Omega Ref.2900 circa 1956
An extremely stylish vintage wristwatch, this Omega Ref. 2900 has a rare dial featuring black, disc-form hour indexes which alternate with Arabic numerals. The lugs are bold with good shaping and chamfered detailing to their outer edges. Interestingly, the top of the upper left-hand lug has a Portuguese import stamp. This small hallmark, which is in shape of an armadillo, was a legal requirement for steel watches imported into Portugal between 1938 and 1985 and proved that import tax had been paid (precious metal cases were stamped with differently shaped hallmarks). On period vintage watches, the hallmark is invariably struck to the upper left-hand lug in the same way as that found on the present watch.
Zenith Surf Ref.01 1640 360 365 c.1975
A great looking 36mm wide wristwatch, this Zenith Surf model has a dark grey, satin finished dial which is in excellent condition, retaining a rich lustre to the surface. There is a circular brushed finish to the upper body of the steel case and a polished finish to the chamfered bezel. Manually wound, this watch is powered by a crisp Zenith calibre 2572.
Omega Seamaster de Ville Ref.14745 c.1963
The double ‘branding’ of this Ref. 14745 model as both a ‘Seamaster’ and a ‘de Ville’ emphasised the watch’s sporty nature (for which the Seamaster models were well-known) while also drawing on the watch’s classic, dress-style look which the ‘De Ville’ range was introduced to represent. This example of the model has a classic silvered dial with sunburst satin finish and the applied indexes have black inserts to increase legibility. The watch retains its signed Omega crystal and crown. The dial has a rich lustre to the surface and there is light spotting to the hands.
Smiths de Luxe Ref.A504 hallmarked 1955 | Gold
In 1953, Smiths performed a marketing coup by supplying Edmund Hillary with a watch for his ascent of Everest. Seizing this advertising opportunity, Smiths launched a campaign picturing a Smiths de Luxe A.504 watch on top of Everest with a quote from Hillary beneath stating: “I carried your watch to the summit. It worked perfectly.” A copy of the original advertisement is shown below.
The movement was manufactured at Smith’s factory in Cheltenham while the 9ct gold case was produced for Smiths in London by the Baume Watch Co. A handsome example of the model, the dial is richly two-toned and the gold case has a chamfered bezel and plain snap-on gold back.
Minerva c.1945 | Steel
The Swiss watch company Minerva dates back to 1858, although the Minerva trademark itself was not registered until 1887. Best known for their chronograph wristwatches, Minerva produced a range of interesting and unusual vintage models. This watch, which dates to circa 1945, has a black gloss dial with gilded Roman numerals, dot hour indexes and a square subsidiary seconds dial. Cased in steel, the watch has a rounded bezel and attractive flared lugs.
West End Watch Co. Multifort c.1942-1945 | Steel
A very handsome mid-sized wristwatch, this Multifort model has a bold black Arabic numeral dial and vibrant blued steel hands. 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. The bumper automatic movement was supplied to the West End Watch Co. by Mido and uses an ébauche by Schild – it was one of the earliest automatic movements designed for use in a wristwatch.
For the construction of the case, The West End Watch Co turned to the specialist watch case making company Taubert & Fils. From the late 19th Century, when it existed under the name Frères Borgel, Taubert & Fils was one of the finest Geneva based case makers and were specialists in the manufacture of high quality dirt and moisture-resistant cases.
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