{"title":"Exceptional Vintage Timepieces","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eOur featured watches represent some of the most exceptional pieces currently available at Oliver \u0026amp; Clarke. Each timepiece is carefully authenticated and selected for its condition, originality, and collectibility.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"breguet-empire-silver-guilloche-dial-peseux-260-movement-w-extract","title":"Breguet Empire - Silver 'Guilloché' Dial \u0026 Peseux 260 Movement w\/ Extract","description":"\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eParisian manufacturer Breguet, named after its founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet, was founded in 1775 and is one of the most stored and historically significant manufacturers in the world of horology. With a number of firsts, including \u003cem\u003e*ahem*\u003c\/em\u003e what many consider to be the first known wristwatch, Breguet is primarily known today for its stunning silver 'guilloche' dials, innovations in complications, and outstanding build quality. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eThe 35mm dress watch that we have here is something incredibly special and important. Called an 'Empire', it dates to circa 1969 and in addition to being rare in in its own right as all Breguet timepieces from this era are, it is both the condition of this particular example and the movement powering it that further adds to its horological significance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eComing in at the larger of two available sizes, 35mm in diameter, it \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003efeatures a \u003cem\u003every\u003c\/em\u003e Breguet coin-edge case design with 'officer'-style lugs, and a snapback caseback, and a yellow gold crown. As with virtually all Breguet dress watches, the dial within is an absolute delight to behold, and this piece is no exception. Silver in color, it features a variety of guilloché finishing techniques, black printed indices, a subsidiary seconds register at the 6 o'clock position, and of course, a 'Breguet' handset executed in yellow gold. Simplicity executed on the highest level.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eThe condition of this piece is exceptional. Unpolished, with strong factory finishing, clear hallmarks and engravings throughout, and a beautifully preserved dial within — once again contributing to the attractiveness of this package. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eLast but not least, the movement inside. Designed specifically for Observatory chronometer competition trials to be as accurate as possible, the Peseux Cal. 260 is generally regarded as one of the finest time-only chronometer watch movements of the 20th century. It was produced for about 23 years with approximately 3,300 units made, and allegedly, never sold to the public. Instead, these were distributed to high-end brand such as Leroy, CYMA, and Breguet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eAdditionally, accompanying this piece is an extract from Breguet's archives confirming the original date of sale in 1969.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-block-type=\"description\" class=\"product-info__block-item\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"prose\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWe cannot overstate how special it is to be able to offer not only a stunning example of a rare and timeless watch, but one with supporting documentation like what we have here, and from \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eone of the most prestigious brands on earth. How can you go wrong?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Oliver \u0026 Clarke","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50827570741565,"sku":"OC2798","price":120500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0765\/6138\/3741\/files\/BREGUET_CALATRAVA_2TONE_WEB_1.jpg?v=1760031774"},{"product_id":"rolex-daytona-ref-16528-zenith-black-floating-cosmograph-dial-r-series","title":"Rolex Daytona Ref. 16528 'Zenith' - Black 'Floating Cosmograph' Dial R-Series","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Rolex Daytona model, since its initial release, has been at the forefront of the market as the most desirable chronograph in production. Prior to the introduction of the automatic-winding Daytonas in 1988, all previous Rolex chronographs had been manually-wound. Rolex decided to outsource their movement for the Ref. 16xxx series of watches, looking for the best movement available. and settled on the best that was available at the time: the famous They used this movement as the basis and then fortified it, performing approximately 200 modifications to the base movement to meet the expectations prestigious of the Wilsdorf group. This created the workhorse Rolex 4030 movement that was put in production for an era of 12 years. In this Reference, Rolex also incorporated the more resilient sapphire crystals, a contributing factor to the increased depth rating guaranteed at 100m or 330ft.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe example that we have here, a Ref. 16528, is amongst the earliest examples, with an 'R serial' number dating to circa 1987. This actually pre-dates the official launch of the model, which occurred the next calendar year in 1988. It comes to us with an excellent case, matching yellow gold bezel, screw-down pushers, a screw-down crown, and its correct solid yellow gold Oyster bracelet with a blade-style clasp. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThese bracelets were ultimately replaced with an updated fliplock clasp, a design which continues to this day. Inside, the black dial is the earliest known iteration found in the reference, with the \"Cosmograph\" text spaced below the rest of the text on the top half of the dial. For that reason, these have become known as 'Floating Cosmograph' dials. The applied Tritium-filled indices exhibit a light and uniform patina, which is matches in the handset.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThese neo-vintage pieces still present exceptional value in todays market and are becoming a modern classic in a big way. And early examples, with both 'Inverted 6' Tritium dials and earlier still 'Floating Cosmograph' dials truly do not surface as often as you may think.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Oliver \u0026 Clarke","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51145800581437,"sku":"OC2937","price":61750.