A Watch For Men With All the Time in the World

For several years now, we've been following Louis Vuitton's determined-but-cautious steps into the world of haute horlogerie (fine watchmaking), from the brand's awkward first attempts to its recent, and much more respectable, high-end efforts. In the company's favor, LV has at least shown enough savvy to learn from past mistakes, and its perseverance now seems to be paying off.

This handsome timepiece, above, presented at the recent Basel watch fair, is a good case in point. It bears a big name–the Louis Vuitton Voyagez Tambour Automatic Chronograph Tachymeter–and an impressive pedigree: chronograph movements made by the distinguished Swiss manufacturer, Dubois Dépraz. Equally important, the entire watch-as-objet is particularly well-designed (which, surprisingly, isn't always the result when fashion companies turn their hands to fine watches), with a 44mm grey steel case, beautifully-aligned sub-dials and a sleek, carbon-fiber strap. Like the Hoover Dam or the Chrysler Building, it looks retro, contemporary and futuristic, all at once. Wear it and feel ahead of your time.

Bozeman Watch: Designed in Sight of the Rockies

We love Montana: it's a big, gorgeous, unpretentious state with so much beautiful scenery it looks untouched by whatever happens anywhere else. Ted Turner owns a ranch south of Livingston large enough for bison herds; he also runs a decent steakhouse in Bozeman, where some of those animals end up on the menu. We stumbled across this handsome watch while shopping along Bozeman's Main Street–it's part of a limited series designed by the Bozeman Watch Company, one of few American brands specializing in mechanical timepieces. And although it's made of Swiss and German components (and partially assembled in Switzerland), it has a bold, no-nonsense American sensibility we find very attractive.

This particular model, the Cutthroat 2nd Edition, is named for a native trout that's been luring fishermen to Montana's rivers season after season. It's big (42mm in diameter), housed in a stainless steel case and mounted on a simple leather strap. There are no unnecessary gimmicks, just a sweeping seconds hand, a date window and markers around the outer dial (plus a red-tipped indicator) providing 24-hour GMT. Questions? Visit the website by clicking the company's name, above, or call 1-877-878-1780. Don't be shy: as is the case everywhere in Montana, the people we met in Bozeman couldn't have been nicer.

Dads, Grads and Little Lads: IWC's Perfect Timing

Father's Day is a rare occasion when dads receive presents–but wise parents may want to supplement the day's typical offerings (handmade picture frames, odd ties) with this father-and-son set of Pilot's watches by IWC. Version père is housed in a 46mm platinum case; the 39mm version fils is stainless steel. Both are automatic (of course), mounted on alligator straps and chock-a-block with excellent horological details. Your son will be thrilled to wear the same watch as his dad. FA2L suspects you'll feel pretty good, too.

World Enough, and Time

An important cache of vintage Rolexes will be on the auction block this Sunday, March 22. Italian advertising executive Davide Blei started buying the watches in 1984, with an eye for models he felt were particularly special or beautiful. The man has good taste. His collection of 114 timepieces, briefly previewed in New York (and viewable online) is very fine, and includes such rarities as a 1951 pink gold Super-Oyster Stelline (Ref. 6062) and this 1940 pink gold Monoblocco Oyster chronograph (Ref. 3525). The sale, mounted by Patrizzi & Co. Auctioneers, promises to be unusual for at least two other reasons: There's a zero premium policy (meaning buyers won't be charged a commission), and, while the physical sale is taking place at the Grand Hotel et de Milan in Milan, Italy, collectors anywhere in the world will be able to bid simultaneously online.

This is also an important second chance for the newly-formed Patrizzi & Co. The firm just officially opened its New York offices this month, but the Blei/Rolex sale will take place against a dramatic backstory: more than a year ago, Osvaldo Patrizzi, former chairman of distinguished watch auctioneers, Antiquorum, split (acrimoniously) from that house and, several months later, announced the formation of his own company. Unfortunately, Patrizzi & Co.'s first sale, on November 18, 2008, in Geneva, was, according to The International Herald Tribune, "a fiasco." By most accounts, it was a perfect storm born of the global economy's downward spiral, made all the worse by technical glitches that crippled both the online sale and the real-life auctioneer. In the wake of this inauspicious debut, the Blei sale (originally scheduled for December 18, 2008), was delayed.

Despite his recent turmoil, however, Mr. Patrizzi was calm, cool and collected at the New York preview. He'd already gone on record about that first auction, telling Reuters "We suffered because the world is not a happy place. The results were disappointing." However, he seems confident that this collection's integrity will inspire enthusiasm. Perhaps he also feels, or, at the very least, hopes (like so many of us do), that the worst is over. The time has come for good news.

www.patrizziauction.com