The achingly thin, brushed-steel hours are my favourite feature. They travel all the way from the inner dial to the step. The Bellytanker's case is a lot thinner than many modern sports watches, and especially those that use Valjoux 7750 movement. The case lugs are also thin and refined. And the bezel is made of an alloy with vintage-style typography. The domed sapphire glass gives the vintage look of acrylic, but without compromising on scratch resistance. The screw-pushers, as well as the screw-down crown, are practical and elegant touches.

Rosillo and Belamich, along with myself, began to discuss what it would have been like if the watches were still around in the 1950s, during the peak of the belly tank race scene. We found one that was still in good condition, possibly worn by Bill Burke in racing and passed on from generation to generation, the watch he wore in his many adventures as a California Hot-rod Legend. We wondered what that watch would look like. The dial had turned a deep, rich tropical brown from black,panerai luminor submersible replica similar to the leaves of the medio-tiempo cigars that we all loved. It was a beautiful patina. What would the dial of this watch look like, which is essentially the prequel to a prequel?

Rosillo, Belamich, and I started to talk about the current fascination of patina. Perhaps we are afraid of being connected to human battery towers like in Matrix in the future. In an age when technology has dominated every aspect of our lives and our relationships and memories are as much simulated as they are real, we seem to be more fascinated by the past than ever before. Patina is what has us enchanted more than ever.

Growing Old Gracefully

The panerai luminor submersible replica x The Rake and Revolution Bellytanker Chronograph “El Mirage” ((c. Revolution) is available in stabilised bronze.

Several decades ago, a car enthusiast would restore his 356 Speedster frame-off, rebuilding its engine, particle blasting it, and then repainting the chassis to a glossy finish. The same thing happened with our watches. Movements were torn apart and rebuilt. Cases were magna-fluxed, then polished. Lug chamfers would be re-engineered and dials cleaned.

Over the last decade, this has all changed. We now love "barn finds," cars with cracked seats and bodywork that reveals a swirling ombre of age spots. In the world of vintage watches, nothing is more sought after than the "tropical dial". Dials which started out as black, but due to UV exposure and being stored in dark places,Cartier Ballon Bleu Replica Watches they changed from dark chocolate (as seen on Sea-Dwellers Mk2 thin case or Speedmasters 145.022-69) to lighter amber.

The panerai luminor submersible replica x The Rake and Revolution Bellytanker “Dusty” Chronograph ((c. Revolution)