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Bring a Loupe A 1959 Omega Speedmaster Ref. CK2915-3, A 1957 Breitling Navitimer AOPA Ref. 806, And A 1979 Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 3700/1 Gübelin

This week's round-up of vintage watches from around the world.

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It's Friday, and a good one at that. This week, we've got a bit of a heavy-hitter, sport watch theme going, with a retailer-signed ref. 3700 Nautilus, a CK2915-3 Speedmaster being offered for sale on eBay, and the nicest Navitimer you'll see in a good long while. To keep things interesting, there's an Oyster Perpetual from the late 1950s with a bit of a rare twist, along with an equally rare LeCoultre for those who appreciate a smaller timepiece. I wouldn't blame you for glossing past this intro and jumping straight into this week's roundup, but if you were waiting for my word – commence reading!


1957 Rolex Oyster Perpetual Ref. 6564

On the surface, this  looks like your standard fare, run-of-the-mill, early Oyster. It's cased in stainless steel, and measures 34mm across, affording it a more subtle edge on the wrist over larger Oysters. Though while most prefer the 36mm variants of the bivalve mollusk-inspired timepieces – myself included– I'd recommend taking a closer look into the this chapter of Oyster production, as the offered dial and hand combinations are more often than not far more interesting than their ever so slightly larger cousins. This example surely supports this notion, as evidenced by the presence of luminous dauphine style hands, along with the unique arrowhead indices found at three, six, and nine o'clock. But take an even closer look, and you'll find that this Ref. 6564 is far from run-of-the-mill. 

You might've already taken note of this example's special sauce, so to speak, but if you're waiting for me to clue you in, allow me to do just that. On most other examples of this reference, you'll find the words "OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED CHRONOMETER" printed neatly above the six o'clock marker. On this example, there's a bit of a Deutschland twist, in that instead of the traditional declaration of certification, we see those same words printed in German, reading "AMTLICH GEPRÜFTER CHRONOMETER." Before you say it, I know what you’re thinking. Big whoop! It’s got some German instead of the usual English fare. While this is plainly true, it's also a serious rarity. 

Given the vast number of nations in which Rolex retailed their watches, day and date wheels in foreign languages are seen rather often. However, dials printed with foreign languages are an altogether different story. Knowing the mass-produced nature of Rolex watches, it made little sense for the brand to print dials with market specific text, but it did still occur every now and then. This watch dating back to 1957 is proof, and a fine example of such to boot. I'm not usually one for heavily patinated dials, but the even, pseudo-salmon tone on this one is rather pleasing. 

San Francisco's vintage Rolex specialist H.Q. Milton is offering this Oyster for $4,550. Find the full listing here. 

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1979 Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 3700/1 Gübelin

As far as I'm concerned, there's only one Nautilus reference worth putting on your wrist. That is of course is the OG Ref. 3700. While the 5711 is nice and all, the 3700 is just an infinitely better looking and feeling watch. What's more, is its place in the brand's history is far more historically significant being the first Nautilus, as opposed to the Yeezy-esque reputation of hype driven flip potential that the 5711 enjoys in today's market. Not convinced? Just try one on. They really are that good, and Patek really did get it right the first time. 

During a quick browse of upcoming auction catalogues, I was delighted to come across an honest looking example that's not only coming direct from the original owner, but also includes the coveted cork box. If that wasn't enough to pique your interest, focus your attention on the dial. Though it does show signs of its age, consistent with other examples on the market, you’ll find a Gübelin signature, indicating it was originally sold by the Swiss retailer of jewelry and watches. The disassembled photos of the watch are also an interesting detail worth reviewing should you not be familiar with how the original Nautilus is constructed. 

I also have a bit of a personal connection to this exact Nautilus variant, that left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth after I once tried to purchase one. Key word – tried. While purchasing a Ref. 1675 GMT Master from a local jeweler, I found a Gübelin signed ref. 3700 also in their inventory at a very attractive price, that was by no means in line with its market value at the time. Being my opportunistic self, I quickly made it known to the jeweler that I'd take it as well, which must’ve spooked them as I was told I'd have to come back the next week. Sure enough, the weekend passed, and upon calling them up, I was informed the price had jumped up by some $20,000. Moral of the story – keep a comical amount of deal-closing cash on you at all times. Actually you know what, don't. That could go really wrong. 

Cortrie Spezial Auktionen of Hamburg will offer this example of the ref. 3700 on May 4 with an estimate of €40,000 to €80,000. Click here for the full scoop.


