Today one of my good buddies made what, in my opinion, was a simply brilliant analogy while we were talking cars and watches. The Porsche 911, a timeless classic by any definition (love it or hate it), and the Rolex Submariner, also a timeless classic by any definition (and again love it or hate it) are two products which very much represent a nearly identical philosophy in design and execution.

Both of these parts carry tremendous prestige, of that there is no doubt. Both say that one has “arrived” in some way. Both can also be the object of envy and, sometimes, scorn. But neither is really occupying any truly rarefied air. That space is reserved for the likes of Patek, Bugatti, Ferrari and A. Lange & Soehne. No, neither the Porsche nor the Rolex is the most elite, or the absolute finest nor are either of them the most absolute expression of extremism in the respective categories.

What they both are, though, are workhorses. They are solid. They are perpetual (no pun). They have been so consistently excellent, for such a long time, that they are nearly ingrained in the collective subconscious. And while this maybe makes them just a bit less exotic, and a bit more common, it is also a breathtaking achievement; to be that good, for that long. And of course both are absolute examples of truly excellent engineering and a very interesting example of restrained form and deliberate function.

So I think it is fitting that we juxtapose these two spiritual siblings in a little collage. One can almost imagine that driver and wearer would be one in the same, looking at these photos. Without further ado, the 1968 and 2013 Porsche’s 911 and matching Rolex Submariner! Enjoy the car and watch porn!