Unusual vintage watches, newly interpreted

There are very few established watch manufacturers that aren’t attempting to surf on the vintage watch wave. Despite many attempts, only a handful are successful; here are our favourites…

Baume & Mercier Capeland Chrono

Baume & Mercier produces numerous versions of the vintage-styled Capeland Chrono. In our opinion, the satin-finished brown dial variant with matching leather strap is the most elegant design – all 42mm of it.

Bell & Ross WW1 Guynemer

French watchmaker Bell & Ross is famous for producing aviation-themed watches. The latest offering is the WW1 Guynemer, which pays tribute to legendary French pilot Georges Guynemer, and is inspired by the simple designs he and his fellow aviators might have sported at the time. 

Glycine Airman No 1

Just last year, Glycine brought back the famous Airman, 60 years after it was first introduced. For 2014, it has released the Airman No. 1, which boasts a modest 36mm case – the exact same size as the original and with the same secondary 24-hour display used by US Air Force pilots crossing multiple time zones.

Panerai Radiomir 1940 Chronograph

Panerais have traditionally been put to work not high in the sky, but rather at daunting depths. Drawing inspiration from the circa-1940 case, the latest Radiomir chronograph uses a Minerva movement and retains the simple, honest lines of its vintage forebears.

Zenith Montre d’Aéronef Pilot Type 20 Tourbillon Moonphase

The top model of Zenith’s Montre d’Aéronef Pilot collection is not one for the narrow-wristed: the steel case of the Type 20 Tourbillon measures no less than 48mm in diameter. Those that can carry off a watch of this size will enjoy a classic pilot’s watch with a rare twist – the Moonphase variant is limited to just 25 examples.

If only original vintage watches take your fancy, you can find plenty in the Classic Driver Market.