Complicated is the name of the game when it comes to watches. Like, literally. It’s what’s housed in between the case.
From complications like a moonphase, or a GMT, to rarer minute repeaters, or tourbillons. Several dozen complications have been masterfully perfected over the years. Manufacturers like Vacheron Constantin have crafted mechanical marvels, including a timepiece that could track astronomical functions, sunrises, tides, solstices, equinoxes, even zodiac signs. It’s nothing Siri can’t handle, but no Apple Watch (aka ‘consumer electronics,’ as Mr. Wonderful would have it) could ever compete with such a million dollar masterpiece.
Let me cut to the chase! Our world is not like the watch world. Complicated’ is bad for us, but good for watches. In fact, the more complicated, the better.
That’s why the industry is in a perpetual arm’s race to create the most intricate timepiece. Honestly, I never understood it, especially as a young teeny-bopper (anyone say that anymore?). See, I liked bauhaus watches sporting clean dials and uninterrupted designs (like NOMOS and Junghans).
If you ask me, a Breitling Navitimer would’ve been like finding yourself in a wild Jackson Pollock exhibit on the way to a Rothko one.
Source: monochrome-watches.com
Funny how that’s flipped now as a bigger-bop (trademark, lol). The “my-children-only-studied-private” Navitimer, went from being an object of disgust, to an object of desire (lust even). Maybe, it was the aviation history, the rotating slide rule, or the beaded bezel. Somehow, it just spoke to me (in more ways than I care to publicly admit).
Young, dumb, and with a hefty sum, I walked into an authorized dealer, and slapped a black Navitimer 38 on my wrist. Luckily, it was way too small (and the 41mm had gold indices, eww). And so, I walked out $4,700 US richer. That night, the veil finally lifted. Was I actually going to pay over 6k CAD for a watch that had a mere 30 meters of water resistance, and a measly 38 hours power reserve? What was I thinking? Ashamed, and lost, I jumped back on the interwebs.
That’s when Saint Youtube manifested the Hamilton Khaki Aviation Converter to me. It was like finding the Great American Lakes in middle of the Sahara.
The Converter just felt right. Everything on it was crisp, and precise — the black sunburst dial drawing the eye in, the substantially knurled bezel and crown contrasting the fine red tip of the second hand (like cherry-coloured heels on a pair of slender legs). And, with 100m water resistance, and an 80hr power reserve, the Converter was not only cheaper, but more charming in a lasting way. I simply had to buy one. And, buy one, I did. Pop a bottle!
Source: monochrome-watches.com
The way I see it, you might want a supermodel for a night to show off to the wait staff, but want you really want is the girl-next-door for the remainder of your life. It’s simple really... You lust after the Navitimer, but you cherish the Hamilton. But hey, if you’re a big baller, get yourself a nice Navitimer. Just don’t send your kids to private school.
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Specs: Hamilton Aviation Converter Auto (H76615530). Movement. Caliber: H10 Automatic, Power reserve (hours): 80, Functions: Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Date, Slide rule. Case. Size/Thickness: 42/10.9 mm, Lug width: 20mm, Water resistance: 100 m, Bezel: Turning Bi-Directional, Crown: Screw-down - Steel. Case back: Exhibition back. Band. Material: Cow leather, Buckle: Pin buckle
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