Héron Introduces the Continental, a New Vintage Inspired “Go Anywhere, Do Anything” Watch
Héron, the Montreal-based microbrand that had a legitimate hit on its hands with the release of the Mirabel GMT last year, is back with their take on the classic “go anywhere, do anything” sports watch, met with the brand’s typically refined design codes. Héron exists at a time when the straight up vintage inspired watches that dominated the scene a decade ago are fading in popularity, but they remain distinct and relevant for putting a truly personal and distinctive spin on the genre. These are not recreations of well known vintage references, but seem to exist in that type of “alternate reality” space imagined by brands like Serica, Albishorn, and others. There’s just a little extra charm to these watches that sets them apart, and make them feel like they aren’t part of a playbook. The new Héron Continental is, according to the brand, inspired by watches worn “during the great age of exploration.” They want us to think of early transcontinental flights, mountaineering expeditions, and important midcentury scientific breakthroughs. This, of course, is not new ground for watch brands. Many that existed during this age of exploration remind us of it on a regular basis, and newer brands do their best to conjure. To Héron’s credit, they make their inspiration explicit in their press materials, citing watches like the Rolex Explorer, Universal Geneve Polerouter, and Longines Conquest as touchpoints. But the Continental is its own thing, borrowing cert...
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