Welcome! In this series, we highlight some of the most compelling new watches that have entered the A:S inventory each month.
Greetings, fellow collectors! Many of the more unusual watches from September’s crop date to the 1970s, one of the most adventurous periods in horological design. From a brass-cased Heuer chronograph with offset registers to a quirky Yema/Le Jour diver with articulating lugs, these oddball pieces are just the thing for a discerning buyer looking to escape the gravitational pull of the watch world’s greatest hits. And for those for whom ‘70s design isn’t their particular brand of vodka, we’ve also got a beautiful Cyma tank on offer, plus a military-inspired Hamilton, a couple of solid-gold Cartier pieces, and more. Let’s dig in!
Porsche Design Chronograph HODINKEE ($10,500)
Porsche Design Chronograph HODINKEE - IN THE SHOP
In 1972, Porsche Design launched the Chronograph 1, the world’s first serially produced watch with a black case. This modern version produced in collaboration with HODINKEE swaps out the PVD-coated steel case for a lightweight titanium housing, but otherwise maintains the original’s charming feature set — namely, you get a matching black multi-link bracelet; pump pushers and a knurled crown; an inner tachymeter bezel; a triple-register chronograph display; a day-date display; and a luminous ‘baton’ handset with a bright orange central seconds hand. Powered by the automatic Porsche Design WERK 0L140, this one’s limited to 350 pieces.
Heuer Monza ($4,950)
HEUER Monza - IN THE SHOP
The Heuer Monza, created to celebrate Niki Lauda’s win at the wheel of a Ferrari 312T in 1975, features both unusual looks as well as unusual construction: Rather than being machined from stainless steel, it’s made of PVD-coated brass, giving it a unique feel and patina all its own. Housed in a 39mm C-shaped case, it features a left-hand crown and right-hand pushers due to the presence of the automatic Heuer Calibre 15. (The black dial, with its 30-minute counter at 9 o’clock, offset running seconds register at 10 o’clock, and date display at 6 o’clock, is a result of this movement’s unusual design.) Well sized and a bit strange, the Monza is the final frontier of vintage Heuer collecting.
Bulova 'Parking Meter' Chronograph ($6,450)
Bulova 'Parking Meter' Chronograph - IN THE SHOP
Looking like the illegitimate lovechild of a Seiko 6139 and Darth Vader, the Bulova ‘Parking Meter’ Chronograph is easily one of the most creative watch designs of the 1970s — and that’s saying something. Housed in a hulking 43mm stainless steel C-shaped case, it features a ‘bullhead’ layout with chronograph pushers at 1 and 3 o’clock and a crown at 6 o’clock. The dial, meanwhile, is pure midcentury futurism, with an ‘up-down’ register display framed by a closed 1/5th-seconds track, an outer tachymeter scale, a 3 o’clock date window, and a luminescent handset that takes on the aspect of — well — a parking meter. This one’s simply too cool for school.
Cartier Pasha Yellow Gold ($23,950)
Cartier Pasha Yellow Gold - IN THE SHOP
Based — according to horological legend — on a one-off commission for the Pasha of Marrakech — the modern Cartier Pasha was revived by none other than Gérald Genta in the 1980s. This version in yellow gold is typical of the design’s oddball features: Measuring 39mm, it features an onyx cabochon crown with a small yellow gold protector; a rotating dive-style bezel; a matching gold multi-link bracelet fixed to “T”-style lugs, and a deep blue dial with with applied stylized ‘Arabic’ indices, a skeletonized handset, and a magnified date window at 4:30. Powered by an automatic movement, it’s the type of Cartier timepiece that’s sure to earn you a knowing nod from collectors.
