1960s Wittnauer Geneve Skin Diver C11KS 37.5mm
Ref: C 11 KS 4000

1960s Wittnauer Geneve Skin Diver C11KS 37.5mm
1960s Wittnauer Geneve Skin Diver C11KS 37.5mm
1960s Wittnauer Geneve Skin Diver C11KS 37.5mm
1960s Wittnauer Geneve Skin Diver C11KS 37.5mm
1960s Wittnauer Geneve Skin Diver C11KS 37.5mm
1960s Wittnauer Geneve Skin Diver C11KS 37.5mm
1960s Wittnauer Geneve Skin Diver C11KS 37.5mm
1960s Wittnauer Geneve Skin Diver C11KS 37.5mm
1960s Wittnauer Geneve Skin Diver C11KS 37.5mm
1960s Wittnauer Geneve Skin Diver C11KS 37.5mm
1960s Wittnauer Geneve Skin Diver C11KS 37.5mm
1960s Wittnauer Geneve Skin Diver C11KS 37.5mm
1960s Wittnauer Geneve Skin Diver C11KS 37.5mm
1960s Wittnauer Geneve Skin Diver C11KS 37.5mm
Regular price
Sold
Sale price
£595.00
Unit price
per 

Specification

Reference : C 11 KS 4000
Movement : Manually Wound Wittnauer Cal. C11KS
Age : 1961/1970
Specific Age : Circa. 1960s
Case Size : 37.5mm
Case Thickness : 11.5mm
Lug to Lug : 47mm
Lugs :
 20mm
Condition :
 Pre-Owned
Box & Papers :
 None
Case Material : 
Stainless Steel
Warranty :
 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
The wrist model's wrist size is 6.5inch


Points of Mention

This watch is sold as "Watch Only" and therefore comes with no original Wittnauer box or paperwork. The watch comes paired with a 20mm strap. The watch is from Circa. 1960s and is sold in worn, vintage condition, but overall good condition as you can see. The watch comes with our 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty.


The Watch

Here we have a 1960s Wittnauer Geneve Skin Diver C11KS with a 37.5mm stainless steel case, a distinctive curve of the case leads to a lug-to-lug length of 47mm and a case thickness of 11.5mm ensuring a comfortable fit on your wrist. On the right side a large crown and the friction-fit dive bezel has deep engraved numerals and markers holding a domed crystal. The matte black dial has Arabic 12, 6 and 9 with baton and triangle indexes all coated in Tritium marking the hours, at 3 o'clock a framed date window, at 12 o'clock we have the Wittnauer motif, baton hands are infilled with Tritium complemented by a square counterweight second hand completes this attractive vintage skin diver. On the reverse, a screw-down case back, inside a manually wound Wittnauer Cal. C11KS, 17 jewel movement. The watch comes fitted on a 20mm vintage-style dark brown leather strap.


Personal Note

This is one I'll be sad to see go, initially a gift for my wife who enjoyed it for a fair while, but the opportunity to snap up a BB58 Blue came up and since having our daughter my wife prefers to wear watches with a screw down crown and that is a bit more "baby proof". So snap this gem up before I decide to keep it for myself! Easily one of the best dials I have seen on a skin diver yet, so clean and the lume is aged beautifully.


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's fair. Sadly by 1916, the brothers had passed away and the company was left to their sister Martha. She became the first woman C.E.O 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. Two years later Composite Resources LLC outbid Movado and Bulova to purchase 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.