1929 Helvetia waterproof watches are like buses...

Helvetia History · Feb 24, 2020

...nothing for ages then two come along at once.

This is the first model Helvetia made, they only seem to have been produced from Sept 1929, when they patented their shock protection, through to 1930 when a slightly different, rounded lug version came in. I've seen 5 in total, all hallmarked for 1929/30, and two were in auctions that finished on Friday!

The first was on eBay and finished a bit too high for me:

Nice interesting watch. Being early waterproof and shockproof watches I think they were popular amongst the military.

Second was at an auction which I managed to snag, not really cheap but within what I wanted to pay. Interesting to see the differences in the watches with only a few months between them, the eBay one being slightly later.

They are quite a chunky watch for the time, as can be seen from this wrist shot of the first one I acquired a while ago (I hadn't cleaned it up yet).

For more info on Helvetia waterproof and shockproof watches have a look at my page here though I am in the process of rewriting it with a ton more information I've found out recently.

https://www.helvetiahistory.co.uk/1930s-sports-watches

Hopefully I'll have the new one in my hands in the next few days!

Thanks. Carl.

Vitezi · Feb 24, 2020

There was this 1934 example posted Friday on Instagram...a cushion case, but I assume not waterproof...?
https://www.instagram.com/p/B81BT0XqY7B/

Helvetia History · Feb 24, 2020

Hi. I've seen this one a few times in the past. This is the next type waterproof case. I would date this one to about 1931 from the movement number which I've seen before from other posts on instagram etc.

Here is the movement:

Interesting dial similar to the one in this ad.

Here is my silver version of the same case:

And a pic of the back next to my earlier example. Unfortunately someone has replaced the fixed bars but you can see the curved lugs as opposed to the flat ones:

They them moved to a series of tonneau cases after this.

Thanks. Carl.

bubba48 · Feb 24, 2020

La Generale (company founded in 1895 by the Brandt brothers, owners of Omega, to market watches for the medium-low segment of the market and sold to the co-director Edouardb Boilat in 1911, who chooses "Helvetia" as the leading brand for a higher level production ) launches the "Helvetia" waterproof watch in 1930, in which protection from humidity is guaranteed by the glass inserted in a groove in the bezel (patent n ° CH155825), by leather seals inside the frame and by a protection around to the winding stem ".

Helvetia History · Feb 24, 2020

bubba48
La Generale (company founded in 1895 by the Brandt brothers, owners of Omega, to market watches for the medium-low segment of the market and sold to the co-director Edouardb Boilat in 1911, who chooses "Helvetia" as the leading brand for a higher level production ) launches the "Helvetia" waterproof watch in 1930, in which protection from humidity is guaranteed by the glass inserted in a groove in the bezel (patent n ° CH155825), by leather seals inside the frame and by a protection around to the winding stem ".

Thanks Bubba. Where is that quote from? I'd be interested to read more.

The first Helvetia waterproof were these ones in 1929. They did not have the patent waterproof crystal fitting, as you can see this was patented in 1931.

They also went on to patent a system of shock protecting the entire movement with springs.

I think they have a good case for being the first 'sports' watch, waterproof and shock protected. The Rolex Oyster was slightly earlier but wasn't shock protected. The Wittnauer All-Proof was apparently but I can't see proper shock protection on their movements like the Helvetia has.

Have a look at my site for more info;

https://www.helvetiahistory.co.uk/1930s-sports-watches

MoclovFlop · Feb 24, 2020

Funny, I had the jump hour version as seen in the first ad. Or at least it was very similar (however overpolished).

It had a shock protected balance, but wasn't marked Helvetia. So maybe it wasn't theirs. Case also didn't seem to have any real waterproofing, but did have a crystal over the display which is super rare for the art deco jump hours. Most just have a clear film behind the windows, so maybe this was enough?

Helvetia History · Feb 25, 2020

MoclovFlop
Funny, I had the jump hour version as seen in the first ad. Or at least it was very similar (however overpolished).

It had a shock protected balance, but wasn't marked Helvetia. So maybe it wasn't theirs. Case also didn't seem to have any real waterproofing, but did have a crystal over the display which is super rare for the art deco jump hours. Most just have a clear film behind the windows, so maybe this was enough?

Hi. It does look like it doesn't it. If it was shock protected there is a good chance as there weren't that many companies that shock protected their watches this early. They didn't normally put their name on their watches this early either, If you have a picture of the movement I could let you know for sure. It would probably be the Helvetia 75:

Or possibly if early this adapted AS movement with earlier shock protection.

Looks very similar to this one.

Helvetia History · Feb 25, 2020

bubba48
La Generale (company founded in 1895 by the Brandt brothers, owners of Omega, to market watches for the medium-low segment of the market and sold to the co-director Edouardb Boilat in 1911, who chooses "Helvetia" as the leading brand for a higher level production ) launches the "Helvetia" waterproof watch in 1930, in which protection from humidity is guaranteed by the glass inserted in a groove in the bezel (patent n ° CH155825), by leather seals inside the frame and by a protection around to the winding stem ".

Just to add once they had patented the new waterproof crystal fitting they marked their cases with the patent:

bubba48 · Feb 25, 2020

CVivash
Thanks Bubba. Where is that quote from? I'd be interested to read more.
...

Sorry, but I know very little about Helvetia and I found this information on the Italian forum O&P a few years ago, but I can't remember the source.

