Tropical 1990s Ebel 1911 Two-Tone 'El Primero' Chronograph (Ref. 1134901) "Purple" Dial

In relation to the world of watchmaking, Ebel is a relatively young company. It was only formed in 1911 by the Charles and Ray Eames of the watch-making world, Eugène Blum and his wife Alice Levy. The name "Ebel" is actually an acronym of the couple's name "Eugène Blum Et Lévy". It's generally known that Eugene headed the mechanical department of the company, while Alice was responsible for the aesthetics of the brand and many of the early designs. 

The company slowly grew throughout the early 20th century but boomed in the '70s when Ebel began producing wristwatches for Cartier under the direction of Eugene's great-grandson Pierre-Alain Blum. Ebel was responsible for the design and creation of the now-extremely collectible, "Louis Cartier Collection," which debuted in 1973 and included models such as the Cristallor, Gondole, Ellipse, and Vendome.

Today, vintage Ebel watches remain extremely undervalued despite being one of the most experimental and interesting watchmakers to come out of the 20th century, including this incredible automatic that seems to have taken a few design cues from the Royal Oak with its exposed case screws and hexagonal crown. The two-tone stainless steel/18k yellow gold case and bracelet, matched with the rich purple dial make the watch look almost regal while also keeping both feet firmly entrenched in a '90s design aesthetic. 

But it's the movement inside that should really turn heads. That's because this ref. 1134901 features an El Primero movement, the famous heartbeat that powers the Rolex Daytona of the same era, as well as the eponymous Zenith El Primero Chronograph. 

This is a fantastic piece from a lesser-known brand and one that will turn heads and start conversations wherever you go.