Eterna Military-Style 'Marriage' Wristwatch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
c. 1939
Maker / issuer
EternaThis large military-style men's wristwatch is described as a 'marriage watch,' pairing an Eterna manual-winding mechanical movement with a later-associated black dial.
Housed in a chrome-plated and stainless steel case measuring 44 mm across, it features period-typical fixed wire lugs holding an olive green textile pass-through strap. The black dial presents Arabic luminous numeral markers, sword-shaped primary hands, a subsidiary seconds counter at 9 o'clock, and a 30-minute auxiliary register at 3 o'clock. The dial is also engraved with the inscription '24.XII.39'. According to the auction catalogue, the sub-dial hand at 3 o'clock is missing and non-functional.
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
- Marriage wristwatch
- Case diameter
- 44 mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel, chrome-plated
- Movement type
- Mechanical manual-winding
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Case dimensions
- 13 x 44 mm (HxD)
- Dial inscription
- 24.XII.39
- Maker / attribution
- Eterna
Design
- Visible features
- • Black dial features luminous Arabic numerals at 12, 4, 6, 8, and 10, alongside batons and an outer rail track. • Auxiliary register at 3 o'clock is missing its indicator hand. • Case displays visible surface wear and plating loss, particularly on the bezel and lugs. • Fitted with fixed wire lugs attached to an olive green pass-through textile strap.
- Object Classification
- This object is classified by the auction source as a 'marriage' wristwatch, a term used to describe an assembly of parts, specifically where an Eterna mechanical manual-winding movement is paired with a dial that is not original to that movement and a chrome-plated case. The timepiece is described as a large men's wristwatch in the military style of the 1930s and 40s. It is fitted with fixed lugs intended for a pass-through strap.
- Source Provided Attributes
- The watch is associated with the period circa 1939 by the auction house. The case is constructed of stainless steel and is chrome-plated. Dimensions are listed as 13 x 44 mm (HxD), with a strap length of approximately 27 cm.
- Technical Details and Condition
- The movement is signed by Eterna. The watch face features luminous Arabic numerals, sword-shaped main hands, a subsidiary seconds register at 9 o'clock, and an auxiliary 30-minute counter at 3 o'clock. An engraving of the date '24.XII.39' is present on the dial. The 3 o'clock sub-dial hand is missing, and the source specifies it is without function. The watch is reported as running, and the case measures 44 mm in diameter.
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: Described as a 'marriage watch' combining a movement with an associated non-original dial.
- Research required: The hand for the 3 o'clock sub-dial is missing and noted as without function.