Horological Meandering

Subexplorer
[Moderator - WristScan]
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It is interesting to read the different opinions that....

... re issues, tributes, or whichever way you call these watches which recall classic watches of several decades ago, arise.

I own several of these modern timepieces from brands like Longines, Tudor, Omega and Rolex and take great pleasure and enjoyment from owning and wearing them.

I feel that to find this enjoyment from this kind of watches, you need to take any of two roads: a) not being a watch nerd or watch fan of vintage watches, or b) consider the watch by its own values and esthetics attributes without trying to compare "face to face" with the original model it was inspired on.

Though some of the watches I own of this specie are more faithful than others to the vintage reference they try to replicate (like the Omega Speedmaster, or the Longines Legend Diver to mention two of my favorites) no one of them are close to have the charm of the original ones. (I should mention that in many cases I own both the original, and the re issue). The pass of time, the patina adquired by indexes and hand sets, etc., and even the nicks and little marks left on their old cases, are part of this charm that a modern watch can not have or can´t replicate.

By the other hand, modern replicas usually include a big drawback: they add a date window, and they grow their case size! That´s another fact we should learn to live with!

I think we should have into account that the Big Companies which make these watches aim more to the big market of potential watch purchasers who do not know or care about vintage watches, than on the much smaller and less commercially interesting (for them) sector of vintage watch collectors. This Makers feel these potential clients will like dates and bigger cases and they give them what they want.

So as I said before, I enjoy having on my wrist these watches "inspired" in great watches of yesterday, some of them I also own, but many of them are almost impossible for me to find (or unreachable for my budget) and these watches are made under the same brand of the originals, have a less interesting but more modern movement, they are backed by an official service and guarantee, and I can risk them in water or underwater swimming, beach or pool wearing, etc., something I don´t dare to do with my vintage ones.

To end: these watches are a completely different field from the vintage, and to compare them with originals is just to destroy any Magic a purchaser may feel from them. No way to like them or enjoy them it this is not clear to the viewer.
Just a personal point of view of course.

Best cordial regards, Abel.

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