Eterna Eterna-Matic Centenaire 9ct Cal.1439U 1965

Eterna

Eterna started its life as a movement manufacture named “Dr. Girard & Schild,” established by Josef Girard and Urs Schild in 1856. The Eterna name didn’t appear on the dial of the company’s watches until 1889. Eterna was the first company to bring to market a wristwatch with an alarm function in 1914 (patented in 1908). Eterna was also a proponent of the introduction of self-winding movements, with the Eterna-matic series, starting in 1948. The Eterna-matic was different to other automatic calibers of the time, as its construction featured a ball-bearing mounted rotor system to reduce the level of friction – a design that eventually set a Swiss watch industry standard.

Description

Here we have a wonderful example of a 1960s Eterna-Matic Centenaire in 9ct yellow gold. The dial has been fully restored to a very high standard by our dial restorers and also includes a date window which we believe adds class and charm to this watch.

The Dial

This dial is the most iconic of vintage Eterna-Matic dial designs, which in essence carries through to this day. The pearl white dial carries ‘Index’ hands and applied ‘baton’ hour indices with, of course, the Eterna-Matic brand and signature at the very top of the dial with ‘Centenaire’ just above the 6 and ‘Swiss Made’ at the very bottom.

The dial catches the light beautifully, as we have tried to demonstrate in the photographs, however it looks even better face to face in real life. This dial is wonderfully balanced and we feel benefits from the addition of the date window.

This is the original dial, restored to the very highest standards by our dial restorers who are considered to be the best in the UK. The lens has been replaced with a new original as part of this restoration.

The Movement

The watch carries the original, high grade Eterna Calibre 1439U, 21 Jewel, automatic movement which is in sparkling clean condition. The movement has been completely disassembled, cleaned, inspected and rebuilt using original Eterna parts, only where required, by our vintage specialist watchmaker. His work is superb and when final tested and calibrated, the watch was running consistently at +8 seconds per day which is truly exceptional for any vintage watch of this age. The movement carries the calibre number 1439U, along with the serial number 5082740 which dates this watch to 1965.

These movements are strong, accurate and very reliable, making the watch perfectly suited for regular everyday use. This particular movement is in A1 condition and with regular servicing every 3-4 years, we would fully expect this watch to run happily for many more decades to come. We are therefore pleased to offer a 12-month warranty on this watch movement*.

*Please note – our 12 months’ warranty is only included if the list price is paid.

The Case

The 9ct yellow gold watch case measures 35mm in diameter, excluding the original signed Eterna crown. This would have been classed as a large-sized watch case in the mid 1960s. The case, as we would expect from Eterna, is very solid and well made and the press-fit case-back closes with a very solid and satisfying ‘pop’, indicating the case has been impeccably built and maintained.

Having been cleaned, carefully examined and lightly hand-polished by our case-maker, the case is totally immaculate, being very crisp with no scratches, dings or other blemishes visible to the naked eye. This, along with the superb general condition of the rest of the watch, indicates this watch has received an excellent level of care and only light use.

The inside of the case-back carries all the correct 9ct hallmarks and is simply signed ‘Eterna’ and ‘EPW’ which states the case-makers brand.

The Strap & Buckle

A new black alligator strap and gold-plated Eterna buckle has been fitted, which we feel matches the watch perfectly. However, if a different colour or style of strap is preferred, please let us know and we will do our best to oblige, free of charge. We carry tan, conker, dark brown and black in stock in plain padded leather, crocodile skin or lizard skin, but we can also obtain most types and colours of strap from our partners at ‘Watch Obsession’ within 48hrs. Please take a look at their huge range of 18mm straps if you wish here.

The Box and Papers

Although there are no original papers with this watch, all the numbers and markings on the watch are correct, dating the watch to 1965.

Detailed particulars will be included with our purchase receipt for your interest and security. A separate insurance valuation for the replacement value of this watch will be provided at the time of sale along with our unique ‘Lifetime Authenticity Guarantee’ which states: “If this watch proves to be anything less than 100% genuine, authentic and original, a full refund will be given at any time”.

The watch also comes complete with a matching Eterna presentation box as shown in the photographs.

As with all our watches, this watch will be sold under our 14 days no quibble sale or return policy and 12 months’ warranty.*

In Conclusion

This is a first class example of a top quality Eterna-Matic Centenaire, in 9ct yellow gold with the superb Eterna Cal.1439U automatic movement. The movement is of a high grade and on a par with watches far more expensive than this. Eterna watches are highly collectable and the rarity of this watch means the value will always remain strong.

If treated with care this watch will remain a simply wonderful timepiece to use, wear, treasure and enjoy, providing excellent reliability as well as a sound financial investment – as long-lasting as the watch itself. As each year goes by and the world market for vintage gold watches expands, availability will become more limited, so prices are surely destined to climb ever higher!

A word about our prices – We always try our hardest to acquire the very highest quality watches we can find, before restoring these to the highest possible standards. We then offer these at the fairest prices we can, taking into account our pre and post sales care and service. This approach inevitably means we will never be the cheapest, but nor will we be the most expensive. Indeed there are a number of well-known stores in West London which are very successful, charging between two to three times the price you see here. We therefore consider our prices to be fair, given the quality of watches we have to offer.

We are happy to accept PayPal as this is the quickest method of payment. However, if you wish to pay by bank transfer, we will be pleased to pass on a 3% transaction saving to you. Similarly, if you wish to pay by International SWIFT or International Bank Wire Transfer, we will provide you with our BIC / Swift number and our IBAN number.

Please check the import duties and any taxes your government may apply, these are different for each country and unfortunately out of our control.

We understand there may be some ‘loopholes’ that may help you avoid these charges, however attempting to use these could impact our ongoing ability to serve our growing international customer base.

For those that happen to visit the UK on occasion we are of course more than happy to store your watch until we can meet you in our offices in Kensington, London, and your watch directly to you there.

Please note, we welcome part exchanges and if you have a watch or small collection for sale, please contact us as we will be happy to discuss this.

We will be happy to Service your watch, Repair your watch or Restore your watch, all at ‘sensible’ prices. Please see here.

If you have any questions please call us on 0207 727 7095 or if calling from overseas +44 207 727 7095

We will be happy to answer any questions and offer advice about this or any of our watches listed for sale. If you would simply like some general advice regarding any aspect of vintage watches, including buying, selling, or collecting vintage watches, we will also be happy to hear from you.

Finally, please take a look at our other fine vintage gold watches!

Thank you.