1970s Zodiac Astro II Gold-Plated (Ref. 1083 889) W/ Box

When it comes to vintage watch brands, Zodiac is definitely one of the more under-the-radar options. But in the ‘50s and ‘60s, Zodiac was a highly respected challenger to brands like Rolex, Blancpain, and Tudor, mostly thanks to the iconic Sea-Wolf. And perhaps due in part to not having the same clout as some of the aforementioned brands, Zodiac was known for being a bit more adventurous, utilizing bright color schemes and unique case shapes across their offerings.

This ref. 1083 889 Astro II is a perfect example of this. While the gold-plated case and bracelet aren't anything too far out of the ordinary, the dial is something else entirely. The most immediately noticeable feature is probably the crosshairs printed on the dial with the Zodiac logo right at the bullseye, but then when you look a bit closer, you realize there are no true hands here. Instead, you have a red dot acting as the seconds hand, a trapezoidal shape as the hour hand, and a sort of spout-looking shape as the minutes hand. It's undeniably '70s in its execution, and a super unique piece that'll be the talk of just about anywhere it goes.