Touring circa 1915 | nickel hinged cased manual wind vintage wristwatch
Vintage Watch Update – 11 June 2021 | 14.6.21

Touring circa 1915 | nickel hinged cased manual wind vintage wristwatch

Touring with Modèle Déposé 9846 nickel case circa 1915

One of the earliest wristwatch designs, this interesting and attractive watch dates to the First World War period. Touring was a brand of the Swiss watchmaker Ditisheim & Co. and the Touring name was registered in 1905. Interestingly the inside case back is stamped Déposé 9846, referring to a design registered by the Anglo/Swiss company Dimier Frères & Cie. The 9846 design, first registered in 1903, was for an early wristwatch case with fixed wire lugs to accommodate a leather strap. The lugs are wire bars but with a distinctive down-turn, allowing a strap to pass easily beneath the case. In remarkable condition for its age, the watch retains its original knurled winding crown, the white enamel dial is in excellent condition with no visible cracks and the nickel case has tightly closing back, strong hinge and shows some minor age related marks. This is exactly the style of watch used in the trenches of the First World War. We have fitted the watch with a new but traditionally styled two-piece leather strap which comprises the leather strap itself and a separate but integrated leather pad. The pad forms a cuff and ensures that the metal case does not touch the skin when in use.

Revue Thommen cal.70 circa 1945 | steel rectangular wristwatch

Revue Thommen cal.70 steel c.1945

In exceptional condition, this is a fantastic Revue Thommen watch from the golden age of vintage watch production. It was during the 1930s and 1940s that some of the finest rectangular wristwatch designs were conceived. This is an all steel model with a clean Art Deco inspired linear design; the steel upper body has scooped and stepped sides and central facets to the area between the lugs.

There is a gentle curve to the steel back to allow it to fit comfortably to the natural shape of the wrist. The dial is also rather fabulous both in terms of condition and design with its bold Arabic numerals, strong two-toning, and attractive black/red Revue Thommen signature. The watch retains its original soft tan leather strap which is fully stitched and complete with tapered and faceted pin buckle.

West End Watch Co with Taubert Fils Case circa 1940 | steel vintage hand wound wristwatch

West End Watch Co. ‘Sowar’ Prima with steel Taubert case c.1940

This mid-sized wristwatch has a lovely silvered dial and bold, blued steel hands. The West End Watch Company was based in Geneva and St Imier in Switzerland. Originally part of Alcide Droz & Fils of St Imier, the West End Watch Co. also had a major presence in Bombay and Calcutta. In Bombay, the West End Watch Co. were the agents for Longines. West End Watch Co’s trademark of a ‘W’ within a 6 pointed star was registered in 1938 and appears on the outside case back and movement of this watch. In the same year (1938), West End Watch Co. registered the model name ‘Sowar’ which appears on the dial of this watch. For the construction of the case, The West End Watch Co turned to one of the finest specialist watch case making companies: Taubert & Fils. The case is an early moisture-resistant-type case, made in two parts with a solid upper steel body and screw-down back.

Cyma Ref. 18302 9578 circa 1945

Cyma Ref.18302 9578 steel & chrome c.1945

An unusual and stylish 1940s model, this Cyma wristwatch has an extremely handsome dial that is in excellent condition with strong two-toning and contrasting pink mirror-gilded Arabic numerals. The hands are of ‘syringe’ form, a distinctive style often used by Cyma during the mid-20th Century. The square case is constructed with a flat steel back and a chromed upper body with rounded sides.

Christopher Clarke for Black Bough handmade pig skin pull-through watch straps

CC for Black Bough handmade pull-through straps

The West End Watch Co. and Cyma watches shown above are both fitted with handmade pig skin pull-through leather straps made exclusively by Christopher Clarke for Black Bough. Recently added to the website, these pull-through watch straps are handmade in Shropshire. The straps are ideal for watches with fixed bar lugs and can be attached in a similar way to NATO-style straps. Chris thins down the leather to a depth of less than 1mm and the supple nature of the leather ensures that the straps fit easily around a watch’s lug bars and case back. To ensure the thin and supple nature of the straps, they are unlined. A solution of carrageen moss extract is applied to the back of the leather to bind the fibres and smooth the surface. The buckles and keeps are hand sewn using linen thread coated with beeswax. These straps are available in lug sizes 12mm, 14mm, 16mm, 17mm, 18mm, 19mm, 20mm, 22mm.

Omega Ref. 720 circa 1950 | steel hand wound vintage wristwatch

Omega Ref.720 circa 1950 with original box

A classic vintage wristwatch, this model was advertised within Omega’s catalogues for the UK market as a Ref. 720. The case was made for the watchmaker by the Dennison case company and features a polished chamfered bezel, gently down-turned lugs and flat, snap-on, back. Manually wound, the movement is a calibre 265 which is part of Omega’s highly regarded ’30’ series calibres. The silvered dial has a combination of silver foil Arabic numerals and raised triangular hour indexes which provide depth and contrast as light is carried across the surface. There is oxidation across the surface of the dial and some fading to the signature. This watch is accompanied by the original leather covered easel-form Omega presentation case. The case opens up to form a stand within which the watch can be placed.

Smiths de Luxe Ref.A518 Full Set 9ct gold 1960

A particularly handsome version of the Ref. A.518, this Smiths model retains its original Smiths guarantee paper and presentation box. The dial is fully set with distinctive raised gilded Arabic numerals and there is a recessed subsidiary seconds dial. Cased in 9ct gold, the watch has a slim chamfered bezel and straight, curved lugs. This model incorporates Smiths’ excellent calibre 12.15 gilded, hand-wound movement.

Omega Seamaster Ref. 166.002 circa 1966 | steel automatic wristwatch

Omega Seamaster Ref.166.002 steel c.1966

A classic Seamaster model, this reference was first introduced by Omega in 1962 and the present example dates to c.1966. The watch has a silvered dial with a light vertical satin finish and the applied hour indexes are centrally faceted. Automatically wound via Omega’s calibre 562, there is also provision for semi-quick date change – although the date will change each day at midnight, it may be manually advanced when required by moving the hands backwards and forwards between 9pm and 1am. The case retains good definition with some light scuffs and a little pitting to the side of the case between the lugs.

Omega Genève Dynamic Ref.135.033 steel c.1969

With a dark blue dial and contrasting light blue centre seconds hand, this sporty Dynamic model dates to c. 1969. The large elliptical case is made from a single block of stainless steel and measures 41mm in width. This watch is fitted with a signed Omega crystal and crown. A good example of the model, we have fitted the watch with a new dark blue leather strap and the original steel Omega buckle.

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