ATTN: COLLECTORS & WATCH ENTHUSIASTS ~ THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING EARLY TIMEPIECE ~ WORTH TAKING A LOOK!
UP FOR AUCTION is a HIGHLY COLLECTABLE VINTAGE mid-20th century FULLY JEWELED, GOLD filled, High-Grade, RARE (PATENTED) AUTOMATIC “BUMPER WIND” GOTHAMATIC Timepiece produced by the well regarded SWISS Watchmaking Firm ~ GOTHAM WATCH CO ~ also with a SPECIAL CASE Design!
UNUSUAL & COLLECTABLE (1950s) PERIOD WRIST TIMEPIECE, WITH UNIQUE FEATURES ~ WEIGHS 1.1 OUNCES (30 Grams).
INTERESTING White Enamel Dial with Black Numerals, RED 12 o’clock Numeral, and GOLD markers.
VERY DISTINCTIVE HIGH-QUALITY, PRECISION SWISS LEVER ESCAPEMENT ~ FULLY (17) JEWELED, FULLY SIGNED NICKEL MOVEMENT. COMPENSATED BALANCE, SPECIAL “SHOCKBILT” MOVEMENT MOUNTING, “INCABLOC” SHOCK PROTECTION ON THE BALANCE, AND “BUMPER” AUTOMATIC WINDING. A GENUINE GOTHAMATIC MOVEMENT ~ STILL RUNNING TO THIS DAY !
WONDERFUL CONDITION AND HIGH QUALITY, RARER “FOUR-SCREW” DOWN, WATER-RESIST, YELLOW GOLD FILLED AND STAINLESS STEEL, ORIGINAL, FULLY SIGNED CASE. FITTED WITH A GENUINE LEATHER, PADDED BAND.
A UNIQUELY CRAFTED, GENUINE SWISS TIMEPIECE, PRODUCED BY THE HISTORIC GOTHAM WATCH CO. (originated by the famous Ollendorff Firm, established c.1900)
This is a wonderful opportunity to acquire a SPECIAL example of a fine, early AUTOMATIC Winding Wrist Timepiece of the Mid-20th Century, produced in the finest and INNOVATIVE Swiss watchmaking traditions of the Period.
Nicely proportioned, this UNIQUE wrist timepiece measures 35mm (lug to lug) tall, 29mm (excluding the crown) wide, and 10mm thick, including the Crystal. It weighs 1.1 ounces (30 grams).
It is, indeed, a Beautiful & Uniquely designed timepiece, that certainly would have been considered quite a luxurious and quality piece ~ VERY INTERESTING, DESIRABLE, AND HIGHLY COLLECTABLE
CERTAINLY, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ASPECT of this timepiece is the Early AUTOMATIC WINDING System. It has a Weighted Rotor, similar to the more modern automatics, but rather than “spinning” all the way around, to wind the mainspring, it utilizes a VERY INTERESTING & UNIQUE design, affectionately known as the “BUMPER” Wind.
It really is something to see, and FEEL on your wrist. Instead of the Rotor turning around 360 degrees, it moves BACK & FORTH (approx. 270 degrees). At each end of the Rotor’s travel is a small COILED SPRING. (Please look at the Close-Up Image of the movement)
By motion of the wearer’s wrist, the Rotor turns in ONE Direction, until it hits the STOP (bumper), with the Coiled Spring. This tiny SPRING helps send it back the OTHER Direction, and the motion carries it through until it hits the similar “BUMPER” on the Other Side. This again, sends the Rotor back around the other way, and the process is repeated ~ BACK & FORTH.
At the Center of the Rotor is a Ratchet, so this back and forth motion, causes the ratchet to “automatically” WIND THE MAINSPRING!
It was quite an INGENIOUS DESIGN dating back (I understand) to the 1940s. It was a system that did the job of winding the watch in an “Automatic” manner, as long as it was worn on a daily basis. I have worn this piece myself, many times, and the automatic winding system works just as it should.
If you are not wearing it daily, you can still wind it, in the conventional way by simply turning the crown ~ just like any wind-up timepiece.
These MOVEMENTS are a very interesting part of the history & development of Automatic Winding Wrist Watches, and are quite desirable to the collector, or someone looking for something different from what everyone else has ~ a unique example of horological design in automatic winding from the early years, and STILL FUNCTIONAL!
The High Quality, ORIGINAL FACTORY, YELLOW GOLD Filled & Stainless Steel, (RARE) Screwed-Down Back, Case is also QUITE INTERESTING in Design.
In order to be WATER RESISTANT, it is a one-piece design. Then the MOVEMENT HOLDER itself is held firmly with FOUR SMALL SCREWS going into the Case, at each LUG! Take a look at the photo image of the back of the case, and if you look closely, near the lugs, you will see these tiny ANCHOR SCREWS!
The back of the Case is fully Signed, “GOTHAM”, “GOTHAMATIC”, “SHOCKBILT”, “ANTIMAGNETIC”, “AUTOMATIC”, “WATER-RESIST”.
