Cool Hunting

The Spaceman Watches of 1972-77
All obsessions have their own big bangs and appropriately enough, my own compulsive watch collecting began with the Spaceman watches of the '70s. Below is an article I wrote for QP Magazine reminiscing about going back to the future with these Spacemen. Leaving New York one chilly winter day, late in 1999, I found myself come unstuck in time and arrive in Basel at...

1970s Heuer Mappamondo
An obscure vintage find this Heuer (pre-TAG) is a "Mappamondo" chronograph that is fit with the unusual Valjoux 7740 manual winding movement. It also features a stainless steel case and an attractive "Map of the World" face. I found one available from Watch Center and Tempus Domini....

Rolex and Jaeger LeCoultre Ring Watches
I wonder if it were socially acceptable to wear a watch on every appendage, would I? Well, I'd likely start with one of these vintage 1950s ring watches by LeCoultre and Rolex. Very rare, the platinum and diamond set LeCoultre "Duo-Plan" (pictured right) has an impossibly small dial and movement. It's top-hinged for winding and setting of the watch. Also hard to find, the...

Victor Vasarely Op-Art Watch
Op-Art pioneer Victor Vasarely was profoundly influenced by Bauhaus, constructivism, cubism and surrealism. He began his unmistakable geometric abstraction from the 1930's through his heyday of optical illusion of the sixties and seventies. Late in his career, Bulova produced a series of wristwatches with Vasarely's artwork on the dial and engraved signature on the caseback. Very difficult to find, one of the more interesting...

Patek Philippe Cobra Watch
The year was 1958 and in a fresh spark of innovation one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious watch companies—Patek Philippe—designed the Cobra watch, unique for its unusual time display and aggressive profile. Time is displayed through two graduated linear openings showing the hour and minute marks which are printed in a spiral on rollers, thus eliminating the traditional dial and hands. The...

Sarpeneva Korona K3 Red Moon
One of Finland's most exclusive mechanical watchmaking companies, Sarpaneva, recently introduced the Korona K3 Red Moon. Featuring a red-hued moon phase indicator—reminiscent of the Harvest Moon typically seen in Europe this time of year—it's a fitting watch to be released just in time for Halloween. Different than the Sarpaneva models currently available, this one features a black, DLC-treated case combined with an 18-carat red...