Well, here's something you don't see everyday.  Or...ever.

For those of you who have been around awhile (or are at least well educated on all things old-school), you know that Abercrombie & Fitch wasn't always the trendy, bare-chested, short-shorts hocking, teeny-bopper fashion brand that they are today.  Once upon a time the brand was a true outfitter for the serious outdoorsmen, offering everything from mosquito netting to elephant guns in their stores - serious provisions for your safari into the dark heart of Africa. 

We remember hearing stories of our grandfathers' visits to their flagship store on Fifth Avenue, being greeted by giant taxidermied elephants at the entrance, instead of a mouthful of over-bearing perfume and a crowd of tourists excited to buy this season's disposable fashion trend at exorbitant prices.  While many modern brands have gone to great lengths to honor their history and heritage, Abercrombie has given theirs the finger and run away in the opposite direction.  This is a real shame, and makes finding vintage A&F products all the more desirable.

Vintage timepieces signed by Abercrombie & Fitch aren't all that unusual and often command a fair premium over unsigned versions (think Heuer Carrera & Seafarer models).  However finding an all-original timepiece manufactured for and triple-signed by A&F Co is an entirely different story.

And that's what we've discovered: An incredibly rare and jaw-droppingly beautiful steel Calatrava style chronograph from the 1940s.  Featuring a manually-winding Landeron chronograph movement, twin intersecting subsidiary dials, printed telemeter scale, and gorgeous blued steel hands, this timepiece is easily one of our proudest finds to date.  Not only is it in fantastic condition and running perfectly, this timepiece is a perfect example of why we are captivated by the past.  It has killer looks in a form-follows-function kind of way, and will be a distraction to anyone who wears it.  Don't be put off by its case size; it wears much larger that you'd expect.  This is an incredibly special timepiece, one we aren't likely to ever find again in this condition, and it needs to go home with someone who will truly understand what it represents as an artifact from the past.

No bare-chested teeny boppers need apply.