CYMA Tank ($2,250)
CYMA Tank - IN THE SHOP
While the word “Tank” may conjure Cartier-themed images in the mind of the average collector, this style of elongated, rectangular watch was popular with all manner of brands in the early-to-mid 20th century. Case in point is this lovely stainless steel Cyma from the 1950s: Measuring 26mm in diameter, it features a gorgeous silvered dial with an outer ‘railroad’ minute track, luminous ‘Arabic’ indices, a luminous ‘syringe’ handset, and a small-seconds register above 6 o’clock. Powered by a hand-wound movement and paired to an Ibis red vegan leather strap from Analog:Shift, it’s a fantastic alternative to the significantly more expensive Cintrée.
Hamilton Khaki Field 'L.L. Bean' ($1,100)
Hamilton Khaki Field 'L.L. Bean' - IN THE SHOP
Based upon the company’s mil-spec watches made for the U.S. Army in the mid-20th century, this Hamilton Khaki field watch is double-signed by L.L. Bean, the famed American outdoor retailer that sold it in the 1980s. Measuring 36mm in stainless steel and fitted to a black leather strap, it features a classic Hamilton military-style dial with an outer ‘railroad’ minute track, luminous hour plots, ‘Arabic’ indices, an inner 24-hour scale, and a luminous ‘sword’ handset. (Unlike the brand’s actual mil-spec watches, it features both a date window and an automatic movement, marrying modern convenience with vintage-inspired aesthetics.)
Bulova Chronograph C 'Stars & Stripes' ($3,450)
Bulova Chronograph C 'Star & Stripes' - IN THE SHOP
Bulova was truly on a roll in the 1970s, designing all manner of quirky and compelling chronographs. Furthermore, the oversized 44m Chronograph C ‘Stars & Stripes’ may be the most patriotic watch design in the history of horology — even if the Americanism of it all was unintentional. With its beautiful red-white-and-blue dial, ‘firework’ handset, triple-register chronograph layout, and hooded lugs, it sort of looks like an Old Glory-themed UFO. Powered by the venerable hand-wound Valjoux 7736 and paired to a navy blue vegan leather strap, it’s the perfect way to celebrate America’s upcoming 250th birthday in 2026.
LeJour Diver 'L'Orange' ($3,250)
LeJour Diver 'L'Orange' - IN THE SHOP
Sold under the LeJour brand name in the U.S. market, Yema’s wares were some of the defining dive watches of the 1970s. This particular watch is unusual for several reasons: Its case measures a whopping 46mm — giving it plenty of dial real estate and making it extra legible underwater — and features a 12 o’clock crown and a set of articulating lugs. Its fully hashed dive bezel makes timing a cinch, while the bright orange dial features large, luminous hour plots, an outer contrasting minute track, and a date window at 3 o’clock. Relatively thin despite its automatic movement, it comes paired to a grey Tropic dive strap, further enforcing its 1970s theme.
Cartier Trianon ($9,950)
Cartier Trianon - IN THE SHOP
While everyone else is focused on the Tank — and these days, the Baignoire — why not look out for a model that hasn’t made its way to the front pages of Vogue just yet? This gorgeous Trianon from the 1980s is just the ticket: Measuring 25mm in yellow gold, it features an octagonal design with a ‘riveted’ steel bezel, a sapphire cabochon winding crown, and a white dial with a ‘railroad’ minute track, ‘Roman’ indices, and a blued steel ‘sword’ handset. Powered by a hand-wound movement, it comes paired to a handsome signed black calfskin leather strap with a signed yellow gold deployant clasp. Pure class!
Bell & Ross BR-03 Chrono Multimeter Limited Edition ($4,450)
Bell & Ross BR-03 Chrono Multimeter Limited Edition - IN THE SHOP
Though it features the standard square-shaped housing of the BR-03 chronograph, this particular Bell & Ross boasts an unusual dial that’s sure to catch collectors’ eyes: Standing out against the black ceramic construction of its 42mm case, it boasts a mix of several different timing scales, of each of which is executed in its own bright color. Dual chronograph registers and an unusual 12:30 date window join an outer minute track in black and white, while the Swiss-made BR-CAL.301 movement functions as a power plant. Paired to a black rubber strap, this cool tool watch even comes with its factory goodies.
