Would you like a wonderful entry-level Swiss wristwatch that will serve you for years to come. If so, this may be the watch for you. The A. Wittnauer Co. was the exclusive sales agent for Longines starting in 1880, initiating a marriage that would stand the test of 114 years. In 1936, the Wittnauer family sold their interests and the brand was renamed the Longines-Wittnauer Co., a name that became so burnished in the public lexicon, that most people assume Longines and Wittnauer watches are one and the same. In fact, they produced different movements that were very individual to their brand.
Wittnauer was a Swiss company that made very nice watches, and this one is exceptionally nice as it is a classic configuration in a stainless steel case that measures 33 mm in width (without the crown), by 36 mm lug to lug, by 10 mm thick (including the crystal). The silvered dial displays applied, stylized Arrowhead Markers that give it a real period style. It has a very slight dial blemish towards the center of the 4 o'clock marker that does not detract, but it is the reason that it is less expensive. The date window at the 3 o'clock position and seconds bit at the 6 add some extra interest and functionality to this stylish watch. It has a 17 jewel movement that is in excellent running condition and is representative of watches made in the late 60s. We have fitted it with a smooth black leather that suits its all silver look to a "T". This is a great entry level watch for someone who wants to dip their toe into the vintage market without drowning. Our one-year warranty, for parts and labor, will allow you to buy with confidence!
The Ingersoll Watch Company grew out of a mail order business (R H Ingersoll & Bro) started in New York City in 1882 by 21-year-old Robert Hawley Ingersoll and his brother Charles Henry Ingersoll. The company initially sold low-cost items such as rubber stamps.
The first Ingersoll watches, called "Universal" were introduced in 1892, supplied by the Waterbury Clock Company. They were in reality small spring-driven clocks, about three inches diameter and over one inch thick. These were put into watchcases with pendants that carried bows and crowns like contemporary watches. The crown was not functional, the watch was wound by a captive key that hinged out, and a central wheel was used to set the hands, both accessible when the back was opened just as in a clock. At first they were sold wholesale to dealers, but later in 1892 a mail order catalogue was produced and watches were sold directly to the public.
The Waterbury watch company also initially sold the watches, but the Ingersolls soon negotiated a sole agency deal. In 1893 a smaller version of the Universal watch called the "Columbus" was made.
In 1896 Ingersoll introduced a watch called the Yankee, setting its price at $1. This made it the cheapest watch available at the time, and the first watch to be priced at one dollar; the "Dollar Watch" was born. It was cheaply mass-produced from stamped parts and without jewels so that it would be affordable to everyone.
By 1899 the Waterbury Clock Company were producing 8,000 of these watches per day for Ingersoll, who started advertising that 10,000 dealers carried their dollar watch. By 1910, Waterbury was producing 3,500,000 dollar watches per year for Ingersoll.
Over twenty years nearly forty million dollar watches were sold, and Ingersoll coined the phrase "The watch that made the dollar famous!" Theodore Roosevelt mentioned that during his hunting trip in Africa he was described as "the man from the country where Ingersoll was produced."
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In 1904 Ingersoll opened a store in London, England. In 1905 Robert sailed to England and introduced the Crown pocket watch for 5 shillings, which was the same value as $1 at the time. These were made by a British subsidiary, Ingersoll Ltd, initially assembled from imported parts, and later made entirely in their London factory. These watches were made until the late 1920s, after the American parent company had collapsed.
Ingersoll bought the Trenton Watch Company in 1908, and the bankrupt New England Watch Company in Waterbury, Connecticut for $76,000 on November 25, 1914. By 1916, the company was producing 16,000 watches per day in 10 models. In 1917 they produced another popular watch with 7 jewels called the Reliance. In 1919 Ingersoll developed a watch with the so-called "night design", the Radiolite with luminous dial.
n the 1930s, the company, now called Ingersoll-Waterbury manufactured the first Mickey Mouse watches. Over five million of these watches would be sold in the first 15 years of production.
The watch on offer here is from their later, upscale production, circa 1940 when their watches were real competitors for the US pocket watch market. This watch is a 7 jewel, 3/4 plate, nickel movement that is winding, setting, and keeping time just as it did over 80 years ago. The white gold filled case measures 50 mm in diameter, by 63 mm from the case bottom to the top of the bow, by 13 mm thick (including the crystal). The porcelain dial has bold Arabic Numerals and blued steel hands for ease of viewing. It is a great looking watch that will give you years of service without breaking the bank. Our one year warranty, for parts and labor, will allow you to buy with confidence.
Caravelle is Bulova's other line of watches that were made in Switzerland and are a bit more unusual. This one is in like-new condition and is very handsome on the wrist. It is a 7 jewel, manual wind watch with a central sweep seconds hand that is contrasted against a beautiful gloss black dial. The yellow gold-filled case top with a stainless steel case back measures 32 mm wide (not including the crown), by 38 mm lug to lug, by 10 mm thick (including the crystal). This watch is better than all its parts because the overall effect is wonderful. There is a tactile quality that makes you want to put it on your wrist. It is "Anti-Magnetic", "Shock Resistant", and "Water Resistant". The watch is in pristine condition and it still has its original hang-tag on the lug. It also has its original "Caravelle" branded strap that is black embossed crocodile grain leather. Our head watchmaker assures me that the seven jewel, Japanese movement is winding, setting, and keeping time just as it did over 50 years ago. It can be yours along with our one-year warranty for parts and labor. Don't miss it!
Waltham was a wonderful and prolific watch manufacturer located in Waltham, Ma. and they were in business from 1851 to 1957, in various iterations. Their earlier efforts, circa 1850, in Roxbury, Massachusetts resulted in the Howard, Dennison & Davis moniker. Later the name changed to Boston Watch Company, then Appleton, Tracey, & Co., then The American Watch Co., and finally the Waltham Watch Company. They were one of the giants of the industry and second largest only to Elgin. This particular Waltham is in a "Tip Out", sterling silver case and is the only one we have ever had in sterling after being in the business for over 42 years. Not only is it in a very desirable case, but it is also an "Up/Dn Winding Indicator."
The "Winding Indicator" is one of the most desirable watches for railroad engineers because they can see at a glance how much reserve is left on their mainspring. There is a subsidiary dial (at the 12 o'clock position) which indicates how many hours are left in reserve for the use of the timekeeping ability of the movement. This is a 23 jewel (the top grade), 3/4 quarter plate, nickel movement that is in fantastic condition. It is housed in a sterling silver case that measures 53 mm in diameter, by 76 mm (from the case bottom to the top of the bow), by 14 mm thick (including the crystal). The porcelain dial is in fantastic condition showing not only the Up/Dn indicator sub dial at the 12 o'clock position, but also the seconds bit at the six o'clock position. This very interesting railroad pocket watch can be yours. We have only one in this configuration....don't miss it!
Waltham was a wonderful and prolific watch manufacturer located in Waltham, Ma. and they were in business from 1851 to 1957, in various iterations. Their earlier efforts, circa 1850, in Roxbury, MA resulted in the Howard, Dennison & Davis moniker later changed to Boston Watch Company, then Appleton, Tracey, & Co., the American Watch Co., and finally the Waltham Watch Company. They were one of the giants of the industry and second largest only to Elgin. This particular Waltham is a later iteration of the Waltham legacy that was made in Switzerland. It is a 17 jewel, center sweeping seconds, with a date feature at the 3 o'clock position, housed in a yellow gold-filled case with a stainless steel back, for wearing longevity, and extreme comfort for those who are sensitive to case materials. The case measures 34.5 mm wide (not including the crown), by 41.5 mm lug to lug, by 10 mm thick (including the crystal). We here at Father Time just loved the touches of red at the end of the sweep seconds hand and in the Waltham logo beneath the 12 o'clock position. This is handsome watch from the mid 1960s for a very reasonable price. It a great entry watch for those of you who want to dip their toe in the vintage wristwatch world without getting too wet. Our one-year warranty for parts and labor will allow you to buy with confidence.
Are you in the market for a real clean classic-looking, affordable wristwatch that harks back to the 1960s... if so then this may be the one for you. Elgin produced watches in Elgin, Illinois (a Chicago suburb) for over 100 years. They were the largest and most prolific of the American manufacturers and the "Lord Elgin" was their premier product. 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 1960s. The case is stainless steel measuring 33 mm wide (not including the crown), by 41.5 mm lug to lug, by 10.5 mm thick (including the crystal) and is running like the proverbial top. The dial sports raised Arabic numerals and a central sweep second hand that is silver to match the hour and minute hand. It takes a 16 mm band and we have fitted it with a genuine, black lizard band that gives it a very luxe 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.
Caravelle is Bulova's other line of watches that were made in Switzerland and are a bit more unusual. This one is in great condition and is very handsome on the wrist. It is a 17 jewel, automatic (self-winding) watch with a date window at the three o'clock position. The brushed stainless steel cushion case measures 35 mm wide (not including the crown), by 40.5 mm lug to lug, by 12 mm thick (including the crystal).
The dial is a pale cream color with a brushed texture finish. The "12" and "6" Arabic numerals are applied stainless steel, while the other chapter markers are applied stainless rectangular pieces with blue inserts. A dot of lume on the outer minute track at each chapter is echoed through the stripe of lume in the rectangular hands. While the lume no longer glows, it adds to the overall effect. There is a tactile quality that makes you want to put it on your wrist. I think that the red sweep seconds hand really gilds the lily. Lastly, the crown carries Caravelle's "C" mark as a subtle finishing detail.
Suffice it to say, we really like this perfect vintage watch from the early 1970s. Our head watchmaker has the movement winding, setting, and keeping time just as it did over 50 years ago. It can be yours along with our one-year warranty for parts and labor. Don't miss it!
In 1864, the Dueber Watch Case Company was founded in Newport, Kentucky, by John Dueber. They made pocket watch cases that were used by many of the manufacturers of watch movements. It was custom at that time to select the movement and the case separately so there was a large selection that was available to the consumer and the watch dealer alike. The Dueber Watch Case Company provided the cases for many companies, including the Hampden Watch Company, which was located in Springfield, Massachusetts. The Hampden Watch Company's product so impressed Dueber that in 1886 he purchased a controlling interest in this company. In 1888, Dueber relocated the Dueber Watch Case Company from Newport and the Hampden Watch Company from Springfield to Canton, Ohio. In this new location, the two companies shared manufacturing facilities. The Dueber Watch Case Company produced the cases for the watches that the Hampden Watch Company manufactured. In 1923, the two companies formally united together, becoming known as the Dueber-Hampden Watch Company. This particular Hampden was made circa 1882, in the Springfield, Ma. facility and it is their Model II movement. It was a preferred custom at that time to produce what were called "jeweler's contract watches." These were watches that were produced by all the major companies but which bore the names of local jewelers on the dial and sometimes on the movement (as is the case here). If an order was placed in sufficient quantity, the manufacturer would print the jeweler's name on their watch, so the jeweler could sell it as his private label, all the while knowing that the full force of Hampden or some other manufacturer stood behind the engineering and parts supply. This is one of those. The porcelain dial has the overlaid inititials "HW" to represent the Chicago jeweler's name. His first initital and full last name are in full view on the movement. It was labeled as the private label of H. Weidehann and is a 15 jewel, nickel, full-plate movement with striped damasceening. The 18 size, yellow gold-filled case measures 55 mm in diameter, by 80 mm from the case bottom to the top of the bow, by 18.5 mm thick. The porcelain dial is perfect and it displays a nice, large seconds bit at the six o'clock position. Bold Arabic numerals and blued steel hands complete the look. This is a very desirable Hampden that is rarely seen. Our head watchmaker has it winding, setting, and keeping time just as it did 100 years ago. This is a very nice watch for the dough even though it has some case wear from loving use over the last century. It is now ready for your pocket. Our one-year warranty for parts and labor will allow you to buy with confidence.
Waltham was a wonderful and prolific watch manufacturer located in Waltham, Ma. and they were in business from 1851 to 1957, in various iterations. Their earlier efforts, circa 1850, in Roxbury, MA, resulted in the Howard, Dennison & Davis moniker later changed to Boston Watch Company, then Appleton, Tracey, & Co., the American Watch Co., and finally the Waltham Watch Company. Their pocket watches became known for great design and reliability throughout the consumer market and in railroad circles. This particular watch is born of that tradition and has all the elements of a pocket watch, but made for the wrist. It is a very early iteration, circa 1896, and it sports a wonderful porcelain dial that speaks to the pocket watch heritage. The movement is a very reliable 7 jewel, three-quarter plate, that our head watchmaker has running like the proverbial top. The stainless, "starwhite," three-part case is in great condition showing only very minor wear. The porcelain dial is wonderful with Roman numerals at the chapters and red 5-minute markers at each chapter. There is a small seconds bit at the 6 o'clock position that revolves the entire time the watch is wound. Typical for these very early wristwatches: it has a set of blued steel hands that give the faintest glint of purple when angled to the light. Also typical is the large winding crown for easy manipulation. It is one handsome puppy and an early one to boot... don't miss it as we have only one. Our one-year warranty for parts and labor will allow you to buy with confidence.
Elgin is a brand that is known worldwide and, we here at Father Time, see a good many Elgin watches that were made over the 100 years that they were in business. In almost every instance, we can restore these wonderful timepieces to the timekeeping ability that Elgin originally intended them to have... a testament to their quality. Elgin can certainly be proud of what they accomplished, because they had an excellent product that has stood the test of time. This particular Elgin is an 18 size, open-face, nickel case, with a porcelain, Roman numeral dial that has a seconds bit at the 6 o'clock position. It sports blued steel hands that really stand out for easy reading and a handsome look. The nickel case measures 58 mm in diameter, by 82 mm (including the bow), by 22 mm thick (including the crystal). It houses a seven jewel movement that is in fantastic condition. The bezel has a coin edge for ease of removal to gain access to the tip-out movement. The case back is plain polish. Our head watchmaker has it winding, setting, and keeping time just as it did way back in 1900. This really nice open face, 18-size Elgin pocket watch can be yours for not that much dough. It is fully restored and warrantied for one year for parts and labor.
These clocks were all the rage in France and England between the 1930s and the 1950s. While the marble cases and spelter figurines were magnificent, the movements were quite ordinary. They were only designed to run for 30 hours, so they needed winding every day and were tantamount to an alarm clock movement. We have converted this clock to a modern, battery-operated quartz movement that is very accurate and which does not need daily attention. It has all the beauty and style of the original marble and none of the hassle of the old movement. This has all been accomplished while keeping the cost reasonable. This clock is very dramatic in its appearance, and it has to additional garniture pieces that flank the clock to balance the look on your mantle. It measures 13" long, by 8.25" tall, by 3" in depth. The garniture pieces measure 4.5" x 4.5" x 2.5". It is a classic "clipped corner" style case with three different colors of marble and a red, squiggly sweep seconds hands to give it unusual eye appeal.
Yes, this is an impressive piece! Our one-year parts and labor warranty will allow you to buy with confidence.
Zodiac is a century-old company started by the Calame family in Switzerland and has been a respected trademark for all that time. They competed directly with Omega and Movado and, although Zodiac is not well known in the states, it is recognized as a top quality company in Europe! Many Americans know the Zodiac "Sea Wolf," which was a very popular sports watch that they introduced in the early 1950s. This particular Zodiac "Sea Wolf" from 1968 is a really nice example. It is housed in a stainless steel case containing a 17 jewel, automatic movement with a spectacular gloss black dial with handsome bar markers at the chapters! The stainless steel case measures 35 mm in diameter (not including the crown), by 42.5 mm lug to lug, by 11 mm thick (including the crystal). The rotating outer bezel allows you to see at a glance the elapsed time from when it was set opposite the minute hand. It is in great condition and waiting for your wrist.
Our master watchmakers have this wonderful automatic "tool watch" running, winding and setting just as it should, while producing a perfect pattern on the timing machine.
This Zodiac is all original and in excellent condition and it could be yours. So, don't let it swim away! Our famous one-year warranty for parts and labor will allow you to buy with confidence!