Vintage watch collectors are regularly distilled down to case-focused or dial-focused. Be it condition- or design-driven, some collectors are more drawn to the “face” of a watch while others tend to lean more heavily on a timepiece’s architecture. Of course, what makes a great vintage watch is the marriage of these two key elements plus a tinge of horological interest powering the whole show. On the topic of great vintage replica watches online site, the Shop has been “restocked” with two “new” timepieces fitting that bill.
Heuer’s Autavia needs no introduction at this point, but for an “Andretti” example with a Gübelin retailer stamp there is plenty to dig into. While there are many extremely collectible 1960s Autavia variants – namely the early “big eye” dials – finding high quality US fake watches from this range that is double-signed is something truly special. Rich has all of the Autavia, Gübelin, and Andretti details, below.
Approaching the wristwatch from a completely different angle is Patek Philippe’s Ellipse. The case is dictated more by the “golden ratio” and natural beauty than utility and water resistance, as is the case with the Heuer. The result is a watch unlike anything else, from the shape to the blued gold dial to a certain elegance on the wrist. Sean Egan further gushes on this Ellipse if you read on.
Otherwise, the full selection including some of the best vintage Swiss made replica watches on the internet can be perused at your leisure, right here in the Shop.
1960s Tag Heuer Autavia Ref. 3646 ‘Andretti’ Replica Watches Retailed By Gübelin
I’ll just come out and say it – I am a sucker for retailer stamps. Vintage copy watches wholesale are so much more about the life the object has lived prior to your ownership than following it. Retailer stamps are the most tangible and ever-present reminder of a watch’s previous life. When a watch like this crosses my timeline or desk, I immediately find myself day-dreaming about the first owner walking into a Gübelin showroom (hopefully, the legendary Lucerne location) browsing the watch case and making their pick.
For a manufacturer to allow a retailer to stamp its name right on the dial means something. There is a reason that we see these stamps on some of the best Swiss movements replica watches created during the vintage period – a retailer that was allowed to stamp dial inherently carried the best watches from the best brands. The only way a retailer had enough pull to stamp dials was by being one of the best places in the world to purchase a watch. Legendary watches also being retailer-stamped is a self-fulfilling prophecy in that way.
For Gübelin, in particular, there is even more romanticism for me due to the watches we find with this stamp. I immediately think of the first Nautilus references, the 3700 and 3800, elegant dress models from Audemars Piguet, and, of course, 1960s luxury fake TAG Heuer chronograph watches. This retailer, in particular, seemed to have an excellent eye for watches that they bought and offered – I would love to meet Gübelin’s buyer from the 1960s and ’70s.
While a few Autavias similar to this one have surfaced, it is more common to find Gübelin-stamped Carreras from the 1960s. This again speaks to what Gübelin was buying back in the day but also to the rarity of our watch. “Rare” is a word I try not to use, but I am comfortably doing so here.
Outside of my long-winded romanticism with retailer stamps and Gübelin, and outside of rarity, this Autavia has so much going for it as a watch you can simply wear. The Autavia was Heuer’s flagship sport chronograph (sorry, Carrera) and the earlier, screw-down caseback variants are really those to go after in collecting. This particular example has the extra sauce of the “Andretti” nickname, coming from Mario Andretti’s wearing of this same execution back in the ’60s and ’70s. His two super clone watches paypal are heavily featured in our Talking Watches With Mario Andretti.
Condition here is really clean with nice architecture present on the lugs, no major flaws, and a great, dark cream patina to the luminous material on the dial and hands. Clearly, I am a big fan of this one – check it out in full, right here in the Shop.
1980s Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse Ref. 3788 Fake Watches With ‘Sigma’ Dial
As much as I am of the millennial spirit where I am comfortable making luxury purchases online, I have to admit that there are some things that I don’t get until I’m able to put my hands on them. An example of this, for me at least, are bags, not just handbags, but backpacks, and totes too. There is the obvious of what the piece is made of – canvas, leather, Dyneema, or 1000D TPE Tarp – but the construction and how you interact with a bag really makes all the difference in whether or not a bag is “good.” Recently, a couple of us in the office went off on a rather long tangent about how the length of the handles can make or break a tote bag. This is a far-fledged yet decent allegory for how I feel about 1:1 replica Patek Philippe Ellipse watches. If any piece or portion of this watch were any bigger or smaller it just wouldn’t work. This only becomes evident when you’ve strapped one on your wrist. Not even holding one will suffice, it’s once this little piece of magic is mounted to your wrist you that will fall to its charms.
This is, of course, no mistake. I learned quickly after joining HODINKEE, and as I’m sure you’re aware, the case was designed by AAA Patek Philippe fake watches to follow the Golden Ratio. What I didn’t realize was that this is essentially the reverse of how things were done at the time. Traditionally, a casemaker would propose shapes and styles to the brands, and they would move forward from there. For the Ellipse, China Patek Philippe replica watches brought it to Ateliers Réunis to create their vision. This turned out to be so successful that not only did Patek end up creating an entire line of jewelry and accessories out of the design, but they ended up purchasing Ateliers Réunis. In any case, pick up your own little piece of perfection, right here.