This is a very useful tool watch that bears the name "Astronaut Mark II". It has a 'Two Time Zone' hand where your home time or GMT can be read on an additional white hand Not only do you know what time it is, but there is also a date window at the 12 o'clock position and a very prominent red sweep second hand that is centrally located. The case is stainless steel for wearing longevity and it measures 34mm in width, by 40mm lug to lug, by 12mm thick (including the crystal) and it has an original "Accutron" marked 17mm black band. What makes it even more dramatic is the red and black contrast of the dial, the silver markers, and the red date! The "Accutron" is the world's first "tuning fork" watch, the most accurate watch of its day. The story is told that in the 1960s the American government wanted to keep this timing 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 space-age, cutting-edge look (for the 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 very much into innovative and stylish watches and Bulova made this very interesting "Astronaut" for space traveling men, women to strap on their wrists. So the next time you are "over the moon" make sure you are wearing this wonderful Accutron Astronaut! Our one year warranty for parts and labor will allow you to buy with confidence!
It was way back in 1886 that Edmond Mathey-Tissot began making complicated pocket watches in Les Ponts-de-Martel. He became known for watches of high quality, in some of the most complicated pocket watches made at that time, especially repeaters that chime the time on demand. He also began producing highly-rated chronometers and, during the Second Boer War, was a supplier to the military and that demanded his expansion of the manufacture. It is said that a Scottish nobleman ordered 2500 watches to give to every member of his son's regiment, with officers receiving solid gold repeaters and the other enlisted men receiving silver repeaters. Wow! What a gift!
In 1914, Mathey-Tissot was represented at the Kew Observatory Competition by six Observatory Chronometers capable of split-second timing, all six being rated 'Class A' with the comment "specially good." The same year, Mathey-Tissot gained the Grand Prix at the Swiss National Exhibition. During WWI, the company supplied the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with precision chronographs in large quantities, while General Pershing, commanding the U.S. Expeditionary Forces, chose the watch to award to members of his own staff. Both before and after WWII, the company continued to supply the U.S. Army and the Royal Navy. By 1937, the E. Mathey-Tissot & Co. was a protected trademark in the U.S.
So, as you can see, the company has an excellent pedigree and the watch we are offering here is the beneficiary of that long line of excellence. It is a wonderful stainless steel automatic from 1951 and it bears a personalization on the back that reads "Pete from Hal 1954". If only these watches could tell us the tale of where they had been, and what they had seen. The square case measures 32 mm (not including the crown) by 32 mm, by 13 mm thick (including the crystal). It houses a wonderful 17 jewel, automatic movement tha our head watchmaker has winding, setting, and keeping time just as it should. The dial is a handsome silvered beauty that really makes the look of this excellent timepiece. It has such a presence on the wrist that everyone who sees it will marvel at its appearance. It all could be yours. Remember our one year warranty for parts and labor will allow you to buy with confidence.
The year 1957 was a landmark year for design. This is when everything that came off the designer's drawing board was unusual and it seemed like every other product that came along was futuristic in design. Such was the Elgin "Direct Reading" Jump Hour. These were made in three different cases, although the 21 jewel Cal. 719 movement was common to them all.
Elgin, the world's largest watch manufacturer, was on the cutting edge of innovative watch design. This was a time of exaggerated fins on automobiles and ducktail hairdos. So, Elgin designers wanted a watch that would take your imagination. They produced a series of what they called "Direct Readers". One was the rectangular shape that later became famous as "The Elvis", one was in a round dimpled case called the "Golf Ball", and this one is the round and smooth version in what you might call a "Chevron" configuration.
The yellow gold filled case measures 32 mm in diameter (not including the crown) by 9 mm thick. The surface of the watch has a smooth finish that is very reminiscent of "Space Age" styling of the late 1950's. It is a delight to wear and display on your wrist, and your friends will be wanting to get a closer look at how it functions.
Our head watchmaker has it winding, setting, and jumping just as it did in 1957. When you peer through the triangular window, just below the watch center, you will see a large number (the hour) with a disc of smaller numbers underneath the hour. This is the "Wandering Minutes" track that rotates to indicate the passing of the minutes. When the 60-minute mark is reached the next hour "jumps" into the window for yet another hour on display. The crucial test of the proper service for one of these watches is the sharp jumping of the hour disc when the hour changes. Ours jumps to attention just like it should. This one is quite spiffy! If you want a watch that you won't see walking up and down the street, don't miss this one. It is special! Our one year warranty for parts and labor will allow you to buy with confidence.
Everybody had their idea of what the future should look like in the 1960's! Bulova was no different.....except, they made the future a reality! Bulova was the leader in tuning fork watches and when the Accutron came to market there was nothing else like it in the world. The technology was amazing circa 1966. This is the watch that "hums"!
The watch parsed seconds by dividing time into vibrational intervals. This was accomplished by means of an electrically pulsed tuning fork. One tine of the fork had a small index jewel affixed to it that interfaced with an index wheel and moved it forward on the outbound excursion of the tine. A pawl jewel was used to hold the index wheel in place while the index jewel drew back for another forward excursion. The result was a seemingly smooth motion of the sweep second hand. It actually steps 300 times for every revolution...a truly amazing feat. We would all be wearing these watches if the quartz watch had not been discovered since these are the most accurate watches of their day.
This particular "Spaceview" (coined because you can see the movement and all of it's circuitry coupled with this "Space Age" technology) is in very nice condition and it is running like the day it was made. The yellow gold filled case is 33mm in diameter by 49mm lug to lug. If you want a watch that hums this is the one for you! Remember all of our timepieces come with our famous one year warranty for parts and labor!
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 14K yellow and white gold, 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'nt miss it!
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.