Rolex
Photo Report All The Heavy-Hitting Watches We Saw At The Miami Beach Antique Show
From the expected (vintage Rolex, Patek, and Cartier) to the unexpected (unique Parmigiani, Franck Muller, and Breguet) rare watches were on wrists and on sale in Miami Beach.
If you took 47th Street, your favorite vintage dealers from Instagram, a few Italians, a couple charming antiquarians and estate dealers, and shoved them all in a fluorescently-lit warehouse, you might end up with something like the Original Miami Beach Antique Show. Probably the biggest annual jewelry show in the Western Hemisphere, it serves double as an annual gathering for watch lovers from North America and Europe. We visited in 2013, 2014, and 2015, so we were happy to be back in the halls of the Miami Beach Convention Center, spotting (mostly) vintage watches like the old days.
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At least a couple of Talking Watches alums were seen roaming the rows of exhibitors, presumably hunting their next watch. Watch exhibitors included Matthew Bain, Davide Parmegiani (via Monaco Legends), Sotheby's, Menta Watches, Michael Weisberg, Gai Gohari, Wind Vintage, Corrado Mattarelli's Only Vintage, Foundwell, and dozens of others. All the while, YouTubers and TikTokers staged those cringeworthy deal-making videos for their adoring followers. I was pulled into two separate Instagram lives, not because I or my watch was particularly noteworthy, but just because I happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. All the action happened under the harsh lights that are perfect for analyzing the many carats of diamonds strewn carelessly under exhibitors' counters, but perhaps not for taking photographs of fine watches.
All this to say: For the first time since 2020, it felt like the Original Miami Beach Antique Show was back. Watches were dissected, dollars were haggled over, and I saw deals being made. Among it all was some of the best watch spotting any one convention center could ever dream of – vintage, neo-vintage, and modern watches were seen in roughly equal measure, though excitement may have abounded more for the former two than for the latter. From Patek 1518s and 1463s to unique Parmegiaini Fleurier and Cartier, the vintage and neo-vintage selection of watches was probably the best I've ever seen in one location.
Here's a look at some of our favorite watches from the 2023 Original Miami Beach Antique Show – some were for sale, some weren't, but all were awesome – keep an eye out for a few wrists you might recognize.
Of course, rare and complicated Pateks were in Miami – led by this 2499 in yellow gold.
Other watches weren't laid out as nicely.
Dress watches, from left to right: an Audemars Piguet retailed by Gubelin, a Cartier Tonneau, a 1940s JLC Reverso, a vintage Movado, and a Cartier Tank with a wood dial.
Talking Watches alum Alfredo Paramico wearing a perhaps unique Patek ref. 3974R. Phillips sold an example of the 3974 just like this in November 2022 for CHF 961,700 that it described as "so far unique" – every other known example of the 3974R features a silver dial while this one features an anthracite grey dial with Breguet numerals. Perhaps a recent pickup for Mr. Paramico?
Collectability's John Reardon showing us his latest find at the show: a white gold Patek Ellipse ref. 3584/1G with a supple bracelet that wore like silk, with a dial to match – like shark skin.
Few things wear – or look – better than a gold Royal Oak in 33mm. Here, seen on Jordan Alcolea's wrist.
Analyzing a Patek Philippe pocket watch with a glossy black dial under the magnifying glass.
Double-wristing was a common sight: Here, a collector shows his vintage Day-Date and Submariner.
A Boucheron Reflet - notice how the strap slips off the top lug – Andy Warhol famously owned one of these oddballs.
A Breguet tourbillon from the '90s – more than I recall in previous years, great neo-vintage watches were on full display by dealers.
A Gubelin-signed perpetual calendar pocket watch in platinum with a movement from Audemars Piguet.
After putting together a too-long collector's guide on the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, it was a treat to try on this crispy Fifty Fathoms Milspec.
Wearing a John Mayer G-Shock is an easy way to get featured in a Hodinkee Photo Report.
Speaking of: This woman was seen stacking her gold "John Mayer" Daytona with a few more pieces of gold jewelry, and it looked pretty freaking good.
Same model, but an entirely different look: Wes Wynne wearing his "Zenith" Daytona.
A piece unique early Parmigiani Fleurier perpetual calendar minute repeater tourbillon, with a gold guilloche dial in a beautiful toric case. Among the couple thousand watches in the convention center, this Parmigiani absolutely stole the show for me.
