The ultimate homage vintage watch would something that the Flintstones wore, the sundial watch; quirky right? These days we like the looks of old with the quality of new. I don’t think a sundial would cut it. The results are homage or classic themed watches that say “Dad, I like watches that where cool when you were kid better”. Don’t get confused though. We aren’t talking about actual vintage watches. These are brand new watches made to emulate something from back “then.” Who says new looks are always better?

As this idea has spread to more people that just us watch fanatics, you’ll find a helpful watch style piece on throwback watches on AskMen.com here. They do a brief overview of a few select “throwback” watch designs, from a fashion perspective. Fashion is a big part of it, but for me, I think certain older looking designs are just functionally so good. Here are a couple of “Heritage” Breitling watches that push this point home. First is the extremely popular (and large) Breitling Superocean Heritage 46mm wide watch. It is a throwback to the 1950s, when diving was extra manly, and involves the dangers of less than today’s technology.

Then you have the Breitling Navitimer Heritage. A throwback to a similar time, but for aviation, not diving duty. Here you get a reminder that we didn’t always have calculators. As such, this watch is complete with a slide rule bezel to help you make important flight related calculations – right there on your wrist. Hope you read the manual on how to use it though. The Navitimer Heritage goes back to a beautiful classic look (with or without gold). This aviator watch utilizes a 30 minute chronograph and easy to read yet sophisticated dial design that Breitling is known for.

These are just two in a wide (and growing) world of classically themed watches, or ones that are specific analogs of gems from the past. So if you see a vintage watch that looks great but you are concerned about its condition, you might have a modern interpretation of that watch that you can acquire that will give you the best of both worlds. I often look at older watches and think to my self how nice it would be to have them just a bit bigger, with a sapphire crystal, or perhaps with an automatic movement. Watch companies are getting the message, and you have more older styled watches being released all the time.

See Breitling Heritage watches on eBay here.

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