Bring a Loupe The Aussie Edit – A Rare Ikepod Solaris, A Forgotten Speedmaster, & A Spectacular Movado Kingmatic S

It’s been quite an active month in the watch market. On home soil, we witnessed some very special watches crossing the block at Bonhams’ John Laws estate auction, and on the global stage, the auction season is getting underway with what feels like daily records falling as the appetite for independents (especially F.P. Journe’s) accelerates beyond anyone's expectations. Back on the vintage side, Sotheby’s New York recently brought the last of Steve McQueen’s Le Mans screen-worn Heuer Monaco to market, which hammered for a surprisingly soft price. 

Back Down Under, but outside of the sales world, every watch enthusiast in Australia needs to flock to Melbourne, where the NGV is hosting the largest Cartier exhibition ever held in the country. Previously on show at London's V&A museum, it showcases over 300 jewellery pieces, clocks, and watches that chart the brand’s incredible history. 

On the market front, we’re still seeing a strong range of watches hitting the market, so here’s our monthly roundup of some of the most interesting watches for sale on Australian and Kiwi shores right now.

It was only a matter of time before an Ikepod found its way onto the Australian Bring A Loupe, but you probably weren’t expecting this one.

For the uninitiated, let me fill you in. Ikepod was the brainchild of the Australian industrial designer Marc Newson and Oliver Ike, launching in 1994 and making watches that bordered on design objects and art more than traditional watches. The Hemipode chronographs are the brand's most recognisable pieces with an oversized disco-volante case, yet despite earning something of a cult following, the company folded in ‘06 before phoenixing in an ‘08 revival bankrolled by billionaire Adam Lindemann. Ultimately, Gen 2 ended when the brand folded again in 2012, but has since been revived once again and has been going strong ever since.

This Solaris is one of those short-lived Generation 2 Ikepod models that shone bright and short, made using higher quality materials and finishing as the brand tried to push upmarket thanks to its new financial backing. The Solaris is a duo-face watch, with the black 36mm case holding two independent movements with independent dials – a black dial with white markers and hands, then the reverse of that on the other side – on both sides. The Milanese strap mounts into the front of the case below the dial on both sides, so as you flip the case vertically, you’re greeted with the other dial and the bracelet mounts identically. 

“I loved the idea of making a symmetrical two-faced object, where one face is visible and the other hidden,” Newson said about the watch. “It’s always simultaneously the right way up and upside-down.”

Being a rectangular duo-face, you’d be right to see some similarities to a JLC Reverso Duo-face, but the entire design, from the material to the way the watch flips, is wholly original. Marc went on to co-design the Apple Watch not long after this, and you can definitely see some of the early design thinking being explored in the Solaris, with both the Solaris and early Apple Watch generations using ceramic cases at a time when this was a relatively unusual material to pursue.

Despite Ikepod’s cult status in design circles and beyond, interest in Ikepod and the prices earlier references command has remained relatively stagnant in recent years. I can’t see these very interesting pieces staying forgotten forever, and with the Solaris being the last Newson-designed Ikepod, made in less than 300 pieces, they rarely hit the market, let alone in Australia.  

This one’s on eBay from a Melbourne seller who’s got a couple of other rare Ikepod pieces and design objects for sale.

Check it out here.

Up there as one of the most esoteric Moonwatch special editions, this individually-numbered Speedmaster first debuted way back in 2004, when special-edition Speedmasters were a far less frequent occurrence.

You’ll already have spotted what makes this Speedy different to the normal one, the subdials are printed with the Earth, Moon and Mars, with “From the Moon to Mars” printed between the Moon and Mars subdials. Apart from the dial and a matching caseback engraving, it’s standard mid-2000s Speedy, equipped with manual wind Lemania-based 1861 movement and Hesalite crystal.

Each of these special pieces was individually numbered on the caseback, though Omega never disclosed how many were made. Today, it’s become something of a forgotten special Speedmaster, but it still retains all the whimsy that captures the excitement of space travel beyond our planet.

Anecdotally, I recall seeing these rather frequently five to ten years back, and they always brought a smile to my face. They really pop on the wrist, but I’m not seeing them on wrists or online much anymore, and I suspect they’re disappearing into collections. This one is on the market in Sydney, is a full set, and still has some protective stickers on it with the seller listing it as unworn.

Check it out here.

I’m going to give you a hot take: 34mm Rolex wears better than 36mm. Blasphemous, I know, but hear me out.

We’re all used to what a 36mm vintage Rolex Oyster Perpetual looks like on the wrist, but when you size it down to 34mm (which is actually closer to 35.5mm with the crown), the small change in the scale brings with it a relaxed, understated presence on the wrist that’s even more refined by a black dial. In my experience, I’ve also found 34mm OPs to be a lot more comfortable than the larger siblings. Despite collectors more broadly accepting smaller watches, 34mm Rolex Oyster Perpetuals are still significantly cheaper than 36mm models, and depending on the reference, usually still give you a chronometer-certified automatic movement.

This ref. 1002 is a great example of the principle “everything you need and nothing more”, with a 34mm steel case, Oyster bracelet, automatic movement, and a black dial. It’s got a nice purity with no date, and this example's black dial has developed some patina, resulting in an interesting texture and a slight tropical-brown hue.

It’s over the ditch in Auckland, showing some honest case wear with a couple of dents and scratches, as well as the possibility of a light polish at some point, but it’s running strong and in nice nick, ready to wear. The bracelet, endlinks, and foldover are correct to the watch, though oddly, its listing states it includes a box, despite the pictured box belonging to a 16750 Explorer II.

Check it out here.

While it’s fair to say that modern Movado are dropping the ball, vintage Movado is a whole different story. What used to be the best-kept secret in vintage watch collecting is starting to make its way out as more and more people wake up to the fact that pre-1970s Movados are of astonishing quality and some of the best value in watches. The brand was making movements in-house before it was cool, in a period when they were broadly on par with Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and Audemars Piguet (they even shared the same case suppliers), so in the mid-50s, this Movado Kingmatic S would have been an absolute knockout.

Broadly speaking, it’s a 34mm solid 18k pink gold watch on a matching solid gold bracelet, but this watch is all about the design. The gold mirror-finish dial is inset with a gold hobnail-finished square, with a Movado hat logo split between the two finishes and the Kingmatic S script at 6 o’clock. I suspect this Kingmatic has a Wenger case, the casemaker who made the storied Patek Philippe ref. 2499 cases, so this example would have sat right at the top of the Movado tree when it was retailed. It’s fitted to a matching Movado bracelet with a fine bark-like finish.

It’s available from a dealer in Hobart and priced at A$18,888. That is a serious chunk of change for a Movado, and a lot of that value is going to be tied to the 18k gold value, but compared to the current prices of its then-competitors, you may be inclined to see some subjective value here. 

If your watch-collecting style is to speak softly and carry a big stick, strapping on an incredibly high-quality, heavy-hitting gold vintage watch from a brand that most watch enthusiasts aren’t yet wise to is certainly one way to do it. The dealer's website is a little tricky to navigate, but they have a bricks-and-mortar presence in Hobart if you find yourself on the Apple Isle.

Check it out here.