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Launched as Zodiac’s premier dress watch in-period, the Olympos is one of the company’s most emblematic designs and it offers a unique, yet sophisticated aesthetic that you won’t find in any other watch! In the latest installment of our video series Under The Radar, Craft + Tailored’s very own hero of underappreciated horological hotness, Tyler Vanes, shines the spotlight on a beautiful 1970s Zodiac Olympos Automatic ref. 723-928 and reveals just why these uniquely shaped vintage dress watches are so special.
As a brand, Zodiac has never been afraid to embrace a bold, striking, and distinct design language, and this has often been the key point of entry for many collectors and enthusiasts. While it’s relatively easy to make a sports watch with a funky design, creating a refined dress watch that is able to hit a similar note (while retaining a certain degree of elegance) is quite a bit more challenging! The “manta ray” shaped case of the Zodiac Olympos strikes this balance perfectly, with its asymmetrical design, dynamic sweeping lugs, and winding crown located at the 2 o’clock position.
To accompany these watches’ unique cases, the Zodiac Olympos watches were often fitted with interesting dials, and even the traditional styles and colors used have added layers of subtle visual intrigue. This particular example features a silver dial with a subtle surface finish that has been divided into alternating quarters of radial and circular brushed sections. This unique design creates added depth and plays with the light in a unique manner that complements its flowing case. Additionally, the calendar disc on this example features blue text, which is another interesting detail that further sets it apart from most of the other watches produced during this era, that most frequently featured calendar discs with either black, white, or occasionally red printing.
As Zodiac continues to re-establish itself with a new generation of collectors and enthusiasts, prices for vintage Zodiac watches keep increasing, making these frequently overlooked Olympos models an incredible value given today’s market. Priced significantly below most of the brand’s sports watches like the Sea Wolf or Aerospace GMT, the Olympos is almost unmatched when it comes to how much unique style you can get for the money. These offer a truly unique aesthetic that can work in both formal and casual settings, making the Zodiac Olympos a surprisingly versatile timepiece, despite its non-traditional and visually arresting case shape.
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