1960s Wittnauer Geneve Automatic Compressor Diver
Ref: 8007

Points of Mention

This watch is sold as "Watch Only" and therefore comes with no original box or paperwork. The watch comes paired with a 19mm leather strap that suits the watch nicely. The watch is from Circa. 1960s and is in worn, vintage condition, as you can see from the photographs. The watch comes with our 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty.

The Watch

Here we have a 1960s Wittnauer Geneve Automatic Compressor Diver with a 36mm stainless steel Super Compressor case designed and developed by Ervin Pequerez and was adopted by Enicar, Longines and Universal Geneve. A gentle curve over your wrist with bevel-edged thick tapered lugs, a lug-to-lug length of 42.5mm and a case thickness of 12.5mm gives the watch an impressive wrist presence. On the right side, we have two crowns, one at 2 o’clock with cross-hatching and an embossed “W” to adjust the rotating bezel and at 4 o’clock a crown with cross-hatching and an embossed “W” to adjust the time, winding and changing the date. A thin bezel holds a domed crystal above a black dial, a rotating 60-minute inner bezel has white markings and 15, 30, and 45 numerals, Tritium coated triangles and batons mark the hours with 12, 6 and 9 numerals. At 3 o’clock a framed date window, and thick baton hands are infilled with Tritium complemented by a rectangular counterweighted sweeping second hand. At 12 o’clock we have the Wittnauer motif and at 6 o’clock “Automatic” in a flowing font completes this vintage compressor diver. On the reverse, a screw-down case back, inside an automatic Wittnauer Cal. C11KAS1, 17 jewels, beating at 19,800 beats per hour, this movement was a Record design and is equivalent to the Record 1955 and Longines 501. The watch comes fitted on a 19mm leather strap.

Personal Note

The Brand

In 1872 at just sixteen years old, Albert Wittnauer moved from Switzerland to New York to work for his brother-in-law, Eugene Roberts. Eugene ran a watch-importing business that was focused on high-end pieces such as Vacheron & Constantin and Jaeger LeCoultre. Albert had a vision of creating his watch brand that would suit the American market: his idea was to create an affordable Swiss watch that was still of high quality but at a lower price. In 1880 the first Wittnauer watches were being made. In that same year, F. Eugene Roberts & Co became the exclusive seller for Longines in America, this partnership would last nearly 125 years. In 1890 Eugene honoured Albert by naming his new venture "A. Wittnauer Company". The business was an instant success and attracted watchmakers from around the world to join them such as Ferdinand Haschka who became the head watchmaker for Tiffany & Co and Charles Johns who created a perpetual calendar chronometer that was shown to the world in the 1939 World fair. Sadly by 1916, the brothers had passed away and the company was left to their sister Martha. She became the first woman CEO of a watch company in America. She had no prior experience but still led the company for 20 years. In 1936 A. Wittnauer was sold to Hella Deltah, who was a pearl manufacturer. Building upon the long partnership and history with Longines, the company was renamed Longines-Wittnauer. In 1994 Longines-Wittnauer was bought by SMH which later became the Swatch Group. SMH soon took over the distribution of Longines in the  US, and the 125-year association with Wittnauer was over. Renamed Wittnauer International Inc., they now refocused to build upon the Wittnauer name.  Composite Resources LLC outbid Movado and Bulova to buy Wittnauer for $28 million. This was not to last as in the first year the company made a loss of $5 million. In just 4 years the company had trade debts of over $24 million, it was then that Bulova bought them for $11.6 million. Bulova launched the “Nightlife” range of fashion watches under the Wittnauer brand.