1950s Movado 'Calatrava' Manual Cal. 205 35301 35mm

Here we have a classic 1950s Movado 'Calatrava' Manual Cal. 205 Reference 35301, featuring a beautifully proportioned 35mm chrome case that offers an elegant and flat profile on your wrist, complemented by straight, angular lugs. Its ultra-slim flanks lead to an incredibly compact lug-to-lug length of 38.5mm and a case thickness of just 7.5mm, ensuring a wonderfully sleek fit under a shirt cuff. On the right side sits a subtle, low-profile coin-edged gold crown. A chamfered bezel holds a domed crystal above a refined and minimalist “Calatrava” dial. Applied faceted hour markers. Elegant Dauphine hands rotate gracefully in the centre, while a cross-hair running seconds sub-dial rests neatly at 6 o’clock. At 12 o’clock, the classic Movado motif completes this understated and timeless mid-century dress watch. On the reverse, a solid case back which had remnants of its original sticker still attached, this was removed and is why the case back looks a lot brighter than the rest of the case. Inside is the exquisite, manually wound Movado Cal. 205, a high-grade 17-jewel movement that beats at a leisurely 18,000 beats per hour. Acclaimed for its incredibly thin architecture, this in-house calibre allows the watch to maintain its remarkably slender proportions without sacrificing timekeeping reliability. The watch comes paired with a well-suited 18mm strap and a period 18mm leather strap and pin buckle, to which the original signed and serial-matching Movado swing tag is attached.

This watch is sold as "Watch Only" and therefore comes with no original box or paperwork, paired with a well-suited suede strap but it does include a period 18mm leather strap and pin buckle, and the original signed and serial-matching Movado swing tag is attached. The watch comes fresh from a 2026 service. The watch is from Circa. 1950s and is sold in Near New Old Stock condition, as you can see. The watch comes with our 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty.

This is a beautiful example and about as close to new old stock as you could realistically hope to find from a watch of this age. The condition is remarkable, with the watch retaining a freshness that makes it incredibly easy to imagine what it would have looked and felt like when it was first sold in the 1950s. Importantly, though, this isn't a watch that needs to spend the rest of its life tucked away in a box. It's fresh from a 2026 service with our watchmakers and is ready to be wound, worn and properly enjoyed by its next owner. For me, that's the perfect combination: exceptional preservation, wonderful Movado history and the confidence to actually use it. A very special vintage watch that's ready for its next chapter. Add this vintage gem to your collection today!

Reference : 35301
Movement : Manually Wound Movado Cal. 205
Age : Circa. 1950s
Year : Circa. 1950s
Case Size : 35mm
Case Thickness : 7.5mm
Lug to Lug : 38.5mm
Lugs : 18mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box and Papers : None
Case Material : Stainless Steel
Warranty : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
The wrist model's wrist size is 7inch

Achilles Ditesheim, a visionary entrepreneur, embarked on his journey at the young age of 19 when he founded LAI Ditescheim & Freres SA in 1881. With a small team of six skilled watchmakers, he established a workshop in the quaint Swiss village of La Chaux-de-Fonds, a hub of horological craftsmanship known for its rich watchmaking heritage. In 1905, recognising the need for a globally resonated brand, he rebranded the company as Movado, which translates to “always in motion” in Esperanto, the constructed international language designed for universal communication. This name would come to symbolise the brand’s commitment to forward-thinking design and innovation. A seminal moment in Movado’s history came in 1912 with the introduction of the Polyplan, a groundbreaking watch design that captured the attention of the Swiss watch industry and earned the company its 20th patent. The Polyplan featured a revolutionary movement that consisted of three planes strategically angled to fit a case that conformed to the natural contours of the wrist, enhancing both aesthetics and comfort. As the clouds of World War I gathered on the horizon, Movado swiftly designed the Soldier’s Watch, a remarkable blend of form and function. This timepiece featured a distinctive pierced metal cover that protected the watch crystal while allowing for easy readability of the time—a crucial feature for soldiers in the field. Movado continued to push the boundaries of watchmaking innovation with the introduction of the Acvatic, the company’s first venture into water-resistant watches. The Acvatic was equipped with a patented Decagonal case design, a screw-down back featuring a lead gasket for enhanced waterproofing, and a cork seal that protected the crown for winding, making it a robust option for active wearers. In 1945, Movado made another significant advancement in horology with the introduction of the Tempomatic. This marked the brand's first timepiece to incorporate an automatic movement, showcasing its commitment to integrating advanced technology into its designs. The post-World War II era heralded a vibrant and innovative period for Movado. The company embraced the buoyant spirit of the times with a rapid succession of transformative products. Among these were the Calendomatic—the world’s first self-winding calendar watch, the innovative Celestograph—a watch that elegantly displayed the moon phases, and the Calendarmeto—a reinterpretation of the Ermeto that incorporated day, month, and moon phase complications, appealing to a wide range of customers. In 1947, renowned designer Nathan George Horwitt unveiled the single-dot watch dial, which became a defining element of modern watch design. In 1960, Horwitt’s minimalist creation received high acclaim when it became the first watch dial ever to be accepted by the Museum of Modern Art in New York, solidifying Movado’s status in the realm of fine art and design. Since its launch in 1956, the Movado Kingmatic has been an icon of mid-century design, symbolising the brand’s dedication to quality and precision in watchmaking. At the 1969 Basel Fair, Movado made strides in the industry once again by partnering with Zenith to debut the world’s first automatic chronograph movement, the El Primero. This revolutionary innovation set new standards in watchmaking, reshaping the landscape of horology. In 1983, as Movado entered its second century, Gedalio Grinberg acquired the company and integrated it into the North American Watch Corporation. This marked a new chapter in Movado's history as it aimed to broaden its reach and appeal in the North American market. More recently, in 2017, Movado Group expanded its portfolio by acquiring Olivia Burton, a London-based brand renowned for its stylish fashion watches and jewellery, which ranks among the fastest-growing brands in the UK. Then, in October 2018, Movado Group further diversified its offerings with the acquisition of MVMT, a company focused on selling quartz watches, sunglasses, and jewellery. Today, the Movado Group continues to encompass several acclaimed brands, including Concord and Ebel, further solidifying its legacy as a leader in the watchmaking industry.