German/Swiss Watch Mark Unknown maker

Discussion in 'Silver' started by A-aron, Dec 3, 2018.

  1. A-aron

    A-aron Member

    Hello, I have been having trouble identifying the maker of this watch. It seems to have German and Swiss hallmarks. I am hoping to find more information about the this mark (M/W). Any information is greatly appreciated! Thank you! 54749FFE-448F-4609-82FA-17F1D83B0EF9.jpeg FDA8DF5E-0A09-4037-AE66-E20FF25A496C.jpeg 093ED065-6327-475D-A322-01E911E10CA3.jpeg BBC9E06F-9BA2-4836-89C2-F02814430E00.jpeg 68592560-FEEE-4FDF-AE0A-4B9F28323244.jpeg
     
    i need help likes this.
  2. Fid

    Fid Well-Known Member

    could be WWI export to German army. transitional from pocketwatch to wristwatch due shortage of material.
     
    i need help and Christmasjoy like this.
  3. afantiques

    afantiques Well-Known Member

    It is later than WWI, because the silver is .925. In the early years of the 20th C the Swiss used .935 silver, and the design dates it around 1930 although this is late for wire lugs. Find out when the Swiss changed silver standard and you have a not before date.
    The watch maker is of no consequence, the movement is of decent but not remarkable quality but that is not a famous maker's mark. I think it says chronometere but it is not a chronometer, that is just a marketing lie.
    It looks as if it might be a womans size watch which would explain the wire lugs.
     
  4. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    It has the Swiss standing bear mark used between 1882 and 1934, top left. So pre-1934.
    At that time .925 was used in Switzerland alongside .935 and other finenesses.
    I think .935 became obsolete in 1934, but @Lecollectionneur will know.
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2018
    i need help likes this.
  5. afantiques

    afantiques Well-Known Member

    At that time .925 was used in Switzerland alongside .935 and other finenesses.

    My experience with watches is that they stuck to 935 for cases quite late but it is certainly a grey area. 1930 would probably be as good a date for it as any, give or take a year or two.
     
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  6. Fid

    Fid Well-Known Member

    the upright bear is for a MINIMUM of 875 since 1882. as it was exported, the more precise 0.925 was added.
     
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  7. Lecollectionneur

    Lecollectionneur Well-Known Member

    Swiss original hallmarks are on the left, bear standing for .875 and more, the small one is normally a flower, an edelweiss or in french a "gentiane", I cannot have a better look on the picture.
    The standard is in Switzerland 0,800, 925 is used actually and since near a century by silversmiths on their work, but you can found all international % on swiss watches, they make for example 84 zolotniki for russian market, directly hallmarked in Le Locle, but for national market, there is 18 kt for gold and 0,800 for silver, gold is not legal for sale as new if it's less than that.
    It's very interessant and I've make a lot of search about hallmarking in Switzerland because they were no national hallmarks before the metric %, only for towns, official books about that are uncommon, I give you two covers of them for example.
    We have an organism called METAS which has all archives and makes legal terms for all measuring laws.
    On the first one you can read in french than they control watches cases since 1754 in La Chaux-De-Fonds.
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  8. Fid

    Fid Well-Known Member

    I see now what you're thinking about. the law of 1934 that makes marks mandatory - but only mandatory on watch cases. there they only marked 0.800 and 0.925 - both times meaning minimum - so the cases could probably be exported to Emgland as well.
    and there was a transitional mark of a carp's head from 1933 to 1934.
    before that stuff for export needed no marks at all; but of course the import laws of the other countries forced them to mark.
     
  9. A-aron

    A-aron Member

    Thanks for the info everyone!
     
    Any Jewelry and komokwa like this.
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