A Private Chicago Collection

Worn.
Witnessed.
Available.

These are watches I have sought out, studied, and chosen to live with. Each one has a history worth knowing. Occasionally, a piece finds a new home — so I can go looking for the next one.

VACHERON CONSTANTIN GENÈVE CHRONOMETER · AUTOMATIC 13

Available Pieces

Enquire →

VACHERON CONSTANTIN GENÈVE
Available
Vacheron Constantin
Overseas First Generation
Ref. 42050/423A · Sigma Dial · c. 1997 · Steel, Unpolished · Full Set with Papers
LONGINES
Available
Longines
Flyback Chronograph
Ref. 6595 · Cal. 30CH · c. 1957 · 18k Rose Gold · Tri-Colour Dial
In Collection
Audemars Piguet
Royal Oak Jumbo
Ref. 5402 · c. 1975 · Steel · A-Series
HEUER
Available
Heuer
Carrera
Ref. 2447 · Cal. 72 · c. 1964 · Steel
VULCAIN
In Collection
Vulcain
Cricket
Presidents' Watch · c. 1955 · Gold
A Note on the Collection
A collector based in
Wicker Park, Chicago
Est. 2025 · By Appointment

I have never bought a new watch. Not because I can't — because I don't want to. The modern watch market is engineered desire: waitlists, limited editions, influencer placement. You are sold a story someone else wrote.

A vintage watch has already lived its story. The patina on a 1957 Longines is six decades of mornings accounted for. The unpolished case of a first-generation Overseas has kept its edges because someone cared. That is what I look for. Pieces with character that no factory can manufacture.

Occasionally I part with something — so I can go find the next one. If a piece speaks to you, reach out. These are not transactions; they are handoffs.

Archive


Placed
Rolex
Submariner 5512
c. 1968
Placed
Patek Philippe
Calatrava 3796
c. 1993
Placed
Omega
Speedmaster 321
c. 1962
Placed
IWC
Mark XI RAF
c. 1951

Journal

All entries →

Reference Guide
Why the Sigma Dial Changes Everything on the 42050
The earliest first-generation Overseas examples carry a detail most buyers overlook entirely — and it explains a meaningful price gap.
March 2025
Movement
The Longines 30CH: The Flyback That Changed Everything
Before the Calibre 13ZN became a legend, Longines built its successor. A movement that still outperforms its reputation.
February 2025
Collecting
On Buying Old Watches: What the Market Won't Tell You
Patina is a word collectors use. What they mean is: proof that time passed here. Here is how I think about choosing which stories to bring home.
January 2025

On the Wrist

Daily wear, new arrivals, and the quiet moments that make collecting worth it.

@northbranchwatchco

Get in touch.

Whether you're interested in a piece from the collection, want to discuss a reference, or simply want to talk watches — reach out directly. No platforms, no middlemen.

Location Wicker Park, Chicago, IL
Access By appointment & enquiry only
Focus Vintage, $5,000 and above
Response Within 24 hours