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Vintage Watches A 1960s Universal Genève Polerouter Super, A 1950s Vacheron Constantin, And A 1963 Rolex Two-Tone Datejust

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This Week's Vintage Watches

After an Omega-heavy drop last Wednesday, it's time to mix it up with some classic HODINKEE Vintage selections. By the way, how great was that Omega Seamaster Cosmic 2000? We saw your calls in the comments for OMEGA to bring back the Seamaster Cosmic and we hope that the brand did, as well! There's nothing better than offering something a bit out of the ordinary and hearing our community resonate with the watch.

This week, we have a group of three simple vintage pieces that pack a punch. Simple in the way that they do not feature chronographs or calendar functions, but not simple in their appearance or level of interest! Sean leads us off with a Polerouter Super, one of the nearly thousand of Polerouter variants that Universal Genève created and one of our favorites. Saori brings the class with a little "bumper" automatic from Vacheron Constantin, and Rich picks the Rolex of the group, a two-tone Datejust with alpha hands specific to early iterations of the model. Check out all the vintage watches available in the HODINKEE Shop, right here.

1960s Universal Genève Polerouter Super Ref. 869112/22
By Sean Egan

One of the vintage pieces I associated with HODINKEE the most when I first started reading was the Polerouter. The earliest piece I could find referencing them in our archive is from 2011, just a few years into our history. I don't think I was so wrong to associate the brand (or, at that time, blog) with the early Gérald Genta watch. HODINKEE was right to be an early supporter of this aviation-themed value proposition. It has all of the elements that make for an extremely collectible vintage piece. I won't elaborate too much on that; Cole did a way better job than I ever could in his A Week On The Wrist. Unfortunately, after all these years of singing the Polerouter's praises, the prices have started to climb. Though fear not, there are enough variants of the Polerouter to go around, it is estimated that the brand made nearly a thousand.

A vintage UG Polerouter Super

One of my favorite variants of UG's most-varied watch is the classed-up Polerouter De Luxe which was available in yellow and rose gold. Universal was amenable to customizing this particular Polerouter with special dial printing and even cloisonné dials. If you're not so much in the market for a dress watch, there is the Polerouter Sub, available with both external and internal rotating bezels, and a very cool "U" in Sub – as seen in this example. Today, we have a Polerouter Super, which by my best guess, is Universal Genève's shot across the bow to the Crown's classic everyday watch, like the one Rich highlights below. With a beefier case, screw-down crown, and stick hands, this watch definitely has strong Datejust vibes. Check out this most unusual, but great everyday Polerouter here.

A vintage UG Polerouter Super
1950s Vacheron Constantin Ref. 4906 In 18k Yellow Gold
By Saori Omura

With the increased attention on the Vacheron Constantin Overseas – which came along with the popularity of other sport watches like the Patek Philippe Nautilus and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak – the name "Vacheron Constantin" became more widely known by the general public. But in some ways, I miss the days when VC was the sort of name recognized and respected among a smaller number of people who were truly in the know. The example we have today, from the 1950s, has aged beautifully over the years. I'm not sure if we'll be able to say the same thing with the same sentiment 70 years from now about a modern watch. Only time will tell.

A vintage Vacheron

My fondness for gold watches has grown lately because I've started to appreciate the fact that gold cases look vastly better when the patina becomes more visible. The warmth of the yellow gold on this 34mm case almost has a candlelit glow to it and this warmth cannot be replicated with a brand-new example. Also, the caseback screws down, which was a sincere attempt to make the watch as water-tight as possible, protecting the self-winding movement inside which took off in the 1950s. We don't think too much about such details anymore since it's become the standard, and without this historical design evolution, today's watches would likely be different.

The texture and the color of the dial are where my eye goes on this watch. The creamy color on the dial is so soft and inviting, especially against the warm yellow gold case. The wave-like textured finish is precisely executed which makes the watch not too simple and boring. A textured finish can go either way and could really make or break the watch. If you can't do texture well, you might as well not! Applied Roman numerals at the quadrants and the stylized dart hour markers neatly add a vintage feel to the watch which I prefer over a printed dial for additional dimension.

A vintage Vacheron

When it comes to watches, and perhaps with anything, I've come to realize that what's beautifully executed with integrity will stand the test of time. Whether it's a gift for someone or an investment for yourself, wearing a nice watch will make you feel better and maybe even stand a little taller. It's all in the unassuming details, and this watch checks the boxes for me.

1963 Rolex Datejust Ref. 1601 In Two-Tone
By Rich Fordon

A lot of words have been typed both on HODINKEE and elsewhere about the humble two-tone Datejust. Danny Milton has shared his love for this variant of Rolex's most Rolex Rolex, both as a part of "80's Week" in 2021 when he proclaimed "Two-Tone Isn't Ugly," and back in 2020 when he told "A Tale Of Two-Tone Rolex Datejusts." I'm never one to gas up Danny too much but these are two HODINKEE articles that I come back to every time a two-tone Datejust crosses my desk.

A vintage two-tone Datejust by Rolex

That is where I started with this reference 1601 from 1963, only to find there is so much more to this particular two-tone Datejust than immediately comes to mind. Firstly, this one is so much not like all the other two-tone ref. 1601s you may have come across as it features my favorite simple Rolex handset – the alpha handset. We most often find this hour-and-minute-hand combo on 1950s and early 60s models like the Datejust. To me, it offers so much vintage charm and makes the watch immediately recognizable to any real vintage enthusiasts you may come across.

The caseback of our vintage Rolex Datejust

Like many great vintage pieces, this Datejust has a story to tell on the caseback. The Oyster case is engraved indicating that the watch was awarded to an employee of Stroehmann Brothers Company, a Pennsylvania-based baked goods maker, "25 Years; Safety Award." I am always attracted to engravings like these and I love that this one ties the watch to the US, which is a nice little plus in my opinion. Check out all the details on this 1601 right here in the H Shop.

Questions? Send us a note, or let us know in the comments. Want to sell your vintage watch through the HODINKEE Shop? Email us at vintage@hodinkee.com with some photos. Want to sell your pre-owned watch? Click here.