$1,020
HARWOOD SILVER PATENTED SELF-WINDING WATCH Harwood- Self-Winding Watch Co Ltd. No. 51915. Case hallmarked Glasgow 1929. Fine, tonneau-shaped, self-winding, sterling silver wristwatch with patented hand-setting mechanism. To be sold without reserve Three-body, solid, polished, reeded revolving bezel for setting hands, solid wire type lugs. Silvered, guilloche, Roman numerals with outer minute track, aperture for the wind/hand setting indication at 6. Blued steel Breguet hands. Notes John Harwood, an English watchmaker, founded the Harwood Watch Co. in the 1920’s. He is credited with developing the first self-winding mechanism for wristwatches, patented in 1924. Harwood’s mechanism used a small weight inside the watch that bumped back and forth, ratcheting a gear that powered the watch. The internal winding combined with a bezel-operated hand setting system, eliminated inaccuracy caused by dust and moisture entering through the winding shaft. His bumper movement was the foundation for the later highly successful Rolex Oyster Perpetual wristwatch. Harwood watches were produced from 1929 until 1931, when the company failed.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2010-03-10
