Mystery Watch!

Pallet_Fork

Hey WatchCrunchers, I'm asking for help from the collective brain trust on this one, a mystery watch I purchased with the company name GHURKA.

I couldn't resist, with the Breguet hands and enamel dial, all in excellent condition. The watch is quartz, so it's not that old.

Image

The case is a scant 31mm (it was advertised larger) and 7.73mm thick.

The boner who opened it up for this picture (from the ad) used the lugs for leverage and bent the one, causing it to split. I have temporarily repaired it but am unable to open it up with conventional tools, so I have to buy a case splitter tool. In the meantime, this is the only look inside. Apparently, according to the ad, it has 7 jewels.

I haven't been able to find anything on GHURKA. I recently saw a watch with the same name and logo, with additional complications, for sale on eBay for $1,900. And that's it. My searches are met with crickets chirping and tumbleweeds blowing by.

Any insight on this pretty watch? Thanks in advance for any help.

Cheers!

-Eric

UPDATE after posting: After closer inspection of the GHURKA bag company, it seems there's symmetry with their current logo and the one on my watch, so it's probably them. But still, they sell bags now and no watches? Strange.

#mystery #mysterywatch #swiss #enamel
Reply
foghorn
·

Is this the one you bought?

https://www.goodwillfinds.com/jewelry/watches/mens/vintage-ghurka-swiss-7-jewel-enamel-face-quartz-watch/10013-0000-177313.html

Pallet_Fork
·
foghorn

Is this the one you bought?

https://www.goodwillfinds.com/jewelry/watches/mens/vintage-ghurka-swiss-7-jewel-enamel-face-quartz-watch/10013-0000-177313.html

Yep!

I found another Ghurka but it's an automatic with complications just like the eBay one.

PoorMansRolex
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That "NUMA JEANNIN SA" inside the case back is mysterious as well.

https://watch-wiki.org/index.php?title=Numa_Jeannin_SA

translated

The Numa Jeannin Ltd manufactory in Fleurier was founded in 1906 by Numa Augustin Jeannin zu Fleurier and no longer exists. The brand may have been created by Paul Jeannin Bourquin. At the beginning in the name of his son Numa Jeannin (Numa César) who was only one month old. The Olma brand was born on January 22, 1926 and marketed pocket watches typical of the time. Its headquarters were located at 33 rue de l'Hôpital in Fleurier. In addition to Olma, there was also the Ivy brand.

Since Olma has almost no movement of its own, the brand has introduced interesting innovations in the field of water resistance. Many models are proudly decorated with the words "waterproof". The Caravelle range, whose bottom is characterized by an engraved vessel, exemplifies its nautical vocation well in models intended for sailors and divers, such as this model with a "compressor" type case and its internal rotating bezel.

In the 1980s, Numa Jeannin SA introduced the Les Nostalgiques series and were also used for the Julien Le Roy brand. Which is named after the French watchmaker Julien Le Roy (1). Les Nostalgiques de Numa Jeannin was officially submitted on January 25, 1984. These models were also sold by Alpina Watch International in Biel. Both mechanical and quartz movements were available in this model range.

Pallet_Fork
·
PoorMansRolex

That "NUMA JEANNIN SA" inside the case back is mysterious as well.

https://watch-wiki.org/index.php?title=Numa_Jeannin_SA

translated

The Numa Jeannin Ltd manufactory in Fleurier was founded in 1906 by Numa Augustin Jeannin zu Fleurier and no longer exists. The brand may have been created by Paul Jeannin Bourquin. At the beginning in the name of his son Numa Jeannin (Numa César) who was only one month old. The Olma brand was born on January 22, 1926 and marketed pocket watches typical of the time. Its headquarters were located at 33 rue de l'Hôpital in Fleurier. In addition to Olma, there was also the Ivy brand.

Since Olma has almost no movement of its own, the brand has introduced interesting innovations in the field of water resistance. Many models are proudly decorated with the words "waterproof". The Caravelle range, whose bottom is characterized by an engraved vessel, exemplifies its nautical vocation well in models intended for sailors and divers, such as this model with a "compressor" type case and its internal rotating bezel.

In the 1980s, Numa Jeannin SA introduced the Les Nostalgiques series and were also used for the Julien Le Roy brand. Which is named after the French watchmaker Julien Le Roy (1). Les Nostalgiques de Numa Jeannin was officially submitted on January 25, 1984. These models were also sold by Alpina Watch International in Biel. Both mechanical and quartz movements were available in this model range.

Wow, you have a keen eye! Thanks for posting this! 🤝

Once I get a case splitter and open it up, I'll take some detailed pics and add to this.