Time In Color: Los Angeles Watch Collective X Oliver & Clarke

About

There’s something indescribably warm about vintage watches. A lot of it derives from flaws and blemishes we’d consider unacceptable with new models: patinated indices from lume failing, tropical dials with UV damage, scratched and dinged cases, faded bezels, etc. Somehow, all that weathering and battle testing usually magnifies their charm. For me personally, it’s an exercise in capturing imagination. Those perfect imperfections make for a grab bag of empirical evidence that a watch’s history, its right to exist, has been earned. We don’t know where or when or how; we just know that they did, and that’s enough.

If you’re like me and overly romanticize the land of vintage, you are always looking for opportunities to see time colorized through classic watches. Luckily for those of us in Los Angeles, this city is no stranger to heavy hitters in the vintage space. This past Thursday, I was very lucky to attend an event put on by the fine folks of Los Angeles Watch Collective at Oliver and Clarke’s showroom in Mid-Wilshire. The curators of O&C were incredibly kind in sharing their stockpile of vintage goodness with the group, and it made for a wonderful evening as I mixed watches with fine company from LAWC. I hope you enjoy.

*Check out the engraving on the back of this Universal Geneve ‘Compur’. “With Love To Bob From Violet” – how I wish I could have seen that moment where this watch exchanged hands.*

*A. Lange & Söhne. Saxonia ref. 219.026. White gold, 35mm. Perfect.*

*An O.G. 1950s Blancpain Fifty-Fathoms ‘Aqualung.’ Yes, that’s radium.*

*This moment is brought to you by Stella Artois and the IWC Ingenieur.*

*Love me a 16750. Transitional references are my favorite – nerds always love something that is the first, or something short-lived.*

*A classic and stylish Dumont as seen on owner Sharon’s wrist.*

*Chris Cho being Johnny-on-the-spot with a few wrist shots.*

*I knew of mid-size Royal Oaks, but I had never seen a mid-size Aquanaut before. This 5066 is 36mm and has aged wonderfully.*

*A Datejust 6305-1 with a sweet honeycomb dial and roulette date wheel.*

*Man, I need another one of these. Perhaps it makes sense to give the Ultra a try instead.*

*Not the best quality photo, but take a look at that caseback – that’s Tom Brady’s Hodinkee Tudor Black Bay right there.*

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To learn more about Los Angeles Watch Collective and find out how you can get involved as well as attend events, please check out their website or visit Instagram.

To learn more about Oliver & Clarke as well as see their inventory of vintage watches, please check out their website.