VINTAGE GUBELIN 18K DRESS WATCH

Description

Item description: A beautiful and rare 18K yellow gold Gübelin ‘deco’ style timepiece, dating from the 1960s.  This distinctive timepiece features a very pleasing simple circular case design with completely hidden lugs. Complementing the case, is a matt champagne dial, the outer section with an engine-turned finish, giving a pleasing duo-tone appearance to the dial. The dial with stylised gold applied battons, and the brand name,  Gübelin. The good quality 17 jewel manual wind movement is signed to the main bridge with the Gübelin name. The inside of the case-back with Gübelin name, 18K gold designation,  along with serial numbers. The watch has a contrasting mid- brown  strap, along with a non-branded gold finished buckle.

Size: 38mm x 38mm

Condition report: Case in excellent condition with a polished finish remaining (the case also has a pleasant age patination, giving a good vintage feel). Dial original. Movement clean and in working condition (no warranty implied). The strap and buckle remaining in excellent condition. The timepiece may have been opened, so it should not be used near moisture or water without being checked by a qualified watchmaker.

Background to Gübelin: The Swiss, family-owned House of Gübelin is known for its exquisite high-end jewellery, gemstone expertise, and as purveyors of some of today’s most sought-after luxury watch brands. The story of Gübelin began in 1854 with the opening of a small watchmaker’s shop in the Swiss city of Lucerne. Over time the business grew, moving to ever-larger locations in the city, until finally settling in the prime site on the quay that still houses Gübelin’s Lucerne boutique today.

Gübelin has grown from a small watchmaker’s shop in Lucerne to an internationally operating luxury brand. In the 1920s Gübelin opened its own jewellery atelier and at the same time set up a small gemmological laboratory so that it could test; and be sure of the authenticity;  of the stones its jewellers used. It also continued making and repairing fine watches for a discerning clientele, developing a reputation that soon reached throughout Europe and overseas.

Special notes: Gübelin specialised in very small runs of watches for their clientele, usually using movements from companies such as jaeger Le Coultre. This watch would have been made in very limited numbers, normally far less than 1000 pieces of any given design. Today, vintage watches from this respected swiss company, remain particularly rare to find.

Provenance: n/a

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