So, we see rivalries all the time. whether It’s The Red Sox Vs The Yankees in Baseball, Muhammed Ali Vs Joe Frazer in boxing, Facebook Vs Myspace, there is nothing like healthy competition to keep you interested in the game. In the watch business the battle between Rolex Vs Cartier for prestige has been going on since the seventies. There is a new rivalry for the ages in the watch business. The reality is that it doesn’t even involve a new watch company, it all comes back to Rolex. With the whole black watch age, which has flipped the entire watch industry upside down like a 69, there are two companies at the forefront. You might remember I wrote an article on Pro-Hunter. This English based company has blown the doors off and is rapidly gaining credibility by the minute. Pro-Hunter is a company that takes Rolex watches and modifies them to look vintage. There is also another company also British based called Bamford and Sons doing the same thing, but not nearly to the level of Pro-Hunter. As both these companies have become cult status in the inner watch collector circles, there is definitely that chicken vs the egg situation of who came first. They are both very different companies. Bamford is more of a mass produced and not as well finished. I have said it time and time again, you can’t polish a turd. Their finishing is average at best.
To be completely honest, I would much rather wear a Seiko from the eighties in all black than a Bamford. Pro Hunter on the other hand is much more sophisticated, limited and has one hell of a well finished product any day of the week.They truly pay homage to the Rolex vintage models of the sixties while keeping up with the modern day needs of the true Rolex collector, which not even Rolex has been able to accomplish in this economy! Bamford is for the impostor poser who can’t pony up for the real deal that is pro hunter. Besides, just look at the soaring auction values of any Pro Hunter watch at Antiquorum. In my opinion they have solidified the number one spot for most desirable watch of the year period! The Rolex Daytona Pro Hunter just sold for an estimated $42,000. This is more than double of the original asking price. All the editorial press pro-hunter has received has all been given, pro hunter hasn’t paid for any of it. They have a slew of well known respectable people wearing this brand and the best part of it, they can’t get enough. Recently they officially announced the Pro-Hunter Milgauss. This watch is drop dead gorgeous. All due respect to Rolex, but the Pro Hunter version makes the steel model look like an inglorious bastard!. Bamford came out with their version before, and as you can see with their cheap PVD finish it makes the watch look too dark making the watch look like a cheap replica.
The advantages of Pro Hunter are clear, the watches are limited edition in that they are all individually numbered, they have a coolness factor because of their incredible diamond like carbon finishing which will last a lifetime if you properly take care of it because they are Rolex watches after all, they can be worn on straps and bracelets, and they finally make Rolex look like a real mans watch! So if you can do it, buy a Pro-Hunter piece and be a part of history!
JOHNNY FLYBACK 