Good Old Times

Contrary to fashion’s obsession with all things shiny and new, horology has a recurring fascination with the past. Here’s how brands are winding back the clock to make their timepieces look like the one your father or grandfather had.

- Yong Wei Jian

COMEBACK CODES

 Anachronistic details are definitive of a bygone era. There’s no reason to revisit archaic styles, other than to imbue timepieces with a strong sense of vintage-ness. For example, nothing screams “does not belong” like a California dial on a modern watch, especially since we’re so accustomed to seeing Roman numerals. The half-and-half style was popular in California (hence the name) in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and has become such a cool curiosity that homage pieces from Rolex and Panerai (the two brands most associated with the look) get sold out almost immediately.

Another popular element is the onion crown, specifically for pilot watches. The bulbous knob is typical of aviation timepieces from the early 1900s, to facilitate easy operation while wearing thick gloves. Now, it resurfaces to add antiquated weight to the likes of Zenith’s Pilot Type 20 and IWC’s Big Pilot.

On the dive front, Blancpain’s pursuit for diver safety during the 1950s led to the creation of a water-tightness indicator in a Fifty Fathoms model called the MIL-SPEC 1. This circular safety device, which signifies water ingress by changing colours (think “litmus paper”), reprises its role in the 60th anniversary edition Tribute to Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC.