This is a particularly interesting Canadian-market Gladstone Permaspring, a Swiss-made mechanical wristwatch sold in Canada under the Gladstone name by Wenger's Ltd. of Montreal. Gladstone was not a Swiss manufacture in the traditional sense of companies such as Omega or Longines; rather, Wenger's operated as a Canadian watch business using Swiss-made movements and components. The Gladstone trademark was registered in Canada by Wenger's in 1939, making this an interesting piece of Canadian horological history.
The gold-coloured case features distinctive elongated, faceted lugs, a domed acrylic crystal, and a screw-back case bearing the Gladstone crest along with “Shockproof” and “Antimagnetic” markings.
The silvered, textured dial has a clean mid-century appearance, with applied gold-tone markers, stylized Arabic numerals at 12 and 6, and a central seconds hand. The combination of the broad case, faceted lugs, and restrained dial gives the watch the unmistakable character of a post-war Canadian dress watch.
Inside is a 15-jewel Swiss manual-wind mechanical movement, signed Gladstone Watch Co. / Swiss Made. Despite the “Permaspring” name, this particular watch is manually wound rather than automatic. “Permaspring” appears to have been a Gladstone marketing designation used across different models and movement types, making the actual movement configuration more important than the name itself.
What makes this example considerably more special is the survival of its original Gladstone presentation box. Branded “Gladstone — With Permaspring” and carrying the period slogan “Watchword of the Nation,” the box features an elaborate Gladstone crest with two lions surrounding a clock. Original packaging like this provides an unusually tangible connection to how these watches were actually presented and sold to Canadian customers.
The Canadian connection is what makes this watch especially appealing. Wenger's Ltd. of Montreal represents a fascinating part of Canada's watch trade, importing Swiss mechanical watchmaking and presenting it to the Canadian market under locally established brands. Gladstone watches therefore occupy an interesting space between Swiss horological production and Canada's own retail and commercial watch history.
Complete with its original presentation box, this is far more than simply an obscure vintage Swiss watch. It is a Canadian-market Gladstone with its original packaging, a handsome 36mm mechanical wristwatch and a small piece of the history of Montreal's post-war watch trade. For collectors interested in Canadian watches, private-label brands, or simply unusual mid-century mechanical watches, this is a particularly charming example.
This is a particularly interesting Canadian-market Gladstone Permaspring, a Swiss-made mechanical wristwatch sold in Canada under the Gladstone name by Wenger's Ltd. of Montreal. Gladstone was not a Swiss manufacture in the traditional sense of companies such as Omega or Longines; rather, Wenger's operated as a Canadian watch business using Swiss-made movements and components. The Gladstone trademark was registered in Canada by Wenger's in 1939, making this an interesting piece of Canadian horological history.
The gold-coloured case features distinctive elongated, faceted lugs, a domed acrylic crystal, and a screw-back case bearing the Gladstone crest along with “Shockproof” and “Antimagnetic” markings.
The silvered, textured dial has a clean mid-century appearance, with applied gold-tone markers, stylized Arabic numerals at 12 and 6, and a central seconds hand. The combination of the broad case, faceted lugs, and restrained dial gives the watch the unmistakable character of a post-war Canadian dress watch.
Inside is a 15-jewel Swiss manual-wind mechanical movement, signed Gladstone Watch Co. / Swiss Made. Despite the “Permaspring” name, this particular watch is manually wound rather than automatic. “Permaspring” appears to have been a Gladstone marketing designation used across different models and movement types, making the actual movement configuration more important than the name itself.
What makes this example considerably more special is the survival of its original Gladstone presentation box. Branded “Gladstone — With Permaspring” and carrying the period slogan “Watchword of the Nation,” the box features an elaborate Gladstone crest with two lions surrounding a clock. Original packaging like this provides an unusually tangible connection to how these watches were actually presented and sold to Canadian customers.
The Canadian connection is what makes this watch especially appealing. Wenger's Ltd. of Montreal represents a fascinating part of Canada's watch trade, importing Swiss mechanical watchmaking and presenting it to the Canadian market under locally established brands. Gladstone watches therefore occupy an interesting space between Swiss horological production and Canada's own retail and commercial watch history.
Complete with its original presentation box, this is far more than simply an obscure vintage Swiss watch. It is a Canadian-market Gladstone with its original packaging, a handsome 36mm mechanical wristwatch and a small piece of the history of Montreal's post-war watch trade. For collectors interested in Canadian watches, private-label brands, or simply unusual mid-century mechanical watches, this is a particularly charming example.