The Best of Old-Turned-New, with Five of Today’s Finest Retro Watches

It’s common for brands to look back for inspiration for future releases, and some put a lot of effort into it. It’s not just about taking the shape of an hour marker or a hand and putting it into an entirely new design. No, it’s more than that, as multiple brands revive past designs almost to the letter. Touches of modernity are often added in the form of new materials or improved movement construction, and, in some instances, a more liberal design approach is taken without diluting the original concept too much. And if these five fantastic watches are anything to go by, retro/revival watchmaking has far from lost its magic!

Angelus Tinkler 1958 quarter repeater

We start things off with the Tinkler 1958 Quarter Repeater from Angelus, a watch that looks identical to the original from, you’ve guessed it, 1958. The Thinkler was, and still is, a quarter repeater watch with a very clean design. Available in steel or yellow gold, the case measures a delectable 38mm by 12.03mm. Inside, the Calibre A600 chimes the quarters on demand through a pusher at 9′. The ivory dial is lovely and clean, with a distinct font and shape for the numerals and markers. Both are limited edition, 25 in stainless steel and 15 in yellow gold, and retail for CHF 37,900 and CHF 56,300, respectively.

For more information, please visit Angelus.com.

Quick Facts – 38mm x 12.03mm – stainless steel or yellow gold case, polished – sapphire crystal, solid caseback – quarter repeater pusher at 9′ – 30m water-resistant – domed white dial with gold numerals & markers – gold central hands – calibre A600, in-house – automatic winding – 28,800vph – 70h power reserve – hours, minutes, seconds, quarter repeater – alligator leather strap with pin buckle – limited to 25 pieces in steel, 15 in gold – CHF 37,900 (steel) or CHF 56,300 (gold)

Zenith Chronomaster Revival A384 Tropical

Zenith goes down several paths when it comes to vintage-inspired watches, with the Revival series being the brand’s truest form of it. This Chronomaster Revival A384 Tropical, a watch that’s directly modelled after the Ref. A384 from 1969, adds a new layer of nostalgia to it with this new ‘Chocolate Panda’ dial. It looks as if it has aged naturally over time, with the tachymeter scale and three subdials turning to a brownish colour. To complement it, it comes on a Gay Frères ladder-style bracelet, just as the original did. With power provided by the modern El Primero 400 automatic integrated chronograph, you’re looking at a EUR 9,600 price tag for this one.

For more information, please visit Zenith-Watches.com.

Quick Facts – 37mm x 12.6mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal front & back – 50m water-resistant – tropical ‘Chocolate Panda’ dial with brown tachymeter scale & subdials – luminous markers & hands – offset date window at 4′ – El Primero 400, in-house automatic – high-beat integrated chronograph with column wheel & vertical clutch – 36,000vph – 50h power reserve – Gay Frères ladder-style bracelet with folding clasp – EUR 9,600

Tudor Monarch

Tudor surprised us quite a bit with the release of the Monarch earlier this year. Celebrating its 100th anniversary with this completely new model, the Monarch is not so much a one-on-one recreation, but more a heavily inspired, modernised version of designs from Tudor’s past. Blending elements from the early days to about the 1970s, the 39mm wide case is edgy and quite original. It’s fitted with a dark champagne ‘error-free’ dial, with both Arabic and Roman numerals and a papyrus effect. What’s also worth mentioning is the open caseback, a rarity in Tudor’s catalogue! The Monarch is permanently available and retails for EUR 5,400.

For more information, please visit TudorWatch.com.

Quick Facts – 39mm x 11.9mm – stainless steel case, brushed – screw-down crown – sapphire crystal front & back – 100m water-resistant – dark champagne dial with papyrus effect – applied Roman & Arabic numerals – snowflake handset – Manufacture calibre MT5662.U2, automatic – METAS Master Chronometer certified – 28,800vph – 65h power reserve – stainless steel bracelet with H-shaped links & micro-adjustable T-Fit folding clasp – permanently available – EUR 5,400

Cartier Privé Tortue Monopoussoir

If there’s one brand that’s brilliant at recreating or at least preserving past designs down to the letter, it’s Cartier. This platinum Cartier Privé Tortue Monopoussoir takes the brand’s iconic turtle-shaped profile, first introduced in 1912, and adds the much-loved CPCP XII-style dial, produced from 1998 to 2008. The design is typical Cartier, with subtle decorations and a charming balance. Inside, you’ll find Calibre 1928 MC, developed with Le Cercle des Horlogers and operated entirely through the crown. The watch is worn on a burgundy alligator leather strap; the price is to be confirmed.

For more information, please visit Cartier.com.

Quick Facts – 34.8mm x 43,7mm x 10.2mm – turtle-shaped case in platinum, polished – sapphire crystal front & back – crown with integrated pusher & ruby cabochon – 30m water-resistant – silvered dial – large XII numeral with beaded hour markers – bicompax chronograph layout – blued hands – calibre 1928 MC, manually wound – monopusher chronograph – 28,800vph – approx. 44h power reserve – alligator leather strap with platinum pin buckle – price to be confirmed

Oris Star Edition

A simple design can go a very long way, as proven by this charming new and very retro Oris Star Edition. Directly copied from the Oris Star from 1966, the 35mm wide case has a strong helmet-shaped profile, with a period-correct plexiglas crystal on top. The silver dial is again a one-on-one remake, with a black crosshair, applied faceted hour markers, luminous dots on the minute track, and simple square-tipped hands for the hours and minutes. The finishing touch is the framed trapezoidal date window. It uses the Oris calibre 733 (Sellita SW200) and comes on a black leather strap with a pin buckle. The price is set at EUR 1,800.

For more information, please visit Oris.ch.

Quick Facts – 35mm x 11mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – screw-down crown – plexglas crystal – solid caseback – 50m water-resistant – silver dial with crosshair – applied hour markers – minute track with luminous dots – luminous hour & minute hands – needle-like seconds hand – framed date window – calibre 733, automatic (Sellita SW200 base) – 28,800vph – 41h power reserve – hours, minutes, hacking seconds, date – black leather strap with pin buckle – EUR 1,800