The Tudor trademark was registered in 1926 by Swiss watchmaking company Veuve de Philippe Hüther on behalf of Hans Wilsdorf, founder of Rolex watches. In 1936, Wilsdorf took it over and went on to found the company Montres Tudor SA in 1946.
Tudor's purpose was to offer a more affordable watch than Rolex while maintaining Rolex-like quality. Tudor watches were originally equipped with off-the-shelf movements paired with Rolex cases and bracelets, allowing Tudor to provide reliability and quality while achieving its price goals.
Tudor debuted its Oyster collection in the mid-forties, featuring a waterproof Oyster case previously exclusive to Rolex. In 1952, Tudor released its first self-winding model, the Prince, which used a Rolex self-winding mechanism. 26 Tudor Oyster Princes, like this one, were included in the 1952 British scientific expedition to Greenland.
The adoption of the Oyster case and self-winding rotor facilitated Tudor's move into the production of tool watches. The French Navy was involved in field research for a Tudor diving watch from the 1960s to the mid-1980s.
This "Tudor Oyster/Prince" is in a stainless steel case that measures 43 mm in diameter (without the crown), by 41 mm lug to lug, by 10 mm thick (including the crystal). It is in great condition and looks fantastic on the wrist. Our head watchmaker has it winding, setting, and keeping time just as it did when it came to these shores way back in 1952.
If you want Rolex quality at an affordable price then this may be the watch for you...don't miss it. Our one year warranty for parts and labor will allow you to purchase this wonderful watch without any worries.
Movado is a Swiss manufacturer known for its "Museum Watch". Designed in 1947, by Bauhaus-influenced artist Nathan George Horwitt, the watch dial has a very simple design where the dial is defined by a solitary dot at 12, symbolizing the sun at high noon, but Movado also made some very nice watches that are of superior quality...this is one of those. It is a gentleman's wristwatch from the "Roaring Twenties". Some Movado watch models have Esperanto names such as Bela ("beautiful"), Belamodo ("beautiful fashion"), Fiero ("pride"), Brila ("brilliant"), Linio ("line"), and Verto. The company's name means "movement" in Esperanto.
This wonderful Movado is one we have never before seen after being in business for over 42 years. It is a Two-Tone Case in yellow and white gold filled, with stepped case edges. The vertical surfaces are yellow gold and the horizontal surfaces are white gold. This gives it a great looking contrast that just cannot be conveyed in the photos. It sports its original dial finish that has a perfect patina and a great vintage look. The case measures 25 mm side to side (not including the crown), by 43 mm Lug to lug, by 10 mm thick (including the crystal).
The 15 movement is in excellent running condition and our head watchmaker has it setting, winding, and keeping time just as it did when it came from the Movado Factory way back in 1925. This is a very special watch that could be on your wrist! Our one year warranty, for parts and labor, will allow you to purchase it with complete confidence. We have only one so do'n miss it!
This watch is what Gruen called an "Air Flight". It was originally made for Pan Am pilots to have a quick reference to a 24-hour day for flight time, or military time.
We love these "Jump Hour" Gruens! When the hands reach 1 pm, all the numerals jump to a 24-hour format and then jump back again to a 12-hour format at 1 am. This is accomplished by a rotating disc underneath the main dial. The numbers appear in beveled diamond- and circle-shaped windows on this silvered, original dial. This is a particularly nice "Air Flight". The 17 jewel (510 RSS) movement is in excellent condition and is winding, setting, and keeping time like the fine timepiece it was designed to be! This beautiful movement is housed in a chrome body case with a stainless steel back for wearing longevity. It measures 35 mm wide (not including the crown), by 42 mm lug to lug, by 10 mm thick (including the crystal).
