3 Vintage Driving Watches You Can Buy Right Now

Traditionally speaking, the Rolex GMT Master isn’t considered a driving watch, but a pilot’s watch instead—and a legendary one at that. With that said, sometimes there are certain conditions that can change the nature of a watch altogether.

Rolex GMT Master

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This GMT Master that Phillips is about to sell next month in Geneva demonstrates this notion well, with a caseback inscription that reads: “To Derek From Jackie With Thanks 1971,” arguably makes this pilot’s watch a part of motorsport history.

Just to confirm, that’s Sir Jackie Stewart that we’re talking about, and the Derek in this case is Derek Gardiner—an engineer who worked alongside the Flying Scot during the 1970s. It’s rare to find a Ref. 1675 that’s been preserved so nicely, let alone one with such a great story behind it, including all the original boxes and papers.

Yema Meangraf Super Chronograph

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A fun driving watche doesn’t have to break the bank, and this Meangraf Super Chronograph from Yema is proof. With a number of vibrant colours and accents on the dial, it’s easy to write this one off as just a cool-looking watch, and nothing more, but upon a closer inspection, this one has a number of interesting details that you might’ve missed.

Surrounding the dial is a bezel with a scale that reads “Kilometres” to indicate that this bezel can be used to track distances travelled to some accuracy. You’ll also notice that there’s an elapsed time scale that surrounds the inner dial, which further adds to the on-the-road functionality of this chronograph.

Seiko 7A28-7000 by Giugiaro

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Your last piece for the week is somewhat of a head-turner, but not to worry, it’s a head-turner for all the right reasons. We’ve talked about Seiko’s Giugiaro-designed chronographs in the past, and how their aesthetic so closely resembles that of cars like the BMW M1, but I don’t think I’ve encountered a finer example of this watch in quite some time.

This 7A28-7000 is being offered in new old stock condition, complete with all the original tags, papers, and packaging, which the seller clearly displays in their photos. If you’ve ever wanted to channel this great age of polarizing design, but an M1 just isn’t in the cards for this year, give one of these Seikos a shot.