Bring a Loupe: A Patek Philippe Ref. 2526 With Original Bracelet, A Tropical Omega Speedmaster Ref. 2998-1, And A Couple Of Awesome Submariners

September 14, 2018

Just last Friday, we we went all-out with Bring A Loupe, but we still wanted to push things a bit with this week's installment. The watches we've gathered for you here C complete with a flight of rare and unconventional Submariners, a platinum Cartier, and a perfect, tropical ref. 2998-1 Speedmaster C surely gives last week's collection a run for its money. Lets get into it.? Omega Speedmaster Ref. 2998-1 With Tropical Dial As far as Speedmasters go, they dont get much better than this C and youd be hard-pressed to find someone who would disagree. This is a true tropical dial in the richest, most chocolatey sense of that expression, and to find it inside a stunning 1959 example of the ref. 2998-1 is a delight.?What also drew me to this Speedmaster (apart from its incredible dial) were the little details that spoke to the originality of all the components, including the star-shaped "Mercedes" insignia found on the original crown, the correct low placement of the "Swiss Made" text on the 2998-1 dial, and the black "Base 1000" bezel insert.? It should also be noted that there is a small etched notch to be found above the 12 o'clock register on the case, lugs, and bezel. This was commonly found on ref. 2915s and early examples of the ref. 2998, and was used to help with aligning the bezel insert upon fitting. Ultimately, this is an epic watch.?Lunar Oyster is offering this ref. 2998-1 for $90,000. Find the full listing here. Rolex Submariner Ref. 5512 With Blue Text The first of the aforementioned Sub Trio is being offered in the current Christies online sale, and is the only one of the three thats a Rolex. If you didnt know what you were looking at, youd think it was just a really nice Submariner. If you knew a bit more, youd recognize it as clean four-line ref. 5512. But if you really know what's going on and literally hunker down over the watch with a loupe, youll spot the two lower lines of "blue" text that make this example awfully special.?Daytona aficionados will be familiar with the so-called "Azuli" variant of the ref. 6262 and ref. 6239, in which the text that reads "Daytona" is the same hue of greyish blue that you see here. While not by any means a common variant within the Daytona market, I believe the presence of blue text to be even less common with the Submariner. It's faint, and you do have to look closely, but it's definitely there. Aside from the replacement Rolex crown, this is a top quality example, and a rare one at that. Youve heard of the Red Sub, now meet the Blue Sub.?Christies is offering this Submariner in their current online sale, and the highest bid stands at $15,000. Click here for the listing. Tudor Submariner Ref. 7928 With Military Provenance To round off this trio, weve got one last Sub, and its yet another gilt chapter ring ref. 7928, fresh from the son of the original owner. Whats more, this example has terrific military provenance. You cant ask for much more in a Submariner.?This example dates back to roughly 1965-1966, when it was purchased new by a man on his way to his second tour of duty in Vietnam. Though the original owner may have not held onto his box and papers, he kept the watch in stunning shape, as the pictures clearly show.?All in all, this is a top quality, service worn watch, which is currently fitted with a faded insert that only makes it more attractive. Without question, this is one of the best examples of the ref. 7928 that will come to market this year.?This Tudor is being offered on Instagram by a dealer based out of New York for $18,000. See the original post here. Patek Philippe Ref. 2526 Calatrava With 18K Bracelet If youve been reading HODINKEE for a while now, youre more than likely already familiar with the incredible ref. 2526 from Patek Philippe, thats now been written about at length. Its undoubtedly one of the most tasteful dress watches ever manufactured, and an horological achievement in the history of Patek Philippe, in that it was the brands first production wristwatch to feature an automatic movement C the Cal. 12-600 AT C beneath the caseback. Though the enamel dials typically seen on this reference are nothing short of beautiful, theyre admittedly fragile, leaving few dials in truly perfect condition as a result. This one would appear to be mint, but as with any ref. 2526 purchase, its advised to take a closer look. Additionally, its a first series example of the reference, as the domed caseback and riveted numerals would suggest. The top condition combined with the presence of the original bracelet make this one piece that ought to be on the radar of any serious collector.Fortuna Auction in New York will be offering this Calatrava on September 27 with a starting bid of $30,000. You can see the auction listing here. Cartier Santos Dumont 90th Anniversary Platinum We've got another piece here from the latest batch of online sales from Christie's. This Cartier watch was created to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the brands pioneering Santos Dumont. The celebratory nature of the pieces inception is plainly visible, thanks to the use of a platinum case, and a salmon dial, which work together to create an aesthetic thats both striking and understated.Hand-winding examples of the Tank and Santos in conservatively sized, precious metal cases are somewhat undervalued, and often approach recently modern watchmaking with a rather old world approach. At 27mm square, this piece ought to have a nice presence on any wrist. Should you ever find yourself in a "who has the classiest watch in the room" contest, and one of these is tucked under your cuff, fear not C youve already won.? Christies is offering this Santos Dumont in their current online sale, with a current bid of $4,500. Click here for the listing. Tudor Ladies Enamel Ball Watch And now for something completely different.?Weve pretty much stuck to wristwatches for the bulk of the column thus far, but often something horological that doesnt go on the wrist will catch your eye. These are purchases that are admittedly tough to justify from a practical perspective, but sometimes ineffable coolness overpowers practicality.?Case in point, this little ladies pendant watch by Tudor, finished in blue enamel, and no larger than a walnut. It has all the hallmarks and signatures youd expect to see, and dates back to the 1930s, when such a watch wouldve been in fashion.? The box is not original to the pendant, and would be a nice addition seeing as the original box holds the minuscule timepiece perfectly, thought this is not something that comes up for sale often. If youre a fan of Tudor, or of objet darts within horology, we advise you check this one out.?This enamel pendant ball watch from Tudor is being offered on eBay by a seller in Florida for $1,800. You can also make an offer.