1959 Omega Speedmaster Ref. CK2915-3

There are certain watches you fully expect to come across during a routine eBay hunt. Submariners, sure. Funky, obscure chronographs, you betcha. The occasional decent Daytona, why not. But a ref. 2915 Speedmaster? Not exactly. Late last week I was doing my usual daily scour of the online auction marketplace, and to say this watched jumped out and caught my eye would be an understatement. From the watch, to the listing, to the seller’s reputation, everything checks out and then some. It's just not the caliber of watch you see everyday on eBay. 

As its reference number would suggest, this is the third iteration of the original Speedmaster reference. Within the lineage, the 2915-3 is a transitional reference of sorts, seeing as it ushered in the use of black anodized aluminum bezels that would go on to become an iconic, defining trait of all Speedmaster references to follow. While the "-3" is regarded as the most common of all 2915 references, it's worth acknowledging that production numbers across the all reference's variants were notably limited to begin with. This contrasts most other references that followed, as the Speedmaster grew increasingly popular.  

Condition wise, it's a decent example. The dial looks to be in reasonable shape, with evenly aged applications of luminous compound, and only minor spotting. Though the original bezel is a bit worn, and the broad arrow hands have been re-lumed at some point, this has been fully disclosed in the listing by the seller. Transparency is the name of the game.

This Speedmaster is currently listed on eBay with no reserve by a seller based out of Los Angeles. At the time of publishing, the highest stands just over $50,000. Get in on the action right here.


LeCoultre Quartermaster Ref. 2405

As of late, I've been on the hunt for a 33 mm, time-only watch for a good friend of mine with particularly small wrists. He knows who he is. In the process, I was reminded of a host of watches I had always been aware of, but hadn't given the degree of consideration they so deserve. Should you be open to the idea of wearing something that isn't sized like something you’d buy new from a retailer today, there's a whole world of horological awesomeness out there, I assure you. With this in mind, I thought I'd highlight one of my favorite sports timepieces that measures on the smaller side. Readers, LeCoultre Quartermaster. LeCoultre Quartermaster, readers. Now that you’re acquainted let's dive a little deeper. 

With a dial that displays the time using a 24 hour system, the Quartermaster was originally intended as a military style timepiece upon its release in the late 1950s. To the best of my knowledge, examples were never officially issued by any military outfit. Regardless, it remains as one of the more captivating dial designs in the history of Jaeger-LeCoultre watches delivered to the US market, and an especially rare one, too. The general consensus is that somewhere in the range of 2,500 examples of the Quartermaster were ever produced across the various range of references it was existed as, each differentiated by unique case designs. 

While I'm not absolutely certain, I'd hazard a guess that the white dial variants were produced in fewer numbers than the examples fitted with gilt dials. I say this because in my years of hunting down vintage watches, I've simply seen far more gilt dial Quartermasters than those with white dials. Each has its own appeal, but in the case style seen on the ref. 2405, I tend to prefer it with the white dial. This example looks to be a nice one, with a sharp case, and a clean dial that only has a bit of radium burn, likely caused by an extended period of storage. If your wrists are up to the challenge of pulling it off, there's a lot to like with this one. 

An eBay seller based out of San Clemente, California has this watch listed in an auction that ends on Saturday evening. At the time of publishing, the high bid stands at $818. Additional photos and details can be found here

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1957 Breitling Navitimer AOPA Ref. 806

I've said it once, I've said it again, and I'll say it once more. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure I've used that line before, too. The original Breitling Navitimer is an impossibly cool chronograph, and if you're not already hip to the ref. 806, I'd highly recommend changing that. Between their oversized without going overboard dimensions, detail-rich, slide rule equipped dials, and high contrast facets, it's easy to get lost in this one. Just be sure to show those around you what it is you're staring down at for extended periods of time, so as to not be deemed an impatient, clock-watching nitwit. 

There's an Instagram-based dealer by the name of Rob Cooper, and I’m not sure how he does it, but the man seems to get more top-tier, early Navitimer examples than anyone else. If Navitimers are your thing, I'd say a follow is in order. With that said, he seems to have done it again with the discovery of what might be one of the best ref. 806s I've seen to date. This example features the "small bead" bezel, with 98 beads to be exact. Fun fact for you, that would likely be interpreted as the nerdiest thing ever by any non-reader of the site – Navitimers can be dated by the numbers of beads that make up their rotating bezel. The count of 98 would confirm that this piece dates back to 1957. 

It's been described as being in "time capsule" condition, which I'd agree with wholeheartedly. I mean, just look at it. The case is undoubtedly unpolished, with sharp lines and well-defined edges, plus the dial looks to be flawless. The really don't get much better than this, unless you have access to a time travel machine, in which case call me! 

This example is being offered for $16,000. Click here for more information.