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SOLD Sweet Vintage ETERNA Radium Dial Bumper

  1. Tony C. Ωf Jury member Jul 22, 2020

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    Next up from my collection of fine mid-century vintage watches is an unusually nice ETERNA bumper. This one features a full Arabic dial and "bubble-back" style steel screw-back case. It measures a healthy 34mm excluding the crown, and I believe it to be fully original with the possible exception of the crystal. It is unpolished, and in very good to excellent overall condition.

    The dial and handset are very attractive, and in remarkable condition for their (~70 year) age. It is interesting to note that the movement dates to just after WWII, and, while the watch may have been assembled and cased a bit later, the dial and hand designs were forward-looking, and have what I would call an understated '50s vibe. The original radium is fully intact.

    The steel case is a classic ETERNA design of the '40s and '50s, with strong, distinctive lugs. As seasoned collectors know, some vintage watch backs are tricky to screw down, either due to accumulated grit, and/or less than fine original machining. This case, like most of the ETERNA watches that I own, screws down very smoothly, underscoring the quality of the case. The original finish is easy and pleasing to see, as the mid-case features vertical brushing that contrasts nicely with the polished sections surrounding it. There are a small number of light scratches on the back, which could easily be polished out if desired.

    The bumper automatic movement is a cal. 1077 (1076 was the sub-second version). These are good movements, as one might expect from a company that built the original foundation for todays automatic ETA calibers! The base plate shows a pearlage finish, which is not something that one would ordinarily find on a wartime bumper movement. There are a couple of minor service marks. The movement is working properly, but as always, I would suggest a basic service for regular use.

    ETERNA was undoubtedly one of the best higher volume manufacturers during the mid-century. They were popular – and remain popular with collectors – for good reasons. As a result, there are a fair number of vintage examples that circulate through the market, but finding examples as attractive as this one, and in such nice condition, is not easy. I bought it from a collector/dealer friend in Zurich several years ago, and am selling only because I have a fairly large ETERNA sub-collection, and, more importantly, to help fund a house renovation that I am undertaking here in Portugal.

    I ask $700 (or Euro equivalent), and will ship EMS express from my home in Lisbon. American-based buyers please note that customs has slowed considerably due to the virus, so you will need to be patient, even with express shipping!

    Feel free to ask any questions!

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    Syrte, VinceFR, jcon1913 and 7 others like this.
  2. hejsam Jul 22, 2020

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    Great example, I had this a while back and it really was a pleasant model.
    7EE64DF8-9070-4C17-A8FC-5BFCA08930F2.jpeg

    Good luck with sale! :)
     
    prokudin, Syrte, mrbreen and 2 others like this.
  3. Tony C. Ωf Jury member Jul 22, 2020

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    OHPF!
     
    mydeafcat and JwRosenthal like this.
  4. JwRosenthal Jul 22, 2020

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    This has been one hell of a week here! Congrats to the buyer and condolences to the seller.
     
  5. Tony C. Ωf Jury member Jul 24, 2020

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    Sold! Thanks to the buyer, and, as always, the fine moderator staff. :thumbsup:
     
    wristpirate and JwRosenthal like this.