Nick of Ad Patina selected six vintage watch advertisements for a 2018 interview with Time+Tide. They span Rolex, Omega, Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe, and were presented in no particular order. “Best” is Nick’s personal judgment, not a collector-wide ranking.
Six advertisements Nick singled out
Nick’s picks stand out for different reasons: striking imagery, an unusual design, persuasive copy or a connection to an early version of a watch model. Here they are in the order discussed, not ranked.
1. 1966 Rolex Explorer 1016
Nick called this the most beautiful watch advertisement he had seen, citing its striking image and rugged Explorer message. He also said it was Ad Patina’s best-selling advertisement at the time of the 2018 interview. That is a seller’s historical observation, not a published sales ranking or a claim about current demand.
2. 1958 Omega Speedmaster 2915
Nick described this as the first Speedmaster advertisement. Rather than leaning on the model’s later association with spaceflight, it shows a driver in a sports car and frames the watch around timing distance and calculating speed. The appeal is seeing the Speedmaster presented as a tool for motoring.
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3. 1975 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 5402
Nick liked the advertisement’s two color images of the Royal Oak reference 5402. The images put the model’s unconventional design front and center—a striking approach for an advertisement introducing readers to a watch that did not look like a traditional dress watch.
4. 1977 Patek Philippe Nautilus
For Nick, the challenge behind this advertisement was making a steel watch compelling at a price he characterized as comparable to a gold watch. The ad’s interest lies in that pitch: it had to persuade readers to value the Nautilus on its design and proposition, rather than the precious-metal convention they might have expected at that level.
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5. 1979 Rolex Sea-Dweller
Nick praised this “Double Red” Sea-Dweller ad for combining long-form copy, a professional testimonial, product information and small images. He said the example came from a library reference book and that such advertisements were difficult to find. Those are his observations, not a quantified rarity assessment.
6. 1966 Rolex Daytona
Nick described this as his personal grail advertisement. In the interview, he identified the watch shown as the first version of what later became known as the Daytona, with an underline dial, and noted that the layout also included Submariner and Datejust models. That identification is reported as Nick’s account, not independent archival authentication.
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What makes a vintage watch ad stand out?
Nick’s preferences point to a mix of historical interest and visual appeal. He is drawn to advertisements for early known references of a model, rare examples, distinctive watches—including a Tiffany-branded Explorer—and color ads from the 1960s. He also acknowledged that taste matters: as he put it, “Just like we have favourite watches (for various reasons), the same is true for ads.”
Was the late 1950s and 1960s a golden age?
Nick’s preferred period for watch advertising runs from the very late 1950s through the 1960s. He linked that era to the introduction of sport-watch models collectors value today, which helps explain why ads from those years appeal to him. It is a collector’s perspective, not an industry-wide designation; the appeal of a particular ad remains subjective.
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What the interview says about prices
In the 2018 interview, Nick said most vintage watch advertisements cost US$45–85, with some priced above US$150. Those figures describe the range he reported at the time, not a current price guide or market survey. The interview does not establish today’s Ad Patina inventory, prices or sales terms.
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