Bring a Loupe A Pair Of Honest Tudors And The First Quartz-Powered Patek Philippe Wristwatch

But first, results. Our Habring² Monochrome Montre de Souscription 1, up for auction on LoupeThis, has sold for $7,810. The "Solaris" Rolex GMT-Master ref. 1675 in solid yellow gold has found a new owner via Tropical Watch — the asking price was $36,550. And, last but not least, our eBay Movado Datron HS360 Super Sub Sea ended up at $1,925. Is the watch market heating up along with just about every city in the US and Europe? Who's to say?

And now, this week's picks!

In a recent article recapping the latest New York auction season, I described the various ways "fresh-to-market" can be used in the world of vintage and collectible watches. From a watch offered by the original owner to a serial number that has not been publicly available before, this has become a bit of a buzzword. That being said, it is a buzzword that collectors apply real value to. Today's lead pick offers a new meaning to "fresh." This Tudor Monte Carlo is offered via a Florida-based dealer as "fresh-to-market and was found in an estate house sale in central Florida." And it looks the part. As someone who has lined up for the opening of an estate sale or two on a Thursday or Friday morning, I've seen watches in this condition before. They're dirty, dusty, and certainly in need of service, but they make a vintage watch lover's heart flutter in a unique way.

While my estate sale finds have been more in the Seiko or Wakmann category, this find is something completely different. The reference 7032/0 was one of Tudor's first chronograph offerings. Introduced in 1970, alongside its sister reference 7031/0 with a black "Plexiglass" bezel insert, the steel-bezeled ref. 7032/0 is an essential watch in any condition. By 1971, Tudor had begun production of its second-generation Oysterdate Chronographs, the references 7149/0, 7159/0, and 7169/0, making these first-generation examples quite rare as they were produced for only a year.

The ref. The 7032/0 is powered by a manually wound Valjoux caliber 7734 and measures 39mm in diameter, making it substantially larger than the comparable Rolex Daytona ref. 6265 at 37mm. Over the years, collectors have given this watch two nicknames. Firstly, "Monte Carlo" as the bold colors used evoke the, according to ChatGPT, "glamorous hub of high-stakes gambling and luxury on the French Riviera." Secondly, "Home Plate" refers to the shape of the hour markers, a detail changed after this one-year-only first generation.

Condition-wise, beneath the grit and grime of a life lived, is an unpolished case with sharp chamfers to the lugs and clear original brushing in all the right places. Under the scratched plastic crystal is a dial with some wear, but it boasts a great, deep patina to the luminous plots. Put simply, this is an excellent example. With purchase, the seller is including a full service and cleaning of the case via LA Watchworks, a respected vintage-focused service center.

The seller, Kiril, at Lunar Oyster, is located in Florida and asking $45,000 for this vintage Tudor chronograph. Worth noting, a similar example of this reference sold for $107,100 at Phillips in 2020. Click here to check it out.

If you've been reading Bring A Loupe with regularity during my tenure, you would already know my affinity for gilt-dialed Tudor Submariners. As with the Rolex Sub, there is a deep and nerdy history to explore when it comes to those offered by Tudor throughout the vintage period. In the 1960s, while Rolex's Subs featured dials with a deep gloss, now known simply as "gilt" dials, their Tudor contemporaries offered a different finish — matte gilt. The text and chapter ring tone are the same, but the black of the dial is softer, making for a distinctly different look in the metal. Some collectors have begun to shy away from Rolex gilt dials, fearing fragility and scratches on the gloss surface. With the Tudors, there is less to worry about.

This example is up for auction at Bonhams in London, and while it isn't perfect, I love the look. In my humble opinion, the attraction of a Submariner starts with the dial and hands. This watch epitomizes an excellent dial and hands, albeit in a just okay case. And yes, the bezel seems to have been lost somewhere along the way. I don't worry too much about details like this. If you don't like the bezel-less look (I do), you can always source a period correct bezel — they're plentiful. A dial with this nice of a patina, now that is not plentiful.

This Tudor Submariner is lot 83 of Bonhams' Weekly: Watches online sale ending Wednesday, July 9th, at 7  AM ET. The estimate is £1,000 to £1,500, and the current bid is £2,400. Get all of the details right here.

Next up is a reference rumored to be the heaviest vintage Patek Philippe wristwatch ever made. It's a truly significant and, frankly, underappreciated piece of horological history — the Patek Philippe Ref. 3587/2, featuring the brand's first-ever quartz movement, the Beta 21. Visually striking and certainly quirky, this watch marked a seismic shift in Swiss watchmaking, a time when even the most traditional brands were embracing the future (or at least trying to keep up).

Released in 1969, the Beta 21 movement was developed as part of a consortium of Swiss watchmakers (including Rolex, Omega, and Patek Philippe) under the CEH (Centre Electronique Horloger). The goal was to fight back against the Japanese quartz "invasion." While the Beta 21 wasn't a long-term success — it was big, power-hungry, and expensive — it was revolutionary at the time. And it remains a symbol of the tension between tradition and innovation.

The Ref. 3587/2 embodies that tension perfectly. At 43mm, this thing wears unlike any other Patek. The gigantic and heavy 18k gold case, combined with the angular design language, is pure 1970s opulence. And then there's the bracelet — affectionately nicknamed the "cheese grater" by collectors for its wide, textured links that hug the wrist with both comfort and unapologetic retro flair. It's a look that is so un-Patek and memorable that it just works.

Up for auction in Chicago, my kind of town, this example is a bit of a project, but you could use that to your advantage. The movement requiring service and the slight loss of lume in the minute hand could deter other bidders and drive the price down. If you've been after one of these for a while, this could be your day.

This Beta 21-powered Patek is lot 88 of The Summer Edit: Watches and Luxury Accessories sale at Freeman's Hindman in a few weeks on Thursday, July 24th, at 11  AM ET. The estimate is $15,000 to $20,000. Check it out in full right here.

If you're looking to hop on the vintage dress watch trend without looking like every other guy hopping on the vintage dress watch trend, this AP Disco Volante is one to consider. It's ultra-thin and manually-wound, featuring an openworked look that shows off the hand-finishing and mechanical artistry AP was known for well before the Royal Oak made the brand a household name.

The standout feature here — aside from the delicately engraved bridges and beveled edges of the skeletonized movement — is the dramatically wide and flat yellow gold case, earning it the nickname "Disco Volante," or "flying saucer." Don't let the 32mm diameter scare you, it would wear much larger due to its shape. If you're a real nerd like me, you'll be in love with the crisp hallmark on the outside of the seven o'clock lug and the untouched engravings on the rear of the case — chef's kiss.

A nice cherry on top is the bracelet, which, while not being produced by AP and likely not original to the watch, is Swiss-made and solid gold. To my eye, it appears to be period correct, and the patina on the gold matches well with that of the case. The listing states that it fits up to a 7-inch wrist.

The auctioneer, Loupe This, is located in Los Angeles, and the current bid price at publication is $2,000. The auction for this Audemars Piguet is set to end on Thursday, July 10th, at 12:04 PM ET. Get all the details right here.