A Wittnauer Oddity
The newest addition to my collection has just arrived! Traded two other pieces from my collection for it, but it was a good trade. The new kid on the block is this Wittnauer:
Everything about it screams 1940s to early 1950s. It doesn't seem like much at first, though as you can see, the real oddity is the way the dial is signed. I have never seen this Wittnauer font paired with "Geneve" underneath. Sure, later Wittnauers had the "Geneve" in italics, but that was well into the 1950s. The dial has not been repainted - even patina and spots on the varnish, no damage of any kind. The Wittnauer font checks out entirely with similar specimens. It's simply a beautifully preserved dial. The 24h scale suggests it could have been marketed to military personnel or people, whose work required telling time in the 24h format - which is, well, a lot of professions. Definitely not a milwatch.
The all-steel case is crazy sharp - what seems like a bezel is simply a milled step, since it's a 2-piece case. Crown looks original, and there doesn't seem to be any damage to the case, except one slight dent in the step/faux-bezel, but it takes a really close look to spot it.
Inside ticks this:
What Wittnauer called their cal. 11ES appears to be an ETA 1080 - nothing special, but a very decent movement. One thing that's a slight downside is the absence of any shock device, but that was fairly typical of the time. Especially since despite being registered in Geneve, Wittnauer was an American company, founded by a Swiss immigrant to the US. Most watches by Wittnauer were sold in the US, and for whatever reason, most watches made for the US market weren't equipped with shock protection - much like British market ones.
There is no US import mark of Longines-Wittnauer to be found anywhere on the movement, so I think this one was probably exported and sold by Wittnauer elsewhere.
At 32,5mm and with 16mm lugs, this one was pretty much average-sized for its time. However, the step case and the dial design give it plenty of visual depth, and make it a treat to look at. Oh, and that blued sweep second hand...it's a thing of beauty.
Staff writer at WahaWatches. Collecting and researching vintage watches since 2014
Looks stunning. Good job.
I had to do a little internet research. Maybe you can read this, I can't.
Wittnauer is one of the most confusing brands out there. Who made their movements? Almost anyone (Longines, ETA, Revue, Record, etc...)
If you bought a Wittnauer in the 1940's it could have been a Le Coultre, a Vacheron & Constantin, a Longines, or a Wittnauer. There was a lot of rebranding going on. Wittnauer Geneve looks like it started as a Swiss subsidiary to sell watches in Switzerland. Wittnauer had another Swiss subsidiary as early as 1898. Confusingly, most Wittnauer military style watches were sold to the U.S. Navy.
I think you are right about the date. I would narrow it to the late 1940's. I think that military style watches maintained their popularity until about five years after the War and then they become more scarce. But, you know this stuff better than I do.
It is a beautiful watch.
Fantastic watch. Hope you enjoy it!
Gorgeous watch. I could not find a match in any of my reference books, but I do have some comments.... I believe this watch has Longines DNA all over it, the smoking gun is the case style and the font issue you mentioned. Then again maybe it was one of the other many companies that supplied Wittnauer. I also think this was definitely designed for the Military, the clues here are the radium(?) on the dial, the center seconds complication, and the 24 hour dial markings. Not all military watches were issued, so it is not unusual to have a so called "civilian version" out in the wild. Many military members had to buy their watches, they were not issued to everyone. The 1940's to early 1950's date of manufacture is also safe to assume from the evidence at hand. Of course, I have nothing concrete to back any of this up (and I looked) but its my opinion.
Gorgeous watch. I could not find a match in any of my reference books, but I do have some comments.... I believe this watch has Longines DNA all over it, the smoking gun is the case style and the font issue you mentioned. Then again maybe it was one of the other many companies that supplied Wittnauer. I also think this was definitely designed for the Military, the clues here are the radium(?) on the dial, the center seconds complication, and the 24 hour dial markings. Not all military watches were issued, so it is not unusual to have a so called "civilian version" out in the wild. Many military members had to buy their watches, they were not issued to everyone. The 1940's to early 1950's date of manufacture is also safe to assume from the evidence at hand. Of course, I have nothing concrete to back any of this up (and I looked) but its my opinion.
The ETA 1080 inside is rather typically post-WW2. It is very possible that the case, dial and hands could have been made by suppliers that Wittnauer and Longines alike have used, but the case back design of this one - especially the notches - differ considerably from Longines of the same period. Who knows, could have been made by the same supplier. Or not. That, I reckon, will remain an unknown.
After the war, there would still have been plenty of takers for a 24h dial - people working in aviation, media, communications, merchant ship crews... Wherever 24h time format was the standard. I can see how this one could have been handy in a variety of professions.
The ETA 1080 inside is rather typically post-WW2. It is very possible that the case, dial and hands could have been made by suppliers that Wittnauer and Longines alike have used, but the case back design of this one - especially the notches - differ considerably from Longines of the same period. Who knows, could have been made by the same supplier. Or not. That, I reckon, will remain an unknown.
After the war, there would still have been plenty of takers for a 24h dial - people working in aviation, media, communications, merchant ship crews... Wherever 24h time format was the standard. I can see how this one could have been handy in a variety of professions.
I have a photgraphic memory, so when I come across something concrete I will let you know.
Absolutely incredible condition for a watch some 80years old. WOW!