1970s Sicura Jump Hour Funky Case TV Blue Dial
Ref: N/A
Specification
Lugs : 19mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box & Papers : None
Case Material : Chrome
Warranty : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
Points of Mention
This watch is sold as “Watch Only” without its Sicura box and paperwork. The watch comes paired with a 19mm leather strap. The watch is from Circa. 1970s and is sold in worn, vintage condition. The watch comes with our 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty.
The Watch
Sicura was originally called Joh. Gobber, Horlogerie and was founded in 1939 by Théodore Sfaellos based in Granges, Switzerland. They changed the name to Sicura, Joh. Gobber in 1951 and finally in 1955 the company was registered as Montres Sicura SA. When Théodore passed away his son-in-law Ernest Schneider took the helm. In 1975 they had four assembly factories, one case factory and one jewel factory employing over 450 people. At that time they were selling more than one million watches per year. Embracing the quartz crisis in 1977 they produced a number of Sicura quartz run watches. Ernest Schneider in 1979 bought a floundering Breitling that had ceased production in 1978 and laid its worker off selling its assets to the highest bidder, Sinn bought completed watches and Ollech & Wajs bought the machinery and unassembled parts. Using his facilities he restarted production, he re-energised the brand with the launch of the Chronomat, Aerospace and Emergency watches. After years of keeping the two brands alive he finally in 1993 changed Montres Sicura AG to Breitling AG. Ernest Schneider passed away in 2015 but his legacy lives on with his son Theodore Schneider now heading Breitling.
Here we have a 1970s Sicura Jump Hour with a 36mm polished and brushed chrome TV-shaped case, the sloping polished top and bottom have a lug-to-lug length of 43mm and a case thickness of 15mm giving the watch an impressive wrist presence. Brushed lines lead your eyes towards the rectangular crystal sitting above a deep blue dial. At 12 o’clock a framed minutes crescent with a red and white-tipped seconds hand in the centre of the dial, at 3 o’clock a framed date window with a letter “D” and finally at 9 o’clock the jumping hours with a letter “H”, as the minutes pass 59 the hour jumps by one hour. At 6 o’clock an applied “Sicura” with 17 Jewels printed in white underneath. The funky shape and dial configuration are unapologetically 1970s in design and function. On the reverse a snap-off case back with the Sicura coats of arms in the centre. Inside a Manually Wound 17 Jewels movement. The watch comes fitted on a 19mm leather strap.
Personal Note
The history of Sicura is fascinating and I don't believe many know the connection with Breitling, this only makes the watches more interesting to me personally, especially in this era as this is when the industry was in fight mode to stay alive against the quartz crisis. Brands doubled down on their designs and watches like this really emphasise that, I am personally a big fan, never mind how great the value is!