Ernest Borel Cocktail Kaleidoscope Dial Wristwatch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1950s
This is an Ernest Borel Cocktail manual-wind wristwatch attributed to the 1950s. The watch features a square yellow gold-plated case measuring 26.3 mm with a textured surface, fixed round bezel with stamped hour indexes, and fancy lugs.
Its central visual element is a rotating black and gold kaleidoscope optical disc with red hands. The dial periphery is lettered 'BOREL' and 'Cocktail' alongside patent indications. The seller states the watch is powered by a 17-jewel unadjusted Swiss caliber 401 (FEF 401) movement visible through a display back and fitted with a black leather strap.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Cocktail wristwatch
- Strap
- Hadley-Roma black genuine leather two-piece strap
- Case Size
- 26.3 mm
- Case Marking
- Plaque OR 20 Microns
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Movement Caliber
- Caliber 401 (FEF 401)
- Maker / attribution
- Ernest Borel
Design
- Visible features
- • Square yellow gold-plated case with fine cross-hatched or brushed texturing on the front flat bezel plate. • Circular polished bezel engraved with black enamel-filled radial hour markers. • Central kaleidoscope dial featuring a rotating geometric black and gold optical disc. • Red arrow indicators serving as hands against the rotating disc pattern. • Dial text reading 'BOREL' at top and 'MODELE DEPOSE Cocktail SWISS PATENT' at bottom. • Fitted with a black leather two-piece strap.
- Case Construction and Exterior Form
- The watch is cased in a square yellow gold-plated body measuring 26.3 mm across (28 mm including the crown), with a lug-to-lug length of 35.2 mm and a thickness of 11.2 mm. Visual inspection reveals fine cross-hatched or brushed texturing across the flat front bezel plate, paired with fancy lugs, and fitted with a 17 mm black genuine leather two-piece strap. The round bezel is fixed and engraved with black enamel-filled radial hour markers. The seller listing records a case marking of 'Plaque OR 20 Microns' and states that the back features a display case back, though this feature cannot be confirmed from the front photograph alone.
- Kaleidoscope Dial and Display Design
- The centerpiece of the watch is a rotating black and gold kaleidoscope optical disc, described by the dealer as a mystery rotating dial that produces kaleidoscopic patterns as it moves. The time indicators consist of red arrow markers positioned over the rotating disc. The periphery of the dial displays manufacturer and patent markings. As directly observed, text at the upper edge reads 'BOREL' and the lower perimeter is inscribed 'MODELE DEPOSE Cocktail SWISS PATENT'.
- Reported Movement and Verification Boundaries
- The movement is reported by the seller as a manual-wind Swiss caliber 401 (FEF 401) with 17 jewels, unadjusted, bearing the inscription 'Ernest Borel Seventeen 17 Jewels Swiss Cal. 401 Unadjusted'. Because the single image provided shows only the dial side, the movement caliber and inner markings have not been directly verified. The seller dates the watch to the 1950s, mentioning that the Cocktail Watch model was patented in 1952 and introduced in 1953, continuing production through circa 1980. However, no individual serial number or factory archive reference is cited in the source to confirm the exact manufacturing year of this specific piece.
Identification
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The internal caliber 401 movement and rear display case back mentioned in the dealer's description are not visible in the supplied front photograph.
- Research required: The 1950s production date is dealer-reported and not backed by a specific year or serial reference.