The Watch Standard Black Friday Sale
The annual shopping extravaganza of Black Friday is upon us, and here at The Watch Standard we’ve decided one day just isn’t enough. Let’s get started with all the best Black Friday Deals.
So, from November 8th through November 28th, we are offering some incredible deals to match you up with the watch of your dreams.
We stock all the finest brands, from Tudor, Omega, Breitling, Patek Philippe, Panerai, Cartier and, of course, Rolex, among others.
And the deal? Buy any watch for $3,000 or more and get $200 off. Spend over $5,000 and you can claim $300 off. And get an enormous $500 off any model of $12,000 or more.
Everything we sell is guaranteed 100% authentic and all are shipped directly using FedEx Priority Overnight Shipping, with full insurance, within 1-2 business days of payment.
There has never been a better time to treat yourself to a truly great watch, and below we have picked out a handful of pieces to consider from amongst our extensive selection.
The Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch
A model for which the overworked term ‘iconic’ could have been invented, the Omega Speedmaster has been arguably the world’s favorite chronograph watch for well over 60-years.
Originally created for timing sports and motor racing events, it was the first of its kind to move the tachymeter scale onto the bezel rather than have it printed around the perimeter of the dial, so freeing up valuable real estate. As a result, it has long had one of the most legible faces of any chrono.
But of course, the Speedy’s real claim to fame is as the first watch to be worn on the surface of the moon. When Buzz Aldrin stepped off the lunar lander on July 21st 1969, it was with a Speedmaster ref. 105.012 on his wrist. That variant, the one which introduced a new asymmetrical case design, with integrated crown guards, twisted ‘lyre’ lugs and wider, shorter push pieces, has barely changed since.
Over the subsequent decades, the Speedmaster has been issued in an almost uncountable number of different versions, but there has always been a “Moonwatch’ in the collection, and each has been a virtual carbon copy of that astronomical classic.
The Speedmaster ref. 311.30.42.30.01.006 is among the most recent generations, one that keeps to the age-old aesthetics and is powered by the Caliber 1863—itself a direct descendant of the movement inside Aldrin’s watch.
But the best thing about the model has long been its realistic pricing, especially for a timepiece with perhaps the most impressive backstory of them all.
Tudor Black Bay Bronze
In recent years, Tudor has managed to emerge from the shadows cast by its controlling company, which is no mean feat when you consider that company is Rolex—and most of the credit for their runaway success can be laid at the door of the Black Bay series.
This was one of the collections which marked the brand’s return to the U.S. market in 2012 after an extended absence, and it has become their bestselling range by quite some distance since then.
By drawing on a number of the most popular and well received models in their archives, and particularly the Tudor Submariner watches of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s, the brand has managed to marry up the best of both worlds; evocative retro styling with state-of-the-art tech and materials and, since 2016, in-house calibers.
So every watch in the series follows a basic blueprint; there are no crown guards anywhere to be seen, as befits a vintage-inspired piece. The crown itself is oversized, to make it easier to manipulate. But most striking are the signature Snowflake hands, first seen on the Subs from the late 1960s intended for military use.
The end result is an assortment of models which have been among the most effective of the modern trend for nostalgic throwbacks. The collection just ‘works’, ticking every box in terms of intelligent styling, homegrown movements and plenty of options.
One of the more refined entrants is the Black Bay Bronze ref. 79250BA. Unveiled in 2019, it is a relative newcomer, but its combination of delicately satin finished bronze case and deep slate grey dial, with its Explorer-esque 3/6/9 hour markers, lend this definite sports/tool watch a deeper sophistication.
The high-performance aluminum and copper alloy of the 43mm housing will pick up its own patina over the years, rendering each example absolutely unique—an exclusively weathered appearance unlike any other.
Inside is the manufacture caliber MT560, a chronometer-rated movement beating at 28,800vph and, thanks to the steel screw down case back, water resistance is rated to 200m.
