Variations on a theme. The watch world is full of them. A manufacture can take the same basic design, and then, with a simple change of color, create something new and exciting.

Color can invigorate the tried and true. With a new coat of paint, nothing’s ever stale, nothing’s ever boring. Elements that one might not have noticed before are now shown in stark relief, thanks to that splash of white… or red... or blue.

Take this watch for example: a Wittnauer Reference 8024-242T.

As watches go, the 242T has story and lineage and charm. It’s one of the great sporting chronographs of the 1960s, a worthy counterpart to giants like the Omega Speedmaster or the Rolex Daytona. Like the Speedmaster or the Daytona, the 242T was designed to be worn in any sport imaginable.

In looks, the 242T resembles the Speedmaster, with a stark black dial dotted by luminescent hour plots. The movement that powers it is the Valjoux 72, the selfsame calibre that powered early Rolex Daytonas. Coupling durability and sheer good looks, the 242T is now a classic in its own right, with fervent admirers.

But this is not the watch we’re talking about.

What we’re offering right here is a variation of the same 242T that collectors know and love, but with a twist. Instead of the black-on-black color scheme that’s most usually seen, this watch is a black-on-white “panda” variant, emboldened by a splash of red in the register at 3 o’clock and the feuille chronograph hand. More function than form, the decision to change the color of the dial was most likely driven by a desire to make the watch easier to read in a certain sport—in this case, most likely racing.

And it’s that color scheme that makes this watch exciting… and rare.

We’ve offered a handful of 242Ts over the years, but only one other like this one in our five years of business—that’s how uncommon they are.

Aesthetically this watch is a real knockout, with a crisp clean dial and a sturdy yet comfortable 38mm case. This is a distinguished watch—and it even says so! The inscription on the case back reads: “Keith F. Scott, in honor of distinguished service.”

We have no idea who Keith F. Scott might have been, but he must have been quite the person to deserve it.

Frankly, we’re kind of jealous.