Circa 1962, this is a watch to make your heart sing. When the numerals change at 1 pm or 1 am, it is a real event that always has our customers exclaiming their delight. We buy every one of these that we can find in good condition because our clients just love the dial action and how nice these watches look on the wrist. We don't have these in stock very often and they usually find a good home within a few weeks. This one is in great condition with nice patina on the dial. We would love to show it to you! Remember, all of our timepieces come with our famous one year warranty for parts and labor so that you may buy with confidence.
Hamilton had military contracts with not only the American government, but also the British Ministry of Defense. In 1973, they made this wonderful Hamilton W-10, 17 jewel, mechanical watch with "Hacking Seconds." This is a device that interrupts the motion of the balance wheel when you pull out the crown, thereby stopping the timekeeping ability of the watch. Once the signal is given to "synchronize your watches soldiers," everyone would push in the crown on their watches to instantly start-up at the same second so that the maneuvers could be coordinated with split-second accuracy. This particular watch came from the Ministry of Defense in Britain, after the Falklands adventure, when they were switching over to quartz watches. It had been kept in storage for the last 49 years. So, it has not been used or abused since that time. We have had our head watchmaker put it in excellent running condition, so that it will be ready for your next adventure. These watches were designed with a very robust, stainless steel case, in a matte finish that is non-reflective. The case measures 36 mm in diameter (not including the crown) by 41 mm lug-to-lug, by 10mm thick (including the crystal). It is fitted with a 17 jewel, Swiss ETA 2750 which was a revolutionary type of movement that was manufactured with fewer components, which made it tougher, so less could go wrong. Added to that is the fact that it has a larger mainspring barrel that gives it a 50-hour running time compared to the standard 30-hour longevity. The Caliber 649 Movement beats at 21,600 BPH and is therefore more accurate than the standard 18,000 BPH. The MOD specified the use of this movement and Hamilton put their fine-tuning to work, making it even better. It was a real "workhorse!"
It has a tonneau shaped case that was the standard issue for the RAF, Army, and Navy, from 1973 to 1980. This particular watch was an Army-issue that is identical to the Navy and RAF watches. The black dial bears the Hamilton signature, the circled "T" indicates the lume is tritium (although no longer glowing) and the "Broad Arrow" indicates that it was the property of the Crown and finally "Swiss Made" indicating the origin of the movement. Make sure you notice the "Gladiator Style" sword hands... they give it a real "Warrior" look. It has the typical, solid and fixed bars which are welded into place, making them super secure. We have fitted it with a very nice black NATO band, just like the original. What's not to like here? Nothing! This handsome watch can be yours... just give us a call to reserve it for you. Our one-year warranty for parts and labor will allow you to buy with complete abandon!
Here is a great example of a really neat watch from the 1950s that has a lot going for it, and at a price that is affordable. Benrus was a solid Swiss competitor in the American consumer market during the 1940s and 1950s. Everything they turned their hand to was affordable and performed well. They were the Chevy of Swiss wristwatches – very reliable and ubiquitous. This particular Benrus is in nice condition with the case measures 34 mm in diameter (not including the crown), by 40 mm lug to lug, by 11 mm thick (including the crystal). The case top is yellow gold-filled with a stainless steel back for wearing ease and longevity. The "Admiral" was Dustproof, Waterproof, and Self-Winding (automatic) as is evidenced by the case back designations. This is further complimented by an interesting dial dial and the central sweep seconds hand. What a handsome timepiece. Our one-year warranty for parts and labor will allow you to buy with confidence. Our one year warranty for parts and labor will allow you to buy with complete confidence.
One of our all time favorite brands here at Father Time Antiques is Omega, and this Omega is no exception. Made circa 1964, this Solid White Gold Diamond Dial is in excellent running condition, and is a very handsome watch as well. The 17 jewel movement is running, winding, and keeping time just as it did when new. Make sure you take notice of the "Zoom-In" views where you will see the pink gold plating that Omega coated its movements with to prevent oxidation for a hundred years. This is one of their hallmarks.