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0765\/6138\/3741\/files\/ROLEX_DAYTONA_GLD_BLK_WEB_1_37d55bb0-7759-4346-bad0-b78e63c1bde0.jpg?v=1765413851"},{"product_id":"abercrombie-fitch-co-seafarer-ref-2444-second-execution-silver-dial","title":"Abercrombie \u0026 Fitch Co. Seafarer Ref. 2444 'Second Execution' - Silver Dial","description":"\u003cp data-end=\"605\" data-start=\"0\"\u003eAbercrombie \u0026amp; Fitch Co., long before its modern reinvention, was one of America’s preeminent sporting outfitters. From its midtown Manhattan flagship, the firm supplied serious outdoorsmen with the finest equipment available, often commissioning bespoke products from respected manufacturers to meet the specific demands of its clientele. Watches were no exception. By the mid-20th century, A\u0026amp;F had begun offering co-branded timepieces tailored to sportsmen, and when customers began requesting a watch capable of tracking the tides, the company turned to one Charles-Edouard Heuer to bring the idea to life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-end=\"1237\" data-start=\"607\"\u003eCommissioned at A\u0026amp;F’s request, the Solunar was introduced in 1949 and advertised as the only watch to display both 'Solar' and 'Lunar' time. Produced in a limited run of just around 1,000 pieces, it was a highly specialized instrument and ultimately a niche offering. Still, its innovation laid the groundwork for the Seafarer, which paired the original tidal display with one of Heuer’s signature complications: the chronograph. Retaining traditional hour and minute counters, the Seafarer replaced the running seconds register with a tide indicator at 9 o’clock, which was directly adjustable via a left-side pusher and synchronized using published tide tables.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-is-only-node=\"\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-end=\"1663\" data-start=\"1239\"\u003eProduced from the 1950s through the 1970s in several case configurations shared with other Heuer chronographs, the Seafarer remained a distinctive but specialized entry within the broader catalog and saw a handful of different variations over that time. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe example that we have here, a Ref. 2444, dates to the 1960s and is offered in excellent, beautifully preserved condition. The case comes in at 35mm in diameter and features gorgeous chamfers on the lugs, along with small 'pump' pushers, and a 'stepped' top case. Inside, the silver dial shows only faint signs of aging throughout with some additional patina within the tide indicator. The triangle-shaped Tritium plots exhibit a heavy and uniform patina throughout and are complimented by a correct 'dauphine' handset. The movement powering this piece is a modified version of the famous Valjoux 72 which of course, is manually-wound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eFor the most part, all Abercrombie \u0026amp; Fitch Co. timepieces have become collectible to an extent, but it is the Seafarer that is at the front of the pack in both desirability and collectability. This is the first time we have had the pleasure of offering on for sale on the website and we could not be more happy about it.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Oliver \u0026 Clarke","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51370103472445,"sku":"OC3045","price":23950.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0765\/6138\/3741\/files\/AMBERCROMBIE_CHRONO_WHT_STRAP_WEB_1.jpg?v=1770769451"},{"product_id":"patek-philippe-calatrava-ref-2508-waterproof-series-1a-dial-w-extract","title":"Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 2508 'Waterproof' - 'Series 1A' Dial w\/ Extract","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Patek Philippe Calatrava. Arguably the brands most iconic model line, and purest expression of the brand. Their \u003cem\u003eraison d'etre \u003c\/em\u003eif you will.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe line has been a hit since its debut in 1932. So much so, that the name \"Calatrava\" itself has become something of a byword within the watch industry for traditionally styled, no-frills dress watches that simply tell the time. Over the course of its nearly 100-years of production, there have been seemingly countless iterations within the line, with variations in the metal they are made in, with their size, dial configurations, and eventually, complications.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eAnd then, there is this: the Calatrava Reference 2508.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eFirst offered in 1951, it has become one of the more sought-after, collectible, and best-regarded time-only Calatravas ever produced. Why? As you'd expect, there are a few reasons:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eThe case, which by the way, bears a strong resemblance to the 1463 chronograph, is  designed by Taubert and features a 'waterproof' design with a screw-down caseback and comes in at a \u003cem\u003evirtually perfect\u003c\/em\u003e 35mm in diameter. The dial offerings are all exquisitely crafted, beautifully designed, and features some of the most timeless and stylish applied indices \u003cem\u003eever.\u003c\/em\u003e Last but not least, the movement is one of Patek's finest time-only movements ever made, the Calibre 27 SC.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eThe example that we have here dates to circa 1955 and is crafted out of yellow gold and houses what is known as a 'Series 1A' dial. The overall condition is formidable. All aspects of the case and 'stepped' bezel are beautifully preserved, with clear hallmarks, correct finishing and proportions, and showing just normal wear for its age. The dial inside, thankfully, is in equally well-preserved condition. The desirable applied yellow gold 'stud' and 'dart' indices are complimented by a yellow gold 'dauphine' handset and central seconds hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThis example comes fitted to a signed brown leather strap with a correct, matching 'PP\u0026amp;Co.'-signed yellow gold buckle by 'AW' and an extract from Patek's archives confirming production in 1955 and its original sale in 1956.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThere are watches, and then there are \u003cem\u003ewatches! \u003c\/em\u003eThis is one of the latter.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Oliver \u0026 Clarke","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51402665296189,"sku":"OC3012","price":49850.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0765\/6138\/3741\/files\/PATEK_CALATRAVA_2TONE_STRAP_WEB_1.jpg?v=1771469320"}],"url":"https:\/\/oliverandclarke.com\/collections\/exceptional-vintage-timepieces.oembed","provider":"Oliver \u0026 Clarke Vintage Watches","version":"1.0","type":"link"}