The next INTERESTING aspect of the Watch is the wonderful handcrafted, Glass-Fired White Enamel Dial. This is the dial that was on the watch, when I acquired it several years ago, and it is of my opinion that it was upgraded to a ROLEX Handcrafted Enamel Dial at some point over the years, as I usually have seen these timepieces with a plain metal dial. It is BRIGHT & CLEAN, and looks to be in VERY GOOD overall Condition, with only very slight wear and a couple small hairlines. It has NOT been refinished and still has the original BLACK Roman numerals, with the 12 o’clock numeral, SPECIALLY done, to stand out, in RED.
The Minute Markers are GOLD DOTS, accompanied by GOLD DIAMOND shapes at each Hour Marker!
To top it off, the Dial is fronted by finely crafted (likely Original) “Open” Hour and Minute Hands, along with a Long RED ARROW Center Seconds Hand.
The FABULOUSLY Hand Finished, IN-HOUSE, GOTHAM MANUFACTURE, Three-Quarter Plate, High Quality NICKEL, FULLY SIGNED & FULLY (17) JEWELED Movement with going barrel is ORIGINAL, and is obviously very well crafted.
Still in RUNNING CONDITION, it is a true testament to the high degree of quality and craftsmanship that it is still fully operational after all these years! Although there are no guarantees on the timekeeping/accuracy/duration with such a vintage timepiece, and I do not know when it was last serviced/timed; however it has been RUNNING STRONG, for a full winding, and as mentioned earlier, has been worn on occasion and KEPT GOOD TIME for me on the wrist.
Even so, I always recommend a fresh service for any timekeeper intended for regular use. I am offering this wonderful, highly collectable, Unique Vintage Watch from the HISTORIC, Swiss Gotham Watch Company (originated by the famous Ollendorff Firm, established c.1900) with a VERY LOW RESERVE.
The High Performance, Specially Designed Movement is equipped with an excellent example and top execution of the High Grade, FULLY JEWELED, high precision LEVER escapement. Complete with a Polished Steel club tooth escape wheel. The LEVER itself is of the high performance forked design, and carries JEWELED PALLET STONES.
The roller table supports a JEWELED, impulse/unlocking pin, and mates to a High Grade COMPENSATED BALANCE WHEEL. This in itself is yet another fine feature, and sign of higher quality, as many Watches have a plain balance. To ensure the balance was running as true as possible under all conditions, it was finely measured, fitted, and tuned with GOLD screws around the rim. As you can imagine, this whole process of manufacture and adjustment was time consuming and costly; therefore it is normally found only on the more expensive, and serious, high grade movements.
The evenly pulsing hairspring is finely adjusted by a POLISHED STEEL regulator ~ a truly beautiful movement!
This HIGH-GRADE, IN-HOUSE Manufacture GOTHAMATIC movement is clearly marked with the Factory “GOTHAM WATCH Co. INC.” signature, as well as “SEVENTEEN 17 JEWELS”, “SWISS”, “GOTHAMATIC”, and on the Balance Cock, is the three-letter Swiss manufacture Code, “GXI”, which was the Registration Trademark for the Gotham Watch Co.
At the time this piece was made, such Watches were machine made, but still designed and the final assembly & finishing done BY HAND ~ therefore, more rare and collectable ~ especially fine examples, from this very early period of AUTOMATIC WINDING Design, with the ORIGINAL RUNNING Movement, and housed in the ORIGINAL (FOUR SCREW-DOWN) Water-Resist, “Shockbilt” Case ~ certainly a very COLLECTABLE & FUNCTIONAL Piece of History ~ Piece of Time!
Overall, this is a wonderful, SPECIALLY FEATURED, example of a finely crafted timepiece of the period. If you are a collector, have an interest in Vintage Watches, or unique horological items, this presents an example, that not only looks GREAT but has survived VERY well, and still in RUNNING CONDITION to this day.
Please make note, that this is an, as is, sale final, VERY LOW RESERVE Auction, so feel free to bid, with a very good chance of owning this Collectable Wristwatch, for a good price. Shipping via USPS Mail, within the U.S. is FREE, and the wining bidder will pay for Insurance. Shipping outside the U.S. is based on a standard cost for USPS international mailing. The entire text and images are COPYRIGHTED.
Prompt COMMUNICATION and PAYMENT (via PayPal) is REQUIRED from the winning bidder IMMEDIATELY following auction close.
It is INDEED a somewhat RARE, UNIQUE, SPECIALLY FEATURED and VERY INTERESTING Piece of Horological Development in Early AUTOMATIC WINDING WRISTWATCHES!
This is the sort of vintage timepiece combination that is great to collect, as it is not too expensive, yet quite unique, and not something you are likely to see another exactly like it!
Enjoy eBay, and Good Luck with your Bidding!
Back to home page
) 
Print
Report item
