Vintage Watches: A 1966 Rolex Explorer, A 1978 Tudor Submariner 'Snowflake,' And A 1960s Aquastar 63 With Thermometer

To view the entire current selection of vintage watches available in the HODINKEE Shop, click here . Questions? Send us a note, or let us know in the comments. Want to sell your vintage watch through the HODINKEE Shop? Click here . Want to sell your pre-owned watch? Click here . This Week's Vintage Watches In a somewhat poetic moment following a momentous victory, Hideki Matsuyama donned not only a Masters' green jacket but a two-tone Rolex. It really is amazing that Hideki, with the pressure of an entire country on his shoulders, became the first Japanese man to win a major championship AND had the presence of mind to weigh in on the ongoing two-tone Rolex debate during the green jacket ceremony . With his choice of a ref. 116613LB two-tone "Bluesy" Submariner, consider the 2021 Masters' winner firmly in the camp of "two-tone isn't ugly ." 1972 Patek Philippe Ref. 3567 In 18k Yellow Gold 1978 Rolex GMT-Master 'Pepsi' Ref. 1675 1970s Heuer Monza Ref. 150.501 In Black PVD 1950s Omega Seamaster Ref. 2576-6C 1972 Seiko Chronograph Automatic Ref. 6139-8010T In Black PVD 1960s Wittnauer Professional Chronograph Ref. 242T 1970s Universal Genève Dress Watch In Stainless Steel 1974 Rolex Day-Date Ref. 1803 With Spanish Day Disc 1960s Gallet Multichron 12 Chronograph 1952 Omega Constellation In 18k Yellow Gold With Non-Lume Dial 1969 Omega Seamaster Ref. 145.020 'Soccer Timer' 1960s Girard-Perregaux Dress Watch In 18k Yellow Gold 1968 IWC Automatic Dress Watch Ref. 803-A With the vintage collection this week, our team thought it would be best to stay out of all the recent controversial topics. So today's selection includes a 36mm Rolex Explorer, nothing going on in watch news about that watch right? On another note, Hideki's choice of a blue Submariner is one we can get behind. Included in the drop is the original Blue Submariner, Tudor's "Snowflake" Submariner. The watch gets its name from the iconic snowflake-style handset, most recently found on the new Tudor Black Bay Chrono . From a Heuer Monza to a crisp Gallet chronograph and a Wittnauer 242T – this week's collection really hits all the high notes; check it all out in the HODINKEE Shop . 1966 Rolex Explorer Ref. 1016 With Glossy Dial By Rich Fordon Back in 2012, John Mayer described the Rolex Explorer ref. 1016 as "understated, laid-back, and unlike a brand new Submariner, it’s not an obvious choice, which I always find a bonus" in an article titled John Mayer On Watches: The Five Best Buys In Vintage Rolex, For $8,000 Or Less . That was, of course, in 2012. Enthusiasm for the simple, refined, 36mm sport Rolex has only exponentially grown. So much so that Rolex, after moving away from the classic diameter in 2010, with the ref. 214270 , announced this past week the return of a 36mm Explorer – this time including the ever-dividing two-tone, or Rolesor, ref. 124273. For Rolex to go back to the well and downsize a watch, that's a big deal to me. It shows how strong the desire is for a classic sport watch in an understated size from the Crown. I, personally, do not discriminate when it comes to 1016s – this is my favorite vintage Rolex. Few Explorers are more sought after than those with glossy, or "gilt," dials made in the early to mid-1960s. The example we have in this week's selection has one of the cleanest dial surfaces I've come across in a glossy 1016. Due to the high gloss surface, small imperfections are regularly obvious or stand out on these watches. Viewing the watch from different angles is really a spiritual experience. From up close and right near flat to your eye, the dial gives me the appearance and feeling of a calm pond at sunrise. John Mayer is quite good at finding the words to distill life's larger ideas into a succinct phrase. You could say he's made a career out of it. While his thoughts on the 1016 will likely remain the most memorable, my love for the Explorer is simple. Boiling down vintage Rolex, stripping away anything extra, the 1016 is what is left and yet is all I need. We're so pleased to offer a 36mm Rolex Explorer that can be purchased right now. Check it out, in all of its glory, over in the HODINKEE Shop . 1978 Tudor Prince Oysterdate Submariner Ref. 94110 'Snowflake' By Saori Omura The hands on a watch are like supporting actors in a movie – Alpha, baton, cathedral, dauphine, leaf, sword, syringe, the list goes on. They not only make sure the time is legible but also set the overall vibe of the watch. And some designs are total oddballs, like the "Snowflake" hands that distinguish the Tudor Submariner from its big brother, the Rolex Submariner with its Mercedes hands. The luminous Snowflake hands stand out with that unmistakable large square format meant for clear visibility, even in deep, dark water. But for me, the intrigue of these hands is more about the charming yet rebellious nature that sets the tone of the watch. It's the, "I'm not like my serious brother, and I'm going to do what I want – just watch me!" vibe. It's also interesting that this style of hands was introduced in 1969 (with the ref. 7016 and 7021), when many watchmakers were starting to introduce some funky elements into their watches as they entered the 1970s. The Snowflake design has become such a distinguishing calling card for Tudor that the company eventually brought it back as a signature style for the brand's ever-popular contemporary Black Bay collection, including the newly introduced Heritage Black Bay 32/36/41 , Black Bay Fifty-Eight 925 , and Black Bay Chrono . While the modern Tudor Black Bay in blue is a standout, I'm just partial to this gorgeously aged vintage Sub. The faded light blue bezel and the rich navy blue dial add to the gentle, laid-back vibe compared to its contemporary counterpart. Also, the square hour markers on this Sub give it a quirky feel as opposed to the more traditional round hour markers. And let's not forget about the soft creamy vanilla patina on the lume on the hour markers and the hands – so delicious! Imagine wearing it with a T-shirt and jeans while casually strolling by the beach, admiring all the nuance this Sub has to offer under the beautiful sunlight. Summer is right around the corner. And this Tudor Submariner is available now in the HODINKEE Shop . 1960s Aquastar 63 For Lorenz Ref. 1713 With Thermometer By Brandon Frazin Aquastar is a brand I wasn't too familiar with a couple of years ago. Recently, I was lucky enough to get one, and ever since, I've grown to be fascinated by the brand. From the regatta timers to the divers – I like them all. I love the idea of purpose-built watches, and vintage Aquastar really nails it. The company was all about making good quality dive watches that were budget-friendly and intended to be used. Many of the ones that have survived over the years show signs of wear and were clearly not babied. Fortunately, we've come across some really nice examples as of late, and we're proud to offer another '63' accompanied by a vintage Tropic strap with its "starfish" buckle and thermometer. This is the exact set-up someone would have used back in the '60s, and that gets me going. I would throw this '60s watch on with a vintage jungle shirt from a similar era to really tap into the vibe and feel myself. As many of my colleagues and friends in the watch world know, I always prefer to have a matching brand buckle when possible, so this "starfish" example is like the cherry on top. It's also interesting to note that this watch was originally sold through Lorenz in Italy and is dual-branded with the retailer signature on the dial. Lorenz is an Italian company, and in the 1960s, the brand partnered with Aquastar to sell professional-grade dive watches with its moniker. Overall, it looks like this watch was well taken care of and has taken on a unique and beautiful patina on the dial. The watch was originally born with a dark grey metallic dial and has developed an almost sandy-colored patina throughout that matches the lume very nicely. Head on over to the Shop to discover the whole set-up.Merriam-Webster defines patina as "a surface appearance of something grown beautiful, especially with age or use."