A wonderfully handsome Orvin from the mid-century Swiss watchmaking era, combining a clean, understated dress-watch design with some great period details.
The silver-toned dial features applied gold Arabic numerals and baton indices, complemented by elegant gold-tone hands. The dial has developed a soft, naturally aged patina that gives the watch plenty of vintage character, while the red sweep seconds hand provides a fantastic splash of colour.
At 3 o'clock is a framed date aperture, adding a practical complication without disrupting the symmetry of the dial. The dial is signed ORVIN and marked 17 JEWELS.
The case is stainless steel, with beautifully shaped angular lugs and a polished bezel that gives the watch a surprisingly modern presence on the wrist. The caseback is particularly interesting, carrying period markings for:
WATER RESISTANT • STAINLESS STEEL BACK • SWISS MADE • ANTIMAGNETIC • SHOCKPROTECTED
Inside is a 17-jewel Swiss mechanical movement, with the movement clearly marked SEVENTEEN 17 JEWELS – SWISS. The movement has a traditional mid-century Swiss architecture with a nicely finished bridge layout and a regulator marked + / −. The photographs also show the characteristic jewel settings and shock-protected balance assembly.
Orvin has an interesting history as a Swiss brand; surviving examples span everything from straightforward dress watches to more rugged antimagnetic and shock-resistant models. Contemporary examples show Orvin-branded 17-jewel Swiss movements and stainless-steel cases with similar antimagnetic and shock-protected specifications.
What I particularly like about this example is the combination of gold applied detailing against the cool stainless-steel case. It gives the watch a dressier appearance than many of Orvin's more utilitarian pieces while retaining the robust construction expected of a mid-century Swiss watch.
A great everyday vintage size, excellent period case design, a useful date complication, and plenty of honest character from the naturally aged dial.
A very attractive and affordable piece of mid-century Swiss watchmaking with a great combination of elegance and practicality.
A wonderfully handsome Orvin from the mid-century Swiss watchmaking era, combining a clean, understated dress-watch design with some great period details.
The silver-toned dial features applied gold Arabic numerals and baton indices, complemented by elegant gold-tone hands. The dial has developed a soft, naturally aged patina that gives the watch plenty of vintage character, while the red sweep seconds hand provides a fantastic splash of colour.
At 3 o'clock is a framed date aperture, adding a practical complication without disrupting the symmetry of the dial. The dial is signed ORVIN and marked 17 JEWELS.
The case is stainless steel, with beautifully shaped angular lugs and a polished bezel that gives the watch a surprisingly modern presence on the wrist. The caseback is particularly interesting, carrying period markings for:
WATER RESISTANT • STAINLESS STEEL BACK • SWISS MADE • ANTIMAGNETIC • SHOCKPROTECTED
Inside is a 17-jewel Swiss mechanical movement, with the movement clearly marked SEVENTEEN 17 JEWELS – SWISS. The movement has a traditional mid-century Swiss architecture with a nicely finished bridge layout and a regulator marked + / −. The photographs also show the characteristic jewel settings and shock-protected balance assembly.
Orvin has an interesting history as a Swiss brand; surviving examples span everything from straightforward dress watches to more rugged antimagnetic and shock-resistant models. Contemporary examples show Orvin-branded 17-jewel Swiss movements and stainless-steel cases with similar antimagnetic and shock-protected specifications.
What I particularly like about this example is the combination of gold applied detailing against the cool stainless-steel case. It gives the watch a dressier appearance than many of Orvin's more utilitarian pieces while retaining the robust construction expected of a mid-century Swiss watch.
A great everyday vintage size, excellent period case design, a useful date complication, and plenty of honest character from the naturally aged dial.
A very attractive and affordable piece of mid-century Swiss watchmaking with a great combination of elegance and practicality.