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Tony C.
··Ωf Jury memberI have owned many vintage ETERNA over the years, and consider their automatic Chronometres to be among the very best value of any watches on the current market. I say that partly because of their high quality, and partly because chronometers tend to be broadly undervalued. The explanation for the latter is simple: values are often inflated because of fashion, and technical characteristics become secondary considerations.
When I find attractive, high-quality chronometres, available at fair prices, I have a tough time resisting. After all, watches are produced to keep time, and chronometres, such as the subject watch, that were manufactured during the peak of the Golden Era of 20th Century watchmaking, represent the pinnacle of the art, and were also very important to the manufacturers that produced them for marketing purposes.
These top-of-the-line ETERNA models were very well designed and executed, and I'll touch on the various aspects as I review the subject watch. It dates to around 1953, is in very good to excellent condition overall, and, with the possible exception of the crystal, I believe it to be fully original.
The high quality, unpolished, stainless steel screw-back case measures 34.5mm. It features a recessed crown, and I want to note a couple of things about that. In general, I am wary of recessed crowns for the simple reason that they can sometimes be difficult to manipulate. The opposite is true in this case. It is very easy to wind using one finger, and the crown comes out as it should to its time-setting position. So wearer enjoys the advantage of having the crown fully protected, with no disadvantages. Note also that the crown is original, but unsigned, as it sits seamlessly on the edge of the case.
The chamfered lugs compliment the elegant dial nicely. Under magnification smaller, light scratches that are typical to watches of this age can be seen here and there, but there are no serious flaws such as deep scratches or gouges. The screw-back opens and closes very smoothly.
The dial is both an uncommon variation, and in excellent condition. It is a very high-quality dial, and I believe that the applied markers may well have some gold content, as they remain remarkably clean, and have 'that look'. I find it to be a very attractive and elegant design, with the "12" in Arabic, similar to some Patek designs, along with the unusual type of markers at the 3, 6, and 9 positions. Note that the artifacts in the photos are reflections of a few scratches on the crystal, not the dial.
The hands are in very good condition, but do show some evenly spread corrosion. The second hand features a red enamel tip, which was something of a signature for ETERNA during that period. I have always liked them, as the contrast is attractive, and also practical in that it makes following the hand more easy.
The movement is high-class, and very well finished. ETERNA made some of the finest full-rotor automatic movements of any manufacturer during the '50s, and this cal. 1479 , adjusted to five positions and temperature, was one of their very best. I particularly like the look of this caliber, with the "window" in the rotor.
I do not know the last date of service, and would, of course, recommend one for regular wear.
I ask 775€ (or USD equivalent), and will include EMS express shipping from my home in Portugal. I can accept either a bank transfer, or PayPal, but would prefer the former with an EU sale.
As I mentioned at the top, good examples of these Chronometres can represent excellent value in the market, and I believe that to be the case with my offering. For comparison, here's an example of a similar model with the same dial style, but in deeply inferior condition, and an incorrect crown, with a (silly) high asking price:
https://www.chrono24.com/eterna/eternamatic-chronometre--id17925055.htm
Feel free to ask any questions!
When I find attractive, high-quality chronometres, available at fair prices, I have a tough time resisting. After all, watches are produced to keep time, and chronometres, such as the subject watch, that were manufactured during the peak of the Golden Era of 20th Century watchmaking, represent the pinnacle of the art, and were also very important to the manufacturers that produced them for marketing purposes.
These top-of-the-line ETERNA models were very well designed and executed, and I'll touch on the various aspects as I review the subject watch. It dates to around 1953, is in very good to excellent condition overall, and, with the possible exception of the crystal, I believe it to be fully original.
The high quality, unpolished, stainless steel screw-back case measures 34.5mm. It features a recessed crown, and I want to note a couple of things about that. In general, I am wary of recessed crowns for the simple reason that they can sometimes be difficult to manipulate. The opposite is true in this case. It is very easy to wind using one finger, and the crown comes out as it should to its time-setting position. So wearer enjoys the advantage of having the crown fully protected, with no disadvantages. Note also that the crown is original, but unsigned, as it sits seamlessly on the edge of the case.
The chamfered lugs compliment the elegant dial nicely. Under magnification smaller, light scratches that are typical to watches of this age can be seen here and there, but there are no serious flaws such as deep scratches or gouges. The screw-back opens and closes very smoothly.
The dial is both an uncommon variation, and in excellent condition. It is a very high-quality dial, and I believe that the applied markers may well have some gold content, as they remain remarkably clean, and have 'that look'. I find it to be a very attractive and elegant design, with the "12" in Arabic, similar to some Patek designs, along with the unusual type of markers at the 3, 6, and 9 positions. Note that the artifacts in the photos are reflections of a few scratches on the crystal, not the dial.
The hands are in very good condition, but do show some evenly spread corrosion. The second hand features a red enamel tip, which was something of a signature for ETERNA during that period. I have always liked them, as the contrast is attractive, and also practical in that it makes following the hand more easy.
The movement is high-class, and very well finished. ETERNA made some of the finest full-rotor automatic movements of any manufacturer during the '50s, and this cal. 1479 , adjusted to five positions and temperature, was one of their very best. I particularly like the look of this caliber, with the "window" in the rotor.
I do not know the last date of service, and would, of course, recommend one for regular wear.
I ask 775€ (or USD equivalent), and will include EMS express shipping from my home in Portugal. I can accept either a bank transfer, or PayPal, but would prefer the former with an EU sale.
As I mentioned at the top, good examples of these Chronometres can represent excellent value in the market, and I believe that to be the case with my offering. For comparison, here's an example of a similar model with the same dial style, but in deeply inferior condition, and an incorrect crown, with a (silly) high asking price:
https://www.chrono24.com/eterna/eternamatic-chronometre--id17925055.htm
Feel free to ask any questions!