The silvered dial gives it an elegant appearance when played off the high polish silver hash markers at the hours, with double diamonds at the cardinal points. The 14K solid white gold case is in near perfect condition and bears none of the gouges that one normally sees on a watch of this age. The case measures 28 mm wide (without the crown) by 31 mm lug to lug, by 6 mm thick (including the crystal).
The 17 jewel, manual wind movement is equally as nice and our master watchmakers have it running, winding and keeping time just as it did back in 1964. We think that this is a classic look that Omega did so well. If you are tired of the giant over-sized monsters that are common fare today and you want an elegant precision dress watch, then this may be the one for you. These rarely survive in this condition, so don't miss it! All of our timepieces are covered by our famous one year warranty for parts and labor so that you may buy with confidence.
Illinois was a terrific company that produced high-quality watches: pocket watches, and for a short time, wristwatches. They were founded way back in 1869 and were located in Springfield, IL. They only produced wristwatches for a few years before they were acquired lock, stock, and barrel by the Hamilton Watch Company with the announcement coming on January 1, 1928. By late 1932, Hamilton realized that it could not afford to operate two factories and, as a result, in November 1932, the Springfield Plant was closed and its inventory moved to Hamilton in Lancaster, PA. So it was a short production period for Illinois wristwatches, but oh what a glorious time it was for great design and fantastic looking watches.
This Illinois wristwatch is one of the iconic watches that really resonated with the American public. "A masculine strap watch for men who prefer the newer designs. With its fine Illinois 17 jewel movement, the "Ace" is a genuine timekeeper." Needless to say, this one was a big hit.
This one is particularly attractive and very high-style Art Deco. It is housed in a Two-Tone white gold filled case, with a Yellow Gold Filled Case Middle, and a stainless steel back for wearing longevity. The octagonal case gives it a wonderful presence on the wrist and the inner track of the dial is just stunning as it mimics the articulations of the case. It measures 31 mm wide (not including the crown), by 38 mm lug to lug, by 10 mm thick (including the crystal). The original dial has a beautiful patina and the lume filled hands and numerals really give it a great look. The lume has aged perfectly to that "Cream-in-Your-Coffee" color over the 102 years of its lifetime. At the six o'clock position, you will discover a small seconds bit which has a matching blued steel hand in miniature. If you are an Art Deco fan, like me, you will love the look of this Illinois. Our head watchmaker assures me that it is winding, setting, and keeping time just as it did in 1920. Don't miss it!
"Jump Hour" watches have always drawn great interest anytime we offer one for sale. Normally they are several thousand dollars from a name brand manufacturer. Here, however, is a very nice Swiss "Jump Hour", from a little known name, for a fraction of the price. The big advantage is that the price is a good deal lower for good quality. It has always been that the number of factories were smaller than the number of names that watches were sold under. The classic example is Tiffany. Tiffany never made any of their own watches, but they did contract with only the best manufacturers to make their watches to their high standards. This was true of many other companies that bought what we call Jeweler's Contract" watches. Once a guaranteed number of watches was purchased from a particular factory the jeweler's or distributor's name was added to the dial and/or movement. This meant that there was a good supply of original parts available. They also had the backing of the original manufacturer and their engineering expertise. This interesting example of an unusual "Jump Hour", is just such a watch with a Hafner Watch Company Swiss movement and an "M" brand on the dial.
Our head watchmaker has fully restored it to function just as it did when it arrived from the factory in Switzerland more than 50 years ago. The silvered dial is a joy to behold and the overall configuration is great fun. The 17 jewel movement is housed in a yellow gold-filled case that measures 35 mm in diameter (not including the crown), by 42 mm lug to lug, by 12 mm thick (including the crystal). This is a watch that your friends and colleagues will want a closer look at once they see it on your wrist. Our famous one year warranty for parts and labor will allow you to buy with confidence. Don't miss it...we have only one!
