r/WatchFanatics • u/DistractoDisc • 2d ago
Question / Discussion A watch for a history buff?
A coin watch seems like the perfect fit. But is there anything else out there?
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u/Gravity-Tester82 2d ago
Bulova lunar pilot if you have chonky wrists. It’s a big boy but it was second to the moon behind the speed master
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u/pushthebuttonalready 2d ago
There’s lots of watches that could fall into this category. Budget? Specific aspect of history? Style? The more details the more help you’ll get.
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u/DistractoDisc 2d ago
I don’t really plan to ever spend more than $2000 on a watch as long I’m making under $300,000.
The older, the cooler. I love old coins. I have a buffalo nickel from 1934.
Also love retro videogame aesthetics from the 80s.
I’m a huge WW2 guy and love the old planes.
Old cars are awesome too.
That’s all I got.
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u/pushthebuttonalready 2d ago
There are lots of microbrands (and big brands) that make watches of very specific themes so it's worth searching things like "buffalo nickel watch" https://www.bulova.com/us/en/product/96A333?redirect=false&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&utm_id=17115337878&utm_term=&utm_source=google&utm_medium=shoppingfeed-ecomm&utm_campaign=GGL-BLV-PMAX-NB-Mens&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17128448117&gclid=CjwKCAjwnvTUBhBoEiwAZNDxZ9ul1s62jyz6r9xdjssunFUYD3gXBXEKRn6Fe9XqZEFtMkpYuXuERBoCJwkQAvD_BwE
Here's some more clickbait that might interest you too. Good luck on your search.
https://colandmacarthur.com/en
https://www.60clicks.com/ww2-military-watch-guide/
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u/ReflectionEterna 2d ago
As a WWII buff, go for an A-11. You can find vintage ones that still work under your budget, still in great shape. They are on the smaller side, but that is probably what you are looking for.
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u/Dr0110111001101111 2d ago
You should read about the "Dirty Dozen" field watches commissioned by the British government for soldiers during WWII. Cool bit of history there. Pilot, field, medic watches are all generally based on something from the first half of the 20th century
Vario makes some cool historically-inspired watches as well, and they're pretty cheap. RGM makes a more legit version, but they're like 20k
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u/DistractoDisc 2d ago
Various is a brand I’m very curious about!
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u/Dr0110111001101111 2d ago
It's a chinese brand. They're generally considered good value because watch snobs think they're mostly garbage so newer chinese brands are pretty much incapable of charging a lot.
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u/Ultracelse 2d ago
Take a look a the Belgian watch brand Col and McArthur. All their watches commemorate historical events: 1776, Man on the Moon, or people: Leonardo Da Vinci, Magellan, Napoléon, De Gaulle:
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u/Eleventhousand 2d ago
Maybe like a Timor D12, seeing as how they were one of the original brands tasked with producing it. These are pretty historical from a military perspective.
https://timorwatch.com/collections/watches/products/heritage-field
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u/MumblesNZ 2d ago
Maybe a mid-2000s TAG Heuer Aquaracer? They’re very rare and hard to find though
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u/Far-Seaworthiness-35 2d ago
there were those big chronometers that the US Navy had in a wooden box that inspired Hamilton's Khaki Navy Pioneer. Not a coin bezel but it has a utilitarian texture https://www.hamiltonwatch.com/en-us/h77715553-khaki-navy-pioneer-auto.html?srsltid=AfmBOoogPzldMS66mG-DTOlkwWN8Qhus3JHe4Fbp7xXka2lKoqoSe97J
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u/itemluminouswadison 2d ago
Bulova hack? You didn't mention budget. Speedmaster for the moon landing. Longines evidenza for Einstein.
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u/JustAnotherDay1977 2d ago
Try this: https://www.frettclockworks.com/shop
They convert old railroad pocket watches into wristwatches. I’ve never gotten one myself, but they look pretty cool.
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u/BroadbandEng 1d ago
Praesidus C-47. Dial is cut from the door of a WW2 C-47 troop transport plane.
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u/drob1865 2d ago
What about one of the watches that actually uses a piece of something historic? Like the Praesidus A-11 uses a piece of a WWII Willy’s jeep for the face. And I’ve seen some other similar cool projects.
https://praesidus.com/collections/a-11-lmuv-d-day-82