1940s "Tiffany & Co" Movado Non-Magnetic 30mm 8020
Ref: 8020
Specification
Lugs : 16mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box & Papers : None
Case Material : Stainless Steel
Warranty : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
Points of Mention
This watch is sold as “Watch Only” and, therefore, comes with no original Movado box or original Movado paperwork. It comes paired with a well-suited 16mm leather strap and a pin buckle. The watch is from Circa. The 1940s and is in original, worn condition and does have signs of ageing with patina to the dial and case and missing lume to the minute hand, as you can see from the photographs. The watch comes with our 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty.
For more photos see here - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1WIvOhPy9xfHL3307eO2oCe2_9pdbxiJd?usp=drive_link
4K YouTube video, skip to 16:10 - https://youtu.be/vCc-vgFjB7Y
The Watch
Here we have a rare 1940s "Tiffany & Co" Movado Non-Magnetic 8020 with a 30mm round stainless steel case made by the famous watch case maker FB- Francois Borgel, the elegant profile comfortably sits on your wrist with attractive tapered drilled lugs. The smooth flanks lead to a lug-to-lug length of 37mm and a case thickness of 9mm. A gold Movado domed coin-edged push/ pull crown is on the right side. A stepped bezel holds a domed crystal above a striking two-tone eggshell and sector dial. The dial comprises of an outer ring surrounding an inner ring with a minute track and Radium coated Arabic numeral indices marking the hours; elegant hands infilled with Radium sits above a large sub-second; at 12 o’clock, we have the Tiffany & Co motif, and at 6 o’clock “Non-Magnetic” completes this distinctive retailer signed timepiece. On the reverse, a screw-down solid case back, inside a manually wound Movado Cal. 470, 15/17 jewels, beating at a leisurely 18,000 beats per hour; this quality movement was in production from 1938 until 1954. It comes paired with a well-suited 16mm leather strap and a pin buckle.
Personal Note
It is hard to beat an original 1940s Movado, but when it's a 'Tiffany & Co' Movado, that does take the win. This incredible reference 8020 comes in a charming 30mm Francois Borgel case, whilst on the smaller side, it does wear surprisingly well and looks fantastic, even on my 7-inch wrist. The dial has aged beautifully, with a warm patina throughout, this is a real piece of history. I would not hesitate to add this gem to your collection today!
The Brand
Tiffany & Co. (initially Tiffany, Young & Ellis) was founded in New York City in 1837 as a " fancy goods and stationery emporium". They started selling watches from there in 1847. Charles Lewis Tiffany famously installed a clock above the entrance of his jewellery shop on Broadway, Manhattan. A mythological Atlas statue holding a clock can be seen above the 5th Avenue store’s entrance, which became a popular landmark for setting one's watch. In 1854, Tiffany signed an agreement with Patek Philippe, becoming the first retailer in America to sell these exclusive timepieces. In 1868, Tiffany introduced what is usually considered America’s first chronograph: the split-second Tiffany Timer, which was used for engineering, scientific, and sporting purposes. In 1874, the company built its efficient watchmaking factory in Geneva, Place Cornavin. The building was later sold to Patek Philippe, who continued to produce movements for Tiffany watches at this location. In 1903, Tiffany's chief gemologist, George Kunz, patented a luminescent green paint based on some studies attributed to William J. Hammer, a scientist who mixed radium with zinc sulfide. Numerals and hands started to be painted with this new luminescence to make them readable in poor light conditions. A testament to Tiffany’s watchmaking history is the gold calendar watch presented to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945 as a birthday present. In the 1980s, Tiffany & Co. introduced the Atlas wristwatch as a tribute to the famous clock above their building, which featured an hour track of polished Roman numeral markers in high relief. A full Atlas collection, complete with the same Roman numeral motif, was created for both men and women. 2007, Swatch and Tiffany & Co. announced a partnership to develop and sell timepieces. In 2011, Tiffany took its watchmaking in-house. On November 24, 2019, the LVMH group acquired Tiffany & Co. for a whopping $16.2 billion.
Achilles Ditesheim, at the age of 19, founded LAI Ditesheim & Freres SA in 1881. With the help of 6 watchmakers, he built a workshop in the small village of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. In 1905, he renamed the company Movado, meaning “always in motion” in the international language of Esperanto. In 1947, Nathan George Horwitt created the single-dot watch dial. In 1960, Horwitts original design became the first watch dial ever to be accepted by the Museum of Modern Art, New York. In 2017, Movado Group purchased the Olivia Burton brand, which is based in London. It is one of the fastest-growing fashion watch and jewellery brands in the UK. In October 2018, Movado Group acquired MVMT, which specialises in selling quartz watches, sunglasses, and jewellery. The Movado Group also owns Concord, Ebel.