Without trying to sound too cliche about watch brands “not making them like they used to”, I often wonder just how the current generation of watches will be viewed down the line. We are living through what I estimate to be a transitionary period, one that is on the outer edges of a time defined by referential design, toward one that looks to define its own ground rules. The last time we found ourselves in such a position, in my estimation, was the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. Big ideas were everywhere, and while not all of them landed (many didn’t), it’s hard not to look back at that period with a certain amount of reverence for what was put forth.
With that in mind, I’d like to take the opportunity to explore some of these spaces lost to time for one reason or another, and begin to focus more on watches that took their own path forward, whether successful or not, and have some stories to tell in the process. Watches like the IWC for Porsche Design World Time Alarm ref. 3812 seen above, and the Zenith Rainbow Flyback, which we’ve already explored right here. There are countless others that represent that era, each of which played their own small role in shaping the space as we know it today.
There will still be news and reviews on modern watches that I find relevant, but I hope to bring you more interesting stories that celebrate a category of watches that might fall outside of the hype realm of today, but are more accessible, available, and flat out unique compared to many of the watches being released today. I’d love your help in finding them. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any oddball watches that have slipped through the cracks of time, and I’ll do my best to source them.
In the meantime, keep an eye out for the full story on this IWC for Porsche Design reference, and much more in the coming weeks and months.