The Ghost of Manhattan 👻

This Datejust once belonged to an architect from New York’s Upper East Side, and there is something of Manhattan in it: the cool, clean lines of its skyscrapers, and the way their glass comes alive with every change of light.

Dating to 1972, this ref. 1601 is defined by its grey ‘Ghost’ sunburst dial. In soft light it drifts towards a muted blue-grey, somewhere between overcast sky and wet stone; under direct light the sunburst wakes up and turns silvery and bright. The ‘Ghost’ name comes from what happens at certain angles: the dial’s printing seems to vanish into the reflections, leaving an almost blank surface that reappears as the wrist moves.

The dial is beautifully preserved, with every tritium plot intact and aged to a warm, even cream tone, a gentle contrast against the cool base. The watch is currently fitted with a crystal without the Cyclops lens, a departure from the original specification that leaves the dial completely uninterrupted, letting the sunburst and its shifting tones be appreciated in full.

The case is in good condition and still retains its proportions. The Jubilee bracelet shows a normal stretch for its age and fits wrists up to 18 cm.

A ghost last seen on the Upper East Side.