shape
carat
color
clarity

Anyone share my love for Art Deco platinum ladies’ watches?

glitterata

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
4,259
I have a thing for Art Deco diamond-set platinum ladies’ watches. Used to be nobody wanted them, and you could get them for a little more than the melt value of the platinum. These days they’re more widely appreciated, but if you hunt, you can still sometimes find them for a reasonable price. Usually they need work—the watch face is often faded, the crystal needs replacing, the watch doesn’t run—which can be costly. But I recently found a gorgeous one in beautiful condition, running and keeping good time—and it even has its original light blue grosgrain ribbon watchband with a platinum clasp!

Anybody have any of your own to show?

Here’s my new one. The case has a patent date of July 26, 1921. Just a few weeks until its 100th birthday! (Of course, the case was probably made after the patent was issued, but definitely in the 20s.) It’s set with single-cut diamonds and what looks like calibre-cut black onyx.

19DC83F9-A61F-4F81-BEFF-6C239D97FCAC.jpeg 58900001-4476-4D05-95B9-87E6E836FB83.jpeg 202E976B-276A-4C85-8470-C3047B8F83C1.jpeg 4EA8C55C-65C6-402B-9431-66159FDCB6DC.jpeg E08D52EF-FB9E-4600-B4C1-F1F8435F939B.jpeg 280B7759-C640-42F7-845A-D3211ADF208E.jpeg 1DB679DC-FB5C-4155-9B13-EF4F2CF7A8A1.jpeg DE199468-C86D-4294-9A27-50EFF6B030D0.jpeg 5428C5B2-D104-4313-AA11-F4355CCE8B4E.jpeg E4A67E56-6D24-4370-9705-0E348AEC3ACC.jpeg DA3391E7-86AA-4004-9581-231F7B170A58.jpeg AEFEE6F4-BFD5-44FB-9A17-16DF4A42C7AC.jpeg

Here’s my whole collection so far (I have one more on the way, a rectangular 1920s one with calibre sapphires).

The larger ones with sapphires are probably from the 1920s, and the little ones are probably from the 1930s. The second from the right is inscribed “Edith 1934.”

None of them keep good time except the one with the light blue band. I’m thinking of making the others into a necklace or bracelet, probably without getting the mechanisms fixed. I would do it in a reversible way, so they can go back to being watches in another century. And if I do make a necklace or bracelet, I might take out the mechanisms, keep them someplace safe, and fill the cases with photos or fabric or something.

What do you think?

255B3AFE-793C-4B0F-9C75-E20E46A3AC02.jpeg 35FE1B7F-47B6-4D9F-BB0D-605E1A331723.jpeg BFFFBC52-7A71-4A99-B857-AEE7B05BF321.jpeg

Please share yours, if you have any!
 

lala646

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Nov 4, 2018
Messages
1,738
Love them all, especially the newest beauty! I find old watches so romantic.
 

kgizo

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Dec 14, 2009
Messages
2,603
You have a fabulous collection!! I admire old watches and love looking at them, but have yet to buy because I’m not at all knowledgeable about them.
 

glitterata

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
4,259
You have a fabulous collection!! I admire old watches and love looking at them, but have yet to buy because I’m not at all knowledgeable about them.

Thank you! I'm not at all knowledgeable about watches either--I just buy these for the cases, which are lovely pieces of antique jewelry.
 

Luce

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jun 1, 2015
Messages
1,138
What a beautiful collection. I love old watches. I have one that was my grandmothers. It is platinum with single cut diamonds and looks like it was originally a ribbon watch. 5F30739A-A313-4A0C-AF37-4807BC594164.jpeg 60E99018-D41A-4E1A-B750-83BE9B941E5A.jpeg F5AE10A1-5E4A-4B9A-8902-63517DE8B9E2.jpeg It still keeps good time.
 

Bron357

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 22, 2014
Messages
6,532
Well hullo there fellow watch lover.
my addiction / collection is quite large even though I have rehomed (sold) a number over the past few years.
I’ve also “branched out” into repurposing old watch where the movement is lost or beyond repair.
I collect ladies watches, I started off with covered dial watches and have expanded into anything interesting that contains a watch.
My favourite is my French Art Deco handbag, yes a handbag with a watch set into the clasp. I also have a collection of ladies compacts with a watch. Plus pendant watch with enamel and watch chain.
Here are a few pics (some appear in other threads but never mind).
10F17184-D5EF-4364-A700-847CA97D2645.jpeg EDA6E55C-F2F0-4CCC-8B60-EB9FB23BA881.jpeg 5A8532ED-52F3-4225-BC03-45CD79D3BE90.jpeg C030DA77-22B9-4EC5-A206-4C32A9095BEF.jpeg CD827BAE-5A9D-4048-961A-2664687C3637.jpeg 5C729EDC-FEA9-4F0D-A05A-9C1C06A44930.jpeg 7752A8FA-BF77-4BB8-A36E-F0FF64576AFB.jpeg 62C14CF5-981E-4D75-ABD9-E0FCA0C209F4.jpeg F4E485AB-5B30-4F3E-BD6C-BD2533BB3805.jpeg F941733B-E674-4553-A2DA-451FA8A9B141.jpeg A903D893-71A8-42C1-8958-990BCFC21107.jpeg CB653712-5886-4BAA-99E0-088AB00015DD.jpeg F6A13490-8AF2-4989-8509-09F99F78E6C1.jpeg B8CAADE1-6349-42BF-8FD4-532281DB2F70.jpeg E1D89F3E-C5A6-4219-AC29-1C2346A739BD.jpeg
 

glitterata

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
4,259
Oooooohhhhhh @Bron357 ! That HANDBAG! I love your whole collection, but that one is just wow!
 

collier

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jul 27, 2011
Messages
368
These are all just wow! I love them all :)
 
Be a part of the community Get 3 HCA Results
Top