Santos de Cartier
A piece with arguably the same historical importance as the Omega Speedmaster, but from a different age altogether, the Santos de Cartier is seen by many experts as the very first tool watch.
It was originally produced in 1904 by Louis Cartier for his friend, Alberto-Santos Dumont. The great Brazilian aviator was in need of something more convenient to keep time in the cockpit of his rudimentary aircraft than the pocket watch he was used to. Cartier actually drew inspiration for the shape of the new wristwatch from a previously released pocket watch of his own design, with a flat case and square bezel, coupled with a highly legible, Art Deco dial.
While the model, named after the man for whom it was created (the first and only time Cartier would extend such an honor) immediately captured the public’s imagination at the start of the 20th century, the brand wouldn’t put it into production until 1911.
When it emerged fully however, it would quickly become one of the bestselling and most-loved examples in the jewelers’ collection. It has stayed part of the lineup for more than a century and been released in a bewildering variety of styles and types.
Today, the series exists in both quartz and automatic forms, and across a variety of sizes. Dimensions range from the smallest, at 38mm x 27.5mm up to the XL, at 46.6mm x 33.9mm.
Somewhere in-between is one of our personal favorites. The Cartier Santos Ref. WSSA0018 is a stunning example of the Santos, with all the major aesthetic quirks in play, wrapped up in a square 39mm steel case. The classic warped, elongated Roman numerals are present and correct, as is the internal railroad-style chapter ring, on the silver opaline dial. The elegant handset is in blued steel, and the six o’clock index has been replaced by a subtle date display.
Outside, the crown is the traditional seven-sided affair, topped with a faceted synthetic spinel gemstone. And the exposed screws holding the crystal in place, as well as the pair on each of the bracelet links, are exactly as they should be.
Panerai Luminor Marina
A brand very much rooted in military heritage, Panerai didn’t even offer their products for commercial sale until 1993, despite the company being established for well over a century by then.
When they did start making waves on the civilian scene, courtesy of one Sylvester Stallone, they became one of the manufactures credited with kicking off the whole oversized watch fad of the early years of the 21st century.
Their creations were big, bold, incredibly robust and with some of the most instantly recognizable forms in the entire industry.
The Luminor collection, first stemming from the mid 1950s in its full naval guise, was the first from the brand to wear the ‘Tight Seal Device’, Panerai’s patented crown protector which shrouds the component in a crescent moon of steel. Not only does it give the crown, notoriously the weakest spot of any dive watch, an unrivaled level of safeguarding, it lends the piece as a whole an unmistakable look.
The Luminor range is an extensive one (and now takes in the Due, Base Logo, Submersible and Marina series’) and offers a wide variety of sizes and functionality. You’ll find everything from simple two-handed time tellers through to regatta chronographs with flyback, and moonphase equation of time GMT models to full-on openwork tourbillons.
But we are undeniably in a new era of Panerai. Their watches are still not lacking on wrist presence, but there has been a definite swing to make the once testosterone-drenched catalog a little softer, a little more versatile and even a bit dressier.
The PAM01313 is a perfect example. At 44mm in diameter and more than 15mm thick, it is certainly a lot of watch, and with that crown guard there’s no chance of confusing it for any other brand.
But the choice of colors, and particularly the delicate sunburst effect on the silky blue sandwich dial, elevates this Luminor Marina model above the idea of being a mere diver.
With its luscious color-matched alligator leather strap and combination of brushed and polished steel elements on the case, the PAM01313 could easily be worn on both formal and relaxed occasions, and coordinate with just about any outfit. Inside is the automatic in-house Cal. P.9010, a 31-jewel movement beating at 28,800vph and with an impressive 3-day power reserve thanks to its twin barrels.
As with everything Panerai makes, there is a real solidity, and the finishing and engineering is of the highest quality. Even the date display, another traditional bone of contention among dive watch purists, is relatively unobtrusive and actually contributes to the dial’s overall visual balance.
We have a superb example of this piece in stock right now, selling for just $6,900 in the Black Friday sale.