MoclovFlop · Feb 25, 2020

CVivash
Hi. It does look like it doesn't it. If it was shock protected there is a good chance as there weren't that many companies that shock protected their watches this early. They didn't normally put their name on their watches this early either, If you have a picture of the movement I could let you know for sure. It would probably be the Helvetia 75:

Or possibly if early this adapted AS movement with earlier shock protection.

Looks very similar to this one.

Spot on - it was the early AS version. Here's a crappy photo.

And side note, this was either sold, or made to look like it was sold, by Cuervos y Sobrinos.

Helvetia History · Feb 25, 2020

MoclovFlop
Spot on - it was the early AS version. Here's a crappy photo.

And side note, this was either sold, or made to look like it was sold, by Cuervos y Sobrinos.

Interesting. I think these jump hour, and the large date watches I've mentioned in other threads, tend to be early. It looks as if by the mid thirties they concentrated on their waterproof watches and of course pilots watches.

Looks like there are the remains of a serial number on the back, if you could read it I could give you a date.

Did you know it was by Helvetia or did you just see the pic at the top of this thread and thought it looked similar?

It's surprising how many Helvetias are around without being recognised.

MoclovFlop · Feb 25, 2020

CVivash
Interesting. I think these jump hour, and the large date watches I've mentioned in other threads, tend to be early. It looks as if by the mid thirties they concentrated on their waterproof watches and of course pilots watches.

Looks like there are the remains of a serial number on the back, if you could read it I could give you a date.

Did you know it was by Helvetia or did you just see the pic at the top of this thread and thought it looked similar?

It's surprising how many Helvetias are around without being recognised.

Seems like most of the serial is damaged, last 5 are 4(?)7091.

And No, didn't know it was Helvetia. I sold it a while ago, but seeing your image above linked it all together. Since there was no branding on it I could never figure out who made it. Until now!

Helvetia History · Feb 26, 2020

Here is the back of the other one I posted. If they were made about the same time, which I'm sure they were as I said before they didn't make them over a long period, the first two digits would be 37 and mean a date of 1932/33.

Helvetia History · Mar 4, 2020

I've received the second watch in the first post. I was hoping that it would not have been tampered with as it looked from the pictures as if it had sat in a drawer for years. The crown looked to be original with little wear.

Managed to get some time to get the back off yesterday and it looks good, movement is in nice condition and it looks like it has the original gasket in the case back and the "patent device rendering the stem watertight" is in place. Does anyone have any idea what these might be made of in 1929. It doesn't look like leather, looks more like some sort of rubber.

Thanks. Carl.

Helvetia History · Jan 19, 2024

Just picked up another one of these.

Dates to about 6 months later than my first one, about the same date as the "Capt Curtis" one above. It has the same slightly simpler numerals and Shock Absorber rather than Shock Proof of the earlier one.

Here are the two together, the new one is on the right.

The movements on these always seem to be in excellent condition. They are also generally very highly finished, due I think to these being brand new just introduced movements, the first with their own shock protection, and these waterproof watches were their flagship models.

Here is the back. I've done a bit of research into who R.R. V-S could be. The watch came from Southampton and there is a Van Santen family from the area but nothing definite yet, any ideas gratefully received.

Vitezi · Jan 19, 2024

Helvetia History
It has the same slightly simpler numerals and Shock Absorber rather than Shock Proof of the earlier one.

Congrats on landing a "Curtis" model! 👍 These are very cool 😎 I love the subtle differences between these two examples.
Was this model always cased in sterling silver, or were there different case metals and case manufacturers?
I assume AGR is the casemaker's mark; who was that? Is there a similar hallmark on your Shock Proof example?
When did they start adding "Helvetia" to the dial? I see they have added the brand to your wristshot example (above); is that a later example?

Helvetia History · Jan 19, 2024

Vitezi
Congrats on landing a "Curtis" model! 👍 These are very cool 😎 I love the subtle differences between these two examples.
Was this model always cased in sterling silver, or were there different case metals and case manufacturers?
I assume AGR is the casemaker's mark; who was that? Is there a similar hallmark on your Shock Proof example?
When did they start adding "Helvetia" to the dial? I see they have added the brand to your wristshot example (above); is that a later example?

These first models from 1929 are always silver. The later models often have chrome plated versions as well as silver.

AGR stands for 'Arthur George Rendell' who worked for Robert Pringle and Sons who were an importer. The mark is called a sponsors mark and it is for the company importing the watch. Almost all Helvetia watches imported into the UK up to the 1940s have the Robert Pringle and Sons import mark.

All of my 1929 versions have hallmarks. The latest one and the shockproof one have UK hallmarks, the wristshot one has Swiss. This also explains why the Swiss one has the Helvetia marking, It is actually the earliest but doesn't seem to be a UK import. Until the later 1930s UK jewellers didn't usually have manufacturers marks on the watches they sold, they were either blank like these or had the address of the jeweller. Helvetia pocket watches in particular from this period are seen with a myriad of different dial markings either with jeweller's names or sometimes their own small trade names, one I have is called Pole Star for instance.

1929 Helvetia waterproof watches are like buses...

Helvetia History

Vitezi

Helvetia History

bubba48

Helvetia History

MoclovFlop

Helvetia History

Helvetia History

bubba48

MoclovFlop

Helvetia History

MoclovFlop

Helvetia History

Helvetia History

Helvetia History

Vitezi

Helvetia History

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