I noticed that in the 40's there was a string of jumbo dress watches, 38mm+. What style/trend prompted such a thing so out of character with the sensitivities of those times?
Fashion also existed in the '40s. As you can see though, it was much more restrained and practical. Or maybe they anticipated that their grandchildren could sell jumbo watches to vintage collectors 70 years later.
I'm curious because of the apparently short lived fad. It seems that for a small window in time 38mm and larger dress watches were produced, just to disappear as quickly for a very long time.
Post WWII there was a strong and broad tendency toward understatement. Oversized watches obviously drew attention in a way that smaller (or more normal sized) watches didn't, and so there was some societal pressure not to be too obvious in displaying a consumer item that was likely unaffordable to many. Of course that dynamic slowly changed, and by the time the '60s and (especially) '70s rolled around, showing off material goods became quite acceptable. You can see something of that transition in the design of cars as well.
I've got a few 30T2 and 26.5 'oversize' watches, by modern standards they aren't oversized, 38-40mm, they are great pieces of kit and actually extremely are. If you can find a 26.5 sector dial over size then you are sitting on a gold mine, the puppies command well over Ed White and even 2998 money in some cases. I love them because of the simplicity, great dress watches, lovely simply design and dial, for me they are my go to dress watch of choice. Cheers Tom
I just find it an anomaly for what was the norm at the time. Take for example the fur fad of the 20's and early 30s; for a time guys took to wear these big ass racoon fur coats for motoring and attending sporting events. Thank God sanity prevailed and shortly after the Oxford style came into existence and to this day it remains a strong influence on what it is to be well dress in a casual way. Regardless of today's sensitivities for larger watches, I wonder what was the thinking at the time for them. They came to be in the middle of WWII when a much smaller watch size (outside of chronometers) was the norm.
This is a great thread! Hope more photos are posted. I always keep an eye on these large Omegas as they appear on Ebay. Would love to have an example but am unwilling to pay for the redials that are mostly found there.
Here is one, I think it is my OF bestthreader, it has been in 4 or 5 threads already. It is 37,5 mm and pink gold. I love it, but never wear it, I don't know why. Cheers Mounir.
The oversize fashion started a couple of years before the 40s. Here are some oversized (not 38mm+ but still very large compared to their 30mm standard sisters) from the late 30s and early 40s. Interesting to see that often the same case existed in smaller size, and also the same large case existed with different calibers inside. First a pair of 37mm watches from around 1937 (cal. 23.4SC on the left) and around 1939 (Cal. 26.5 on the right) : The the impressive CK2013 named 'Soucoupe', with its 39mm. This one is from around 1937 (redone dial...) : A little bit smaller but still oversized from their period of production the famous CK2014, 'Scarab' large size, with its 36mm. This one is from around 1937 : CK2015, 35mm with a 23.4SC Inside; This one is from around 1941 : The same case with a 26.5 Inside, from around 1941 also : And this nice CK 2123, 35mm with a 23.4, from around 1942 :
This thread has totally devolved into a ostentatious display of jumbo materialism! I like it. More please.
Yeah Darlinboy, and nary a decent example in sight on Ebay, the way I have to shop out here in the hinterlands.