1970s Bucherer Chronograph (Ref. 651) "Paul Newman" Valjoux Cal. 7765

Considering the brand has been around in some form or fashion since 1888, Bucherer is one of the lesser-known Swiss marques out there. Initially founded by Carl-Friedrich Bucherer and his wife Luise, the brand started out as Lucerne's first watch and jewelry shop before adding a watchmaking extension in 1919. Like Turler, Tiffany, and many large-scale jewelers, Bucherer also did a lot of co-branding and white labeling of watches, one of which is this incredible chronograph from the '70s. 

Singer is the dial manufacturer who famously designed the exotic dial for the Rolex Daytona, which would later go on to be nicknamed the "Paul Newman" dial and become one of the most celebrated dial configurations in horological history. Paul Newman's personal Rolex Daytona exotic dial famously auctioned for $17.8 million in 2017. The dial in the Bucherer chronograph was also manufactured by Singer and though the layout and composition of the dial is different, the sub-dials share the same font and art-deco styling as that of the Paul Newman dial. 

Apart front the beautiful sub-dials, the silver dial itself has aged to almost look like marble, with alternating and intermixed tan and silver streaks. Then there's the fantastic Valjoux cal. 7765 beating within the case, which is certainly noteworthy for its rarity and obscurity due to the unique sub-dial placements at 9 o'clock and 12 o'clock, which record active seconds and elapsed minutes, respectively.

If you want a watch that sparks conversation, this is it.