Hi OF, I have received a request from a UK-based gentleman seeking any information about Plaza watches. Does anyone here know anything about them? Or where I might seek information about them? I assume they a long-defunckt brand or retailer, but have found nothing on the interwebs of much use. Any assistance / knowledge much appreciated. Thank you. Pic of the Plaza owned by the gentleman in question.
Mikrolisk has some information on the Plaza name. It would appear as though the fourth listing is the most pertinent to the name on the dial of the subject watch. It would seem the name was registered by this registrant in 1962. This appears to me to be a typical generic Swiss watch assembled out of parts off the shelf, and is in no way unique. None of the components were made by the “Plaza” watch company. If we were to be able to see what is inside the case, we may be able to expand this a bit.
One of the hundreds of "microbrands" from a time before the word was even thought of. As @Canuck noted, these were generic blanks purchased by an entrepreneur and even small watch companies, and dials marked for sale as "their watch brand". I'm betting on it containing an AS1130 or similar movement. You see many of them now as "Omegas", dozens of them in the fake Omega thread.
Coincidentally, there was a recent thread on these here: https://omegaforums.net/threads/i-can’t-find-anything-about-this-watch-online.103009/ Not much more to add, though...
I bought one of those Plaza Geneve watches in 1962, gave it to my father and got it back when he died in 1994. It still runs fine, but looking a bit shabby now.