Are you in the market for a clean, classic-looking, affordable rectangular wristwatch that harks back to the 1940s? If so, this may be the one for you. Elgin produced watches in Elgin, Illinois (a Chicago suburb) for over 100 years, and they were the largest and most prolific of the American manufacturers.
This particular Elgin is a 17 jewel beauty that is a very cool watch in more ways than one. First, the movement is a thing of mechanical beauty. Second, the classic angular case gives it a great vintage look. It is also fitted with an unbreakable "Durapower" mainspring... quite a feat back in the day. In short, this is one killer wristwatch from the 1940s. The case is yellow gold-filled with a stainless steel back for wearing comfort and longevity. It measures 23 mm wide (not including the crown), by 37 mm lug to lug, by 11 mm thick (including the crystal) and is running like the proverbial top. The dial sports raised Arabic numerals and a seconds bit at the 6 o'clock position whose shape mimics the overall case configuration. It takes a 16 mm band and we have fitted it with a genuine leather band with contrasting stitching that gives it a very sporty look. This handsome timepiece is in fantastic, original condition and just waiting for a wrist to adorn. Remember all of our timepieces come with our famous one-year warranty for parts and labor so that you may buy with confidence.
This is a great representation from Wittnauer of style circa 1970. It looks great on the wrist and our head watchmaker has it performing just as it did when new. The 17 jewel, automatic movement is winding, setting, and keeping time with ease. The yellow gold plated case measures 35 mm wide (not including the crown), by 38 mm lug to lug, by 13 mm thick (including the crystal). The blue and gold dial is to die for and the tonneau case is a real eye catcher.
Here is a fully restored watch, covered by our one year warranty for parts and labor, that won't break the bank. Don't miss it!
Hans Wisdorf, the founder of Rolex, had the brilliant idea way back in 1911 to register the "Marconi" name even before the Rolex name was patented. It was a stroke of marketing genius because in 1901 Guglielmo Marconi had demonstrated that radio waves could be used as a means of communication...and radio was born! This brand new technology excited the general public to no end. The registry of the "Marconi" name for Rolex was immediately associated with the invention and it had the desired effect. The "Marconi" watches really took off in the 1920's. The best, and most expensive, movements were used for that model but in limited quantities. It is interesting that because of the "Marconi" line, which were sold by only the most exclusive dealers, Rolex gained a reputation for accuracy and reliability. You could say the "Marconi" put Rolex on the map!
This Rolex "Marconi" is a great example of the appeal they had. It is just stunning to view with its two-tone dial and stylized Roman Numerals. The case is rose gold filled with a stainless steel back for wearing longevity. It measures 33 mm in diameter (not including the crown), by 38 mm lug to lug, by 9 mm thick (including the crystal). A nice size watch for its era. The 17 jewel movement is winding, setting, and keeping time just as it did when it crossed the pond from Switzerland way back in 1920. It is an "Art Deco" piece of wrist art that can be yours for not too much dough. Our one year warranty, for parts and labor, will allow you to buy with confidence...don't miss it!
This Omega "Dynamic" is in like-new condition. The case is stainless steel and measures 41mm at its widest point by 45mm lug to lug. The condition is wonderful (after more than 50 years), and the configuration is spectacular. The movement is the classic Cal. 1481, a 21 jewel automatic, that is in fantastic condition. It is winding, setting and keeping time like the great timepiece it is.
Note the two-tone dial, contrasting steel hands, markers, and the dramatic red/orange sweep second hand. The oval shaped case really gives it the look of the era with a date window at the three o'clock position to boot. You also have easy access to setting the date by simply pushing in on the crown to set -- easy peasy. The solid stainless case back shows none of the egregious case opener marks that you often see on used models, because this one is pristine. Notice the cool brushed factory finish on the case the integrated stainless steel band. Everything about this watch screams "put me on your wrist"! It's hard to resist as there is something very tactile about the case and classically smooth concentric dial design. Don't miss it!