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WITHDRAWN Uncommon Vintage Movado 14k Dress Watch

  1. Tony C. Ωf Jury member Jul 16, 2020

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    Another relative rarity from my collection, this time in the form of a double-branded Movado.

    Having done further research, catalyzed by some questions from @DirtyDozen12, Orlys was either a small retailer, and/or possibly a small German watch brand that used Swiss movements.

    The 34mm, 14k rose gold case is marked "Orlys", and It appears that it was manufactured by "Schuler & Kun" (thanks again to @DirtyDozen12), in Pforzheim Germany. This case is in good condition, though like most of its age, it has seen some polishing. The chamfers on the lugs remain apparent, though I assume that they originally were more sharply defined. The case back is another interesting element of the watch, as it features what I consider to be a very attractive inscription. Not only is it attractive, but "W.L.", presumably the original owner, appears to have been 100 years old when he received the watch as a gift! It also dates the watch as having been originally sold in 1952. I really do consider this to be a very positive feature of the watch, and one of the nicest inscriptions that I have ever found.

    The watch is in good to very good condition throughout. The crosshair dial is a slightly eccentric style that I have always liked very much, with the Arabic 3 and 9 offset from their usual positions. I first saw this style on a Patek Philippe model, and in fact owned this one for several years! The dial on this Movado features a nice vertical brushing as well, and is in excellent condition. The markers are applied, and presumably gold, as I see no corrosion to speak of. The hour and minute hands are also corrosion-free, though under magnification, the second hand shows a touch of oxidation.

    The 17 jewel, 10.5 ligne movement is a caliber 261, which, based on Roland Ranfft's data, has a 43 hour power reserve. It is working, but should certainly be serviced if the new owner intends to wear the watch at all regularly.

    While I believe that the crown is likely to be original, I cannot be certain.

    As I bought this watch many years ago, I am, in spite of gold being at or near all-time highs in most currencies, going to price this watch quite reasonably: $750 (or Euro equivalent) including EMS express shipping. No strap – head only.

    I will ship, as always, from my home in Portugal, and can accept either PayPal or a bank transfer. Those based in the U.S. should note that Customs has slowed considerably as a result of the virus, so patience is required!

    Feel free to ask any questions!

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    Edited Jul 17, 2020