. Combined with the El Primero movement, it is precisely why it is on this list. As I explained in my article on my favorite case designs, I wasn’t a fan for a long time. Introduced in 1969, the El Primero A384 features a blocky case design that felt a bit too simple and stuck in that realm of late ’60s and early ’70s designs. But the A384 has grown on me a lot. The case’s simple lines have proven to be highly effective, and the perfect seemingly simple canvas for the dial and hands to shine
The dial shines because of its high contrast black and white layout. Did I tell you I like panda dials? Especially in combination with a black bezel? I know it gets a bit repetitive. But it seems to be a layout I gravitate to subconsciously. But there’s more. The ladder bracelet is another stand-out design feature that sets the A384 apart from competitors. It’s also a design element to get used to, but it fits the A384 incredibly well.
But the most outstanding feature is the El Primero high-beat 36,000vph column wheel movement. With three players chasing to create the first automatic chronograph, Zenith released its legendary El Primero movement in the trio of A384, A385, and A386 watches. With the A384 being my favorite, I was over the moon to see that Zenith released the El Primero A384 Revival fifty years after the release of the original without fiddling with its perfect design. It makes choosing between a vintage piece and a Revival edition pretty tough.
2. Seiko 6139-6040
This is an addition to the list that might make less sense to many. It’s not the fact that it’s a Seiko with the legendary 6139 automatic chronograph movement. Why not the 6139 “Pogue”? If anything, you would have to give full credit to the original that was released in 1969, right? While I much respect the “Pogue’s” legacy, I have always found its looks to be a total shitshow. And while Mike perfectly explained in his article on the “Pogue” why he grew to like the color configuration, it has never passed the “loud and ugly” stage for me.
No, I would rather spend my money on the 6139-6040 with its rounder case, black bezel, and more introverted looking dial. Mike wrote an extensive article on the 6139-6040. In it, he paired it with the Zenith El Primero A386 because both watches feature the legendary automatic chronograph movements introduced in 1969. The 6139-6040 wasn’t produced until a few years later, though. The watch was produced for 2–3 years in the late 1970s, and from the moment I first saw it, it has been love at first sight.
It’s also why this is first on my list of vintage watches to add to my collection. But finding one in original and good condition is a challenge. Especially if you would like to find one from 1977 — my year of birth — like I do. Whether I succeed in my mission remains to be seen, but the Seiko 6139-6040 will be part of my collection in the end. Whether from 1977 or not.
1. Omega Speedmaster CK2998-1
You didn’t see this one coming, did you? I am not going into why there is a Speedmaster at the top spot. You know as a Fratello reader that all of us are Speedmaster devotees. I guess the only explanation is why the CK2998-1? And that’s already asking for the familiar. Although technically it was not the first Speedmaster with a black bezel (some of the CK2915-3 executions had them), this is the first generation Speedmaster that has the famous Speedmaster looks we have come to love.
Robert-Jan summed it up perfectly in his extensive article about the CK2998-1: “It represents the Speedmaster in its best form. Black bezel, leaf hands, straight-lug case, and caliber 321 movement”. Put the current Speedmaster Professional next to it, and you will see the incredible power of the Speedmaster’s design. Add the iconic Caliber 321, and this is just the perfect chronograph watch. And beyond that. The Omega Speedmaster CK2998-1 is a grail watch for many Speedmaster fans out there, including me. So this was always my first and the top pick on this list.
The Speedmaster CK2998-1 concludes this list of my favorite chronographs that all happen to have a connection to the 1960s. With the Zenith, Rolex, and Breitling actually from the 1960s, the Seiko featuring a movement released in 1969, and the Speedmaster CK2998-1 being produced in 1959-60, this is a 1960s themed list. It was, most certainly, a damn fine time for chronographs.
But there is way more to the world of chronographs than the 1960s models. So let us know your all-time favorite chronographs and design eras in the comment section.
