Harwood self-winding wrist-watch of about 1930

Technical characteristics

Type

Self-winding wristwatch

Maker

Made for Harwood by Blancpain

Place recorded

Switzerland

Rotor Inscription

STE FSE HARWOOD BREVETES CDG No 580247 HARWOOD BLANCPAIN FAB SUISSE

Case and Materials

Gold case with glass back

Maker / attribution

Blancpain

Hand Setting Mechanism

Set by rotating bezel

Design

Visible features

• Round gold case with a coin-edge or fluted outer rotating bezel. • White dial inscribed 'HARWOOD' beneath 12 o'clock. • Green luminescent-filled Arabic numeral hour markers outlined in black. • Circular indicator aperture positioned directly above the 6 o'clock marker. • Black textured leather strap fitted to fixed or wire-style lugs. • No winding crown present on the case band.

Identity and Casing Construction

Catalogued under object number 1958-263, this timepiece is documented in the Science Museum Group collection as a 'Harwood self-winding wrist-watch of about 1930' that was 'Made for Harwood by Blancpain'. The records list the materials as 'case: gold and back: glass', though only the front face is visible in the collection photograph. The round case has no conventional winding crown on its flanks. Instead, the collection entry notes that 'Hands set by rotating bezel', which aligns with the visible coin-edge or fluted outer rotating ring framing the crystal.

Dial Configuration and Visual Details

The dial is described in museum text as a 'white dial with green Arabic numerals and hands, dial marked "Harwood"'. Directly visible beneath 12 o'clock is the 'HARWOOD' brand mark, while the Arabic numerals are filled with green material and outlined in black, accompanied by a peripheral railway track. A circular indicator aperture is visible directly above the 6 o'clock numeral. The watch is shown mounted on a black textured leather strap with fixed or wire-style lugs. In addition, the museum catalogues the object type as including 'radioactive material', corresponding to the luminous compound on the numerals and hands.

Movement Inscription and Collection Specifications

Because the case back and movement are not depicted in the available photograph, internal details rely on museum records. The catalogue specifies that the movement rotor is marked: '"STE FSE HARWOOD BREVETES CDG No 580247 HARWOOD BLANCPAIN FAB SUISSE"'. Recorded dimensions indicate an overall displayed size of 72 mm by 31 mm by 67 mm, and an object weight excluding the mount of 0.03 kg. The accession record lists the credit line as 'J. Harwood and Son'.

Identification

Object Number

1958-263

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.