Fashion

Funky Swiss Watch, Forgotten of the 60s


When Rihanna announced While pregnant in late January through a photo session with beau A$AP Rocky, she revealed her baby bump under a vintage Chanel silk coat and an ornate jewel-encrusted cross — a meaningful outfit if you’re looking for it. But even more intriguing is her choice of watches. She doesn’t wear one of the Rolex Day-Dates in her collection, or her rose gold Patek Philippe Nautilus. No, instead, she wore a relatively obscure piece from deep within the Crown’s archives: a vintage Rolex King Midas.

Launched in 1962, the King Midas embodies the nostalgic futuristic design spirit of the time: It’s a brutalist masterpiece, an articulating 18-karat gold watch that looks like it could. is a prop for an out-of-date sci-fi epic. Roller. Sadly for King Midas, Rolex introduced the Cosmograph Daytona a year later, which would prove to be one of the brand’s important and iconic models. Today, Daytona defines only the watch market. Along with many other steel sports watches, the Daytona have become so popular among a new generation of connoisseurs that they are now nearly impossible to buy at retail and sky-high. on the secondary market. There is not much oxygen left for exotic watches like the King Midas, the original reference that Rolex discontinued in the 70s. But for those who want to dive into the pleasures of watchmaking and those (like Rihanna) are connoisseurs of uniquely styled objects, King Midas represents the most exciting thing in the collection right now: a deep-cut masterpiece from the wildest of design. epoch Swiss watchmaking industry.

Perhaps one could understand why King Midas did not catch fire with the masses. At the time of its release, the Midas was the most expensive model made by Rolex and the heaviest manufactured gold watch in the world. But boy, does it have any features: The design is inspired by the architecture of the ancient world, and the funny box it has is like a movie vase. For a very rare Rolex, the original 1,000 models were numbered. However, despite the relatively small production cycle, today many versions of the King Midas can be found for between $5,000 and $25,000.

If Midas is a bit Rollerball, then the Omega Flightmaster is pure Star Wars. Introduced in 1969, the same year Omega’s Speedmaster made its famous moon flight, the Flightmaster was designed for pilots. Thus, its massive dial, for the sake of legibility, spans a Swedish steel case about the size of a hen’s egg. Mechanically, it is a tour de force of the multi-zone chronograph, with seven hands (one shaped like a jet), three sub-dials, three crowns, two pushers and two pushers. an inner ledge. It looks like it may have been detached from the Concorde dashboard, where Omega supplied the watch. Although production was discontinued in the late ’70s, it is thought that a total of around 37,500 units were produced across the four series. Models can now be found for around $5,000 — collect them all!

The Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse line of watches offers more depth for those looking for a rare, interesting, and relatively affordable piece. Launched in 1968, the Golden Ellipse, inspired by divine proportions used in Renaissance art and architecture, is neither oval nor rectangular. Upon release, it was praised for its unorthodox shape and beautiful blue gold dial, a rarity at the time. Though it was later overshadowed by its cousin the Nautilus, Ellipse has essentially become a brand within a brand, making series of key rings, wristbands, money clips, lighters and even zodiac pendants. By the late ’70s there were 65 different watch models, meaning there was so much variety for enthusiasts looking to put together a meaningful and satisfying collection on an iconic design and unofficial. In other words: There’s a golden ellipse for almost any budget.

This rich line of underrated watches could soon be tapped. Following Rihanna’s announcement, online interest in King Midas skyrocketed. But even if you’re too late to claim one of these hit watches, don’t worry — there are plenty of other designs waiting to be rediscovered.

A version of this story originally appeared in the April 2022 issue with the headline “Funny, Forgotten Swiss Watches of the 60s”.



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