A Patek Philippe Amagnetic ref. 3417 – it doesn't get much better than that cursive script.
Rich Lopez of Sotheby's presents a Rolex coin watch from the 1970s – it's hard to imagine the craftsmanship that goes into making these tiny objects.
An Audemars Piguet Starwheel from the '90s – AP brought back this complication in the Code 11.59 just a couple months ago.
An absolutely ridiculous pocket watch by Franck Muller: a platinum perpetual calendar chronograph with 17 carats of sapphires in the bezel and case. It was made for Prince Jefri for Les Mans – if you want a wild Wikipedia adventure, refresh yourself on the story of Jefri, the Sultan of Brunei's brother.
An early double-sided monopusher chronograph (and world timer) from Franck Muller, simply signed "Franck," produced in 1989 before he even started his Franck Muller brand.
Talking Watches alum Fred Savage debating a purchase with the Davidoff Brothers? Not pictured: Savage's gorgeous Gallet chronograph.
Meanwhile, Jennifer Lynn Stone, Fred's wife, wore the near-mythical Rolex Commando, a watch Rolex produced for just a couple of years, retailed by Abercrombie & Fitch.
A white gold Cartier Cristallor. Featured in the book White Cartier by Osvaldo Patrizzi, it was made for the King of Jordan.
Trying on a Cartier Crash, an experience unlike any other.
A gold Rolex Date ref. 1501 among a sea of gold and two-tone. Decisions, decisions.
Cole Smith's Omega Speedmaster.
A collector shows his Rolex Submariner ref. 6204 with "split dial" – notice the "Submariner" and "Perpetual" under Rolex on either side of the center pinion.
A Heuer ref. 2447 "eggshell" – the dial is a creamy white instead of silver, a rare variation only seen on early Carreras.
Lining up three ultra-thin, neo-vintage perpetual calendars from the so-called Holy Trinity.
Zooming in on the Vacheron's lapis lazuli moonphase.
Putting a spotlight on a Royal Oak Dual Time in rose gold. John Mayer told us in Talking Watches 2 that AP has the best rose gold mixture; this watch makes a case as to why.
A couple of Dunhill lighters with mechanical watches tucked in the side. Perhaps my favorite part of the show were all the non-wristwatch watches on display: everything from pendants and necklaces to pens, lighters, rings and money clips could be found.
Comparing a couple of Ikepod Hemipode GMTs – I love Ikepod!
A vintage Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso from the 1940s.
The "Supreme" Rolex Submariner, made by the streetwear brand for friends and family in 2013 – note the obscene red text on the dial.
An antique silver purse watch made by Wilsdorf & Davis (yes, that Hans Wilsdorf) and retailed by Harrod's – a true piece of Rolex history.
Watches were everywhere: This gold ruby-set ring hid a tiny Jaeger-LeCoultre watch underneath.
Another collector paired a vintage ring watch with her Cartier Santos.
Even Richard Mille watches were examined under the bright lights.
The other end of the spectrum: A Tiffany-signed split seconds chronograph pocket watch, produced by Patek Philippe.
A vintage Cartier with a full leather strap.
A tiny vintage bracelet watch from Cartier Paris with a hidden dial – that shutter opens and closes with a quick pull to conceal the dial.
Kelly the owner of WristBend, who we've featured on Hodinkee before, showed up with a Royal Oak and matching bracelet. Image: Courtesy of Charlie Dunne.
The obligatory MoonSwatch sighting, on Excalibur's Kurt Rothner.
Menta Watches' Adam Golden (red) works the booth, while enthusiasts look over his selection of watches. Across the show, dealers and collectors were active – I saw many deals go down for all types of vintage watches, from Piaget and Cartier to Rolex and Patek.
Meanwhile, other dealers roam the exhibitor booths with nothing but a backpack and a determined glare, looking for a place to sell their wares – when the watch roll is unrolled on the counter, deals are about to be made.
I wore my reverse-panda Movado M95 chronograph to the show (R), so had to take a photo with its panda-dial sibling (L) when I spotted one at a dealer's booth.
Picking up a vintage Piaget that was given by Johnny Cash to his manager.
A variety of Day-Dates
Rare vintage Cartier, Patek, and Rolex everywhere you turn.
Serious vintage watches were on display across the show, from well-known watch dealers to estate and antique dealers. It's easy to become numb to the fact that lined up in a row might be a couple Paul Newmans and a Padellone ref. 8171.
Images by Gesi Schilling and Tony Traina
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