{"product_id":"wittnauer-professional-chronograph-as03135","title":"Wittnauer Professional Chronograph","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhy We Love It\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eValjoux 72. In a perfectly proportioned case with one of the best looking dials of the era. What more do we really need to say?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWittnauer is lesser known to collectors than its contemporaries and-- in our opinion-- is all the better for it. The \u003c\/span\u003esolid full-sized 38mm steel case construction the Reference 8024-242T has all of the 'tool watch' appeal of better-known watches from the same era, such as the all-powerful Omega Speedmaster, with which the Wittnauer Professional once competed for a certain high-profile US Government Agency job!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eAnd we've even heard it suggested that the dial layout - from its crisp printing, radial chapter ring, and recessed subsidiary registers with glossy edging - surpasses even the mighty Moonwatch in the looks department. Throw in the perfect case proportions and the lollipop chronograph hand and we'd have a hard time arguing against that!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eSo while the 8024 may never have made it to the moon, it has become a darling of the collector community, and with the Valjoux 72 manually-winding chronograph movement beating away inside, they are also robust and reliable tools for everyday wear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eWe've had a handful of these special chronographs come through in years past, but this particular example has a rich, chocolatey dial and deeply patinated lume that really makes it a standout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Story\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom the brand's inception in the 1880s, Wittnauer gained a reputation for their excellent complicated watches. Aviators like Amelia Earhart piloted their planes with instruments made by Wittnauer. Daredevil aviator Jimmy Mattern wore a \u003c\/span\u003eWittnauer AllProof\u003cspan\u003e in his attempted flight around the world in 1933. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLongines formally bought Wittnauer in the 1950s, and the brand continued to produce exceptional chronographs at a more competitive price point than their Swiss contemporaries. But\u003c\/span\u003e like so many watch brands, Wittnauer folded in the face of budget crises in the mid-1980s, causing Longines to dissolve their relationship with Wittnauer. Despite this, their watches remain, and stand as a testament to their ingenuity and elegance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe've been touting Wittnauer chronographs for years, and for good reason. Their Professional line, in particular, has become increasingly desirable as more and more collectors realize their inherent value.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey combine sturdy steel cases with distinctive dials and a history that's just as reputable as other horological heavy-hitters like Breitling, Omega, and \u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUniversal Genéve. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wittnauer","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":28020378337367,"sku":null,"price":9850.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0809\/1255\/products\/cult.jpg?v=1583512461","url":"https:\/\/www.analogshift.com\/products\/wittnauer-professional-chronograph-as03135","provider":"Analog:Shift","version":"1.0","type":"link"}