This is a striking vintage Waltham Day-Date automatic from the late 1960s to early 1970s, representing an interesting chapter in the history of one of America's most famous watch names. By this period, the original Waltham factory in the United States had closed, and the Waltham name continued on watches using Swiss-made movements and components.
The watch measures approximately 36.0mm across, 44.0mm lug-to-lug and 11.8mm thick, giving it excellent proportions for a vintage men's watch. The case features a distinctive coin-edge textured bezel, adding a dressier element to the otherwise straightforward 1970s design.
The silver sunburst dial is the highlight, with a particularly interesting arched day display at 12 o'clock and a separate date window at 3. The combination gives the watch the unmistakable look of the era's day-date watches, with a layout reminiscent of the much more expensive luxury pieces that popularized the design during this period.
Inside is a 17-jewel automatic Swiss movement, with the rotor winding the mainspring through normal wrist movement. The movement and inner case markings identify the watch as part of Waltham's Swiss-produced era, with “Waltham Watch Co Swiss” appearing on the watch and the WXO import marking on the movement.
The case shows honest wear from decades of use, particularly around the edges of the lugs and case where the outer finish has worn through to the underlying base metal. The dial, however, remains remarkably clean, with crisp printing and a strong original appearance. It is exactly the kind of honest wear that gives a vintage watch its character without taking away from the appeal of the dial.
This is a great example of the later Waltham story: an iconic American watch name carried forward into the era of Swiss production, combined with a very appealing 1970s day-date design and a highly wearable 36mm case.
A sharp and unusual Swiss-made Waltham, with a clean sunburst day-date dial, textured coin-edge bezel and plenty of honest vintage character.
This is a striking vintage Waltham Day-Date automatic from the late 1960s to early 1970s, representing an interesting chapter in the history of one of America's most famous watch names. By this period, the original Waltham factory in the United States had closed, and the Waltham name continued on watches using Swiss-made movements and components.
The watch measures approximately 36.0mm across, 44.0mm lug-to-lug and 11.8mm thick, giving it excellent proportions for a vintage men's watch. The case features a distinctive coin-edge textured bezel, adding a dressier element to the otherwise straightforward 1970s design.
The silver sunburst dial is the highlight, with a particularly interesting arched day display at 12 o'clock and a separate date window at 3. The combination gives the watch the unmistakable look of the era's day-date watches, with a layout reminiscent of the much more expensive luxury pieces that popularized the design during this period.
Inside is a 17-jewel automatic Swiss movement, with the rotor winding the mainspring through normal wrist movement. The movement and inner case markings identify the watch as part of Waltham's Swiss-produced era, with “Waltham Watch Co Swiss” appearing on the watch and the WXO import marking on the movement.
The case shows honest wear from decades of use, particularly around the edges of the lugs and case where the outer finish has worn through to the underlying base metal. The dial, however, remains remarkably clean, with crisp printing and a strong original appearance. It is exactly the kind of honest wear that gives a vintage watch its character without taking away from the appeal of the dial.
This is a great example of the later Waltham story: an iconic American watch name carried forward into the era of Swiss production, combined with a very appealing 1970s day-date design and a highly wearable 36mm case.
A sharp and unusual Swiss-made Waltham, with a clean sunburst day-date dial, textured coin-edge bezel and plenty of honest vintage character.