It’s been a long wait, but I’ve finally got hold of one of the second generation Rally Custom automatic models. This is a ‘Custom V2’, and uses the same case as the original Seven Star model, but it is somewhat rarer than it’s already fairly rare older sibling. Not much older though, since my Seven Star example is from 1969, and the V2 from 1970. The former uses the 5290 movement, running at 18,000 beats per hour whilst the latter has the 7290, running at 21,600 beats per hour.  Otherwise the features are the same – both ‘hack’, i.e. the movement is stopped when the crown is pulled fully out to allow accurate time setting – and use the same dial and rotating ring designs although in different colour combinations. The V2 dial has lost the ‘Rally Custom’ mark, and is now a very deep blue – a rather beautiful colour in fact, which appears black at first glance but a dark blue hue catches the light and creates a stunning contrast with the silver details and red sweep hand.

There’ll be more about each of these in due course, but for now here they are together: