In Europe, the watch company Doxa (founded in 1889) has always been highly regarded, but in America it was only through their dive watches that they achieved any acclaim. Once the company was accepted for the quality that was seen in the diver's watches, it opened the door for other models that became well respected.
This great-looking ladies wristwatch is in such great condition, and in a 14K solid rose gold case to boot! It is a 17 jewel Swiss-made watch that our watchmakers have running just as it did back in the 1950s. It measures 22 mm in diameter (without the crown), by 27 mm lug to lug, by 7 mm thick (including the crystal). The silvered dial sings its praises and the movement is as clean as a whistle. You will also notice that it says "Antimagnetique" just under the Doxa name. This is telling you that it has a special hairspring that is not affected by magnetic fields. It also has a "seconds bit" in the 6 o'clock position that was common on many men's watches, but you rarely see on a ladies' timepiece. The applied rose gold markers are Arabic numerals for the evens and pointed bars in the odd positions, for a stylistic effect.
Our one-year warranty for parts and labor will allow you to buy with complete confidence. This one can be yours!
Benrus watches are often underestimated. They made really nice watches, as you can see here, but are often overlooked in favor of more expensive watches. We think this is a tragedy, since Benrus watches are great looking and well-made. This particular Benrus has a round stainless steel case, measuring 34 mm in diameter (not including the crown) (an American quarter measures 24 mm in diameter) by 40 mm lug to lug by 9 mm thick (including the crystal). This interesting case, with a "Florentine Bezel", houses an even nicer 17 jewel movement that is in great condition. Now, take a look at the dial, it is a silvered classic that has white gold elongated arrowhead markers at the chapters with blank spaces at the twelve, nine, and six. You will also notice the "Shock Absorber" marking just below the dial center that indicates that it has "Kif" springs holding the cap jewels in place. This was a feature that saved many a watch from shock damage and is a desirable feature for any watch. It also has an interesting "Seconds Bit" in the 6 o'clock position with a "Gunsite" demarcation. Every feature combines to make for a very handsome gentleman's timepiece.
This particular Benrus is indicative of iconic mid-century American wristwatches. Yes, it was someone's prized possession but very gently used over its lifetime, and now our master watchmakers have restored it to like-new performance. It is running, winding, setting, and keeping time like the day it arrived on these shores from Switzerland. This is a fully restored and warrantied watch that you can buy for very little dough. This is a gentleman's watch that would look great on your wrist. Remember all of our timepieces come with our famous one-year warranty for parts and labor so that you may buy with confidence!
The Hamilton Watch Company was founded in 1892, but they didn't produce their first watch until 1893. The first watch was designed by one of the companies founding members, H.J. Cain. Their pocket watches commanded immediate respect and became prominent timepieces for railroad engineers, as well as the general public. The "Broadway Limited" was introduced in their first year of business! These watches were so respected that they became the official watch of the American Expeditionary Forces worldwide! A special wristwatch version was made and supplied to General Pershing and his men in WWI. Admiral Byrd relied on the same watch on both his Arctic and Antarctic expeditions. Auguste Piccard used a Hamilton timepiece on his balloon ascent into the stratosphere in the early 1930s. The first American to summit Mount Everest, Jim Whittaker, was wearing a Hamilton in 1963! Suffice it to say, Hamilton made the best American watches, bar none! This particular Hamilton "Raleigh" was made circa 1929 and was a very popular model made in white, yellow, and green gold fill with either a plain bezel or an engraved one. Ours is the more desirable "engraved" bezel in white gold fill. How many survive today is anyone's guess. The "Raleigh" is a seventeen jewel Hamilton, grade 897-F, which is as clean as a whistle, and was one of Hamilton's finest grades for that time period. The white gold-filled case measures 28 mm at its widest (not including the crown), by 9 mm thick (including the crystal) by 39 mm lug-to-lug. The beautifully patinated dial has bold black Arabic numerals that really stand out. The seconds bit echoes the case shape and the lume filled hands finish the look. We have fitted it with a very nice, black, croco strap, so that it will grace your wrist with style. With a Hamilton "Raleigh" on your wrist, you can feel just like "Sir Walter." Our one-year warranty for parts and labor will assure you this "Raleigh" is in great running condition as are all of our timepieces.
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. It was produced in 19, 21, and 23 jewels. This particular Elgin is a 21 jewel beauty that is a very cool watch in more ways than one. First, the 21 jewel movement is a thing of mechanical beauty Second, it is a "driver's watch," meant to be worn on the side of the wrist so that you could see the face of your watch without taking your hands off of the steering wheel. What a wild idea! You will also notice that there is a symbol just below the "Lord Elgin" moniker and this means the watch is 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 measuring 20mm wide, by 49 mm lug to lug, by 10 mm thick (including the crystal), and is running like the proverbial top. Yes, it is small but this was an advantage for drivers and, today, it makes it perfect for that smaller wrist, be it a man's or a lady's. It takes a 16 mm band and we have fitted it with a dark brown, croco 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.
As you may know, Elgin was the largest producer of timepieces in America and they were in business for 100 years at the factory in Elgin, Illinois. They produced a wonderful line of clocks, pocket watches, and wristwatches, many of which are still in use, today. This is not only a testament to their technical prowess but also to their classic styling. This particular gentleman's Elgin is the "DeLuxe," as you can see from the name on the dial. Just underneath the name is a symbol that indicates it is fitted with a Durapower mainspring that was "unbreakable." Elgin had developed an alloy that allowed for strength and great flexibility, thereby doing away with the more brittle blued steel mainsprings of earlier years. This one is quite elegant, not only because of its silvered dial and stylized gold numerals, interspersed with gold dots, but also because of the way the case bezel articulates in several different planes. It is a 17 jewel movement in a gold-filled case sporting a seconds bit at the 6 o'clock position, the shape of which mimics the overall tonneau case shape. The case back tells a bit of its history. It says "Ignatz Ameru 25th Anniversary 4-23-50 Service & Meter Dept. C.E. Co." The case measures 25 mm in width (not including the crown) by 37 mm lug to lug, by 10 mm thick (including the domed crystal). We have fitted it with a brown 16 mm croco grain band to complete the look. The watch is in wonderful condition and is a size that can easily be worn by a man or a woman. Our head watchmaker has it running like the day it was made back in 1948. You can buy this watch with complete confidence due to our one-year warranty for parts and labor.
"The name 'Accutron' denotes a men's wrist timepiece, among other Bulova electronic products. It is the first and only watch-size timepiece, including those powered by a battery, which does not use a balance wheel and hairspring. Instead, the 'Accutron' mechanism has a tuning fork as the timekeeping element... a much more accurate timekeeping device. The tuning fork is driven with energy form a tiny power cell, or battery, by means of an electronic circuit. The vibratory motion of the tuning fork is converted into rotary motion for turning the time-indicating hands, by means of a simple but incredibly small mechanism."
The paragraph above was the opening salvo from Bulova in a pamphlet that was distributed to dealers and retailers all over America, back when the "Accutron" was first introduced, circa 1960. There was nothing even remotely like it in the market – a "tuning fork" watch – and they needed to let everyone know how revolutionary it was. This one is not only an "Accutron," but it is also a "Spaceview." The stainless steel case measures 39 mm lug to lug, by 34 mm wide, by 13 mm thick (including the crystal). It makes a real statement on the wrist. Made in 1965, it has the look of the "space age." The story is told that the American government wanted to keep this technology out of the hands of the Russians. So, they asked Bulova to keep it a secret a little longer, since we were using this very accurate timekeeper in our space program. When you take a look at the informational pamphlet that Bulova put out to introduce this new idea to jewelers and watchmakers, it has a very avant-garde, cutting-edge look (for its day). In the pamphlet, it is explained that the seconds are parsed into very discrete segments by the vibrations of a small tuning fork at the heart of the movement. Bulova advertised it as the "watch that hums!" The general public was so taken with the idea they wanted to see how it worked and Bulova obliged. They had store displays that showed the interior of the watch exposed and this caused people to want a watch on their wrist that had the same look. As a result, the "Spaceview" was born! Like all Accutrons, this one is back-set, at the rear of the stainless steel case. What's special about this one is the yellow hands and the condition – which is fantastic. Our head watchmaker has it humming just the way it did back in 1965. It could be humming on your wrist! We warranty all of our watches for one year, for parts and labor, so that you may buy with confidence.
If you are looking for a real statement piece then this may be the watch for you. There will be no mistaking what you are all about if you are wearing this watch! It is a Japanese quartz watch that was obviously made for a rocker at heart, circa 2001. It even has the extrapolation of the guitar neck and frets built into the band. Your friends will be grabbing your wrist to take a gander at this outrageous watch. Not only is the watch in the shape of a guitar but the case also mimics a real guitar case. The silvered dial is easily read with black baton hands to contrast. The guitar/watch body measures 34 mm wide (without the crown), by 55 mm long from the bottom to the longest part of the guitar body, by 8 mm thick. Jimi would have to have it! What a hoot!
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 no exception. This particular model has what is termed a "Perpetual Calendar." It is an automatic (self-winding) seventeen jewel Japanese movement that is exceptionally large for its era. The stainless steel case measures 42 mm in diameter (not including the crowns), by 45 mm lug to lug, by 12 mm thick (including the crystal). This is quite the wrist candy during a time when most watches were under 36 mm. What makes it special is not only the size but the "calendar" feature that allows the wearer to rotate two discs underneath the main dial. The information on these discs show the dates and the years. By aligning them with the current year, day, and date, one can view all the correct data for that year and the next, etc. This interesting movement is housed in a great looking stainless steel case with a matching stainless steel band. The case back is a screw-down configuration that keeps out water and debris that the owner might encounter during daily wear. The dark blue dial just gleams and the day and date windows are easy to read at a glance. One of the unique features on this handsome watch is the push button on the case band at the 2 o'clock position. A simple push of the index finger will allow you to select the current date without the tedious task of having to revolve the hands in order to align the proper date. Our head watchmaker has it winding, setting, and keeping time just as it did 50 years ago. Our one-year warranty for parts and labor will allow you to buy with confidence.
When I was a boy (before there was dirt), Thor Heyerdahl was a big deal. He was the "Indiana Jones" of his day and on April 28, 1947, Heyerdahl and five other adventurers, to prove a theory about the ability of the ancients to make extensive ocean going voyages (and to quiet his detractors), hand built a raft and sailed from Peru across the Pacific Ocean to the Polynesian island of Puka Puka. A voyage over 4300 miles of open ocean. He named this raft the "Kon-Tiki" and in the 1950s I was an eager reader of the book by the same name.
On that voyage, Heyerdahl and the crew wore Eterna wristwatches. In 1958, Eterna created the "Kon-Tiki" line in honor of Heyerdahl. It is a great Chronograph "tool watch," which is driven by a 17 jewel, automatic movement that features the trademark five ball-bearing rotor system for excellent timekeeping. The stainless steel case with the "Kon-Tiki" logo on the back, measures 39 mm in diameter (not including the crown), by 44 mm lug to lug, by 13 mm thick (including the crystal).
This particular watch was made circa 1989, in the fine tradition of the "Kon-Tiki" line and it is in great condition. The black dial provides a good contrast for the hands to make it a very readable watch. You can see the "recorded minutes" subsidiary dial just below the 12 o'clock position, and the "recorded hours" sub dial at the 6 o'clock position, and the "Constant Seconds" sub dial at the 9 o'clock position. Along the dial edge of this Swiss beauty there is a "Tachymeter Scale" for calculating speed. The stainless steel bezel just gleams and the red sweep seconds hand ties it all together. The stainless steel link band is in great shape and looks fantastic.
What's not to like here? ... Nothing! Our one-year warranty for parts and labor will allow you to buy with confidence.
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 that is "chronometer" rated, indicating that it has passed rigid standards for accuracy. It is, in fact, at the pinnacle of mechanical watches in a world where few qualify for this mark.
Some Movado watch models have Esperanto names such as Bela ("beautiful"), Belamodo ("beautiful fashion"), Fiero ("pride"), Brila ("brilliant"), Linio ("line"), and Verto ("crown"). The company's name means "movement" in Esperanto.
This Movado has a 15 jewel movement in a sterling silver oversize case with a very nice silver grey dial that has stylized Art Deco, Arabic numerals that once glowed in the dark, along with the skeletonized blued steel hands. There is a perfectly square seconds bit at the 6 o'clock position completing the look. The "Chronometer" designation indicates that it had to pass very strict standards for timekeeping and that it was issued a certificate from COSC (an acronym) which stands for Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres — aka the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute. Essentially, this body is responsible for certifying the precision and accuracy of high-precision wristwatches made in Switzerland, typically found on luxury watch brands. What it means to you is that this is a very reliable timepiece that will be a joy to own. The case, which measures 25 mm in width(not including the crown), by 36 mm lug to lug, by 10 mm thick (including the crystal), is a beauty to behold. To gild the lily, we have fitted it with a black genuine lizard band. Our one-year warranty, for parts and labor, will allow you to buy with confidence.
Paul Ditisheim was born in 1868 in La Chaux de Fonds, the historic birthplace of the watch-making industry. Paul, son of the famous Ditisheim family, funder and owner of Vulcain, the watch manufacture enjoyed by American presidents Eisenhower, Truman, Nixon, and Lyndon Johnson, was born into the small social circle of industrialist families that led the Swiss watch industry of the time. He studied at the Horological School of La Chaux-de-Fonds and received his diploma at the young age of 13. He was then trained in several of the major factories and then worked at his family's Vulcain manufacture until 1892 when he founded his own brands: Solvil (whose items were often signed Paul Ditisheim) and Titus (whose items were generally marked separately).
Paul Ditisheim was instrumental in developing the new generation of Chronometers, improving them greatly through his studies on the impact of atmospheric pressures and magnetic fields. He invented the affix balance. Thanks to his inventions, he was able to make the most precise chronometers ever made. By 1903, his watches were awarded by the Kew and Neuchatel Observatories contests. In 1912, he won the world's chronometric record of the Royal Kew Observatory. Needless to say he was a mastermind in the field of horology.
In 1930, he handed over the Solvil et Titus and Paul Ditisheim brands to wealthy Swiss entrepreneur Paul Bernard Vogel. Vogel, heir to a prestigious family of industrialists, and married to the heiress of the prominent Eberard family, was also a member of the Swiss watch industry elite. Vogel moved the company headquarters to Geneva and turned it into one of the largest and most successful brands of the age, expanding it all over the world. Ditisheim died in 1945, leaving a legacy of technical excellence and design that has renewed the reputation of "Swiss Made".
The watch we have on offer here is one of his very elegant "Diamond Dial" dress watches. It is in the style of the late 1930s "Curvex" models. The long rectangular Platinum Case hugs the wrist and really displays the "Diamond Dial" to its greatest advantage. This is the only Platinum Ditisheim that we have had the pleasure to offer after being in business for over 40 years. The case measures 19 mm in width (not including the crown), by a whopping 47 mm lug to lug, by 9 mm thick (including the crystal). It just gleams in our case, but once you put it on your wrist it really comes alive. This watch is the embodiment of elegance. The Arabic numerals at all the cardinal points are inlaid with diamonds as are the stylized hour markers at the other chapters. Our head watch maker couldn't help but tell me what an interesting watch he had just restored. It is a beautiful Art Deco work of "wrist art" that will give you years of service as your companion to all those black tie affairs. Our one-year warranty, for parts and labor, will allow you to buy with confidence. Don't miss it!
Mido was founded in 1918 by George G. Schaeren in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. Mido comes from the Spanish phrase "Yo mido" meaning "I measure". In the 1920s, Mido introduced ladies' watches with color-enameled shaped cases and modern straps as well as timepieces for gentlemen in art deco style. Mido found a market in the flourishing automotive market by producing watches in the shape of radiator grills of a wide range of brands such as Buick, Bugatti, Fiat, Ford, Excelsior, Hispano-Suiza, etc.
In 1934, Mido launched the Multifort design, the first Mido to use a self-winding automatic movement. It was shock-resistant, anti-magnetic and water-resistant. In that same year Mido launched watches with unbreakable mainsprings. This was also the very first time that any watch manufacturer utilized this type of spring within the marketplace. During this time period, Mido used a robot as its ambassador as a symbol of progress and robustness. A comic strip from this era featured the Mido Robot and its adventures.
In 1945, Mido became the first manufacturer to introduce a central-read chronograph wherein the stopwatch function had all its hands arranged at the center. In 1954, the firm launched the world's most efficient winding mechanism. Mido released its Commander model in 1959, which utilized a one-piece case design. In 1967, Mido was distinguished as the maker of the world's thinnest ladies watch. In 1970, Mido launched the Aquadura Crown Sealing system, which makes use of an all-natural cork which is handled and formed to insure its water resistant qualities. This technique is utilized to seal the crown, the most susceptible place on a watch to water leakage.
During the nineties, the Mido World Timer was launched. This was a practical display that can show the local time anywhere on the planet. The user must bring the desired city to the 12 o’clock position and press the crown to check the local time. Mido is recognized as one of the top 10 producers of certified chrononmeters. With 61,358 automatic movements produced in 2013, Mido is currently ranked number four in the production of chronometers in the Swiss watch industry. Today, Mido is a part of the Swatch Group, headquartered in Le Locle, Switzerland. It also has a branch office in Shanghai, China.
The Mido we are presenting to you here is in such nice condition that it looks brand new even though it is from the 1960s. Our head watchmaker has it winding setting and keeping time just as it did over 60 years ago... yes it is a real killer and a watch that won't break the bank. When he handed me the watch after its testing period he could not resist telling me how nice it was and he especially drew my attention to the smooth stainless steel band and its wonderful tactile quality. It is a joy to put on your wrist. The case measures 36 mm in diameter (not including the crown), by 37 mm lug to lug, by 10 mm thick (including the crystal). You will love this watch!