1969 Movado Kingmatic Surf 29.14mm 14K Gold Filled Automatic Date Wristwatch — view 1 of 4 — View 1 of 4 · Image: Sphere Auctions LLC / LiveAuctioneers · original image source (opens another website in a new tab)

View 1 of 4 · Image: Sphere Auctions LLC / LiveAuctioneers · original image source (opens another website in a new tab)

Wristwatches · Wristwatch

1969 Movado Kingmatic Surf 29.14mm 14K Gold Filled Automatic Date Wristwatch

DocumentedDocumented from an auction catalogue; attribution as stated by the auction house.

Maker / attribution: Movado (maker)
Date: c. 1969
Historical period: Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
Country of origin: Switzerland
Object type: Wristwatch
Auction house: LiveAuctioneers auction archive
Lot: Item 222914826
Credit line: Auction lot record: lot 485, EXCLUSIVE WATCHES AND POCKET WATCHES 5, Sphere Auctions LLC (2026), via LiveAuctioneers
Catalogue title (original): 1969 Movado Kingmatic Surf 29.14mm 14K Gold Filled Automatic Date Wristwatch (English)

View the source record (auction lot) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction

Record summary

Catalogued by LiveAuctioneers auction archive (lot Item 222914826), this is a wristwatch by Movado, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1969. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. The record is illustrated with 4 photographs.

Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.

Catalogue description

Lot description — Sphere Auctions LLC

This circa 1969 Movado Kingmatic Surf automatic wristwatch features a silver sunburst dial with applied baton hour markers, date window at 3 o’clock, and the signed Movado logo with crown emblem. The watch is powered by a Swiss automatic Movado movement marked 17 jewels and is running and keeping time at the time of observation. The case is 14K gold filled, confirmed by interior markings, and retains its original signed Movado crown. A classic late-1960s Swiss automatic from one of the most respected manufacturers of the era.Itemized Details:Brand: MovadoModel: Kingmatic SurfProduction Year: Circa 1969Origin: SwissCase Size: 29.14 mm (measured, excluding crown)Case Material: 14K gold filledCaseback (interior): Marked “14K Gold Filled – U.S.A. Movado – Ref. 60498”Dial: Silver sunburst with applied baton indicesHands: Gold-tone baton handsMovement: Swiss automatic Movado, 17 jewels, unadjustedCrown: Signed MovadoCrystal: AcrylicStrap: Leather strap (not original)Condition: Running and keeping timeService Status: Service suggestedCondition Notes:Dial is clean with light age-appropriate wear. Case shows surface scratches and gold-fill wear consistent with use. Movement is running at time of observation; service history is unknown. Please review all photos carefully.

Historical context

Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)

Seiko's Astron begins mass quartz timekeeping; traditional industries contract sharply.

Quartz and digital watches transformed the market after 1969. Swiss employment collapsed, Japanese and Hong Kong production soared, and the Swatch (1983) helped the Swiss industry recover; mechanical watches survived as luxury goods.

Read the period in the timeline More wristwatches from this period Earlier: Modern Mechanical Horology

Atlas type guide

Automatic (self-winding) watches

Self-winding watches use the wearer's motion to wind the mainspring. Abraham-Louis Perrelet and Breguet made 'perpétuelle' pocket watches with oscillating weights in the late eighteenth century, but the principle only became practical in the wristwatch. John Harwood patented a bumper automatic in 1923; Rolex's Perpetual rotor (1931) winding in one direction, and later bidirectional rotors (Eterna, Felsa Bidynator), established the modern form. Micro-rotors (Universal Genève, Buren) and peripheral rotors made automatic watches thinner.

What to look for

A semicircular rotor turning 360° over the movement, or a 'bumper' weight that rebounds between springs.
'Automatic', 'Perpetual' or 'Self-winding' on the dial.
A sealed screw-back case, since automatic watches are wound less often by the crown.

Dating clues

Bumper automatics: 1923–c. 1955.
Full rotors: from 1931 (Rolex); widespread after c. 1950.
Micro-rotors: from 1954–1958.

General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.

Mechanisms mentioned

Jewel bearings — Component
Self-winding (automatic) mechanism — Component

Record completeness

Maker or attributionRecorded
DateRecorded
Place or countryRecorded
MaterialsNot in source
DimensionsNot in source
Narrative descriptionRecorded
Inscriptions / marksNot in source
ProvenanceNot in source
Several photographsRecorded

Editorial status: Documented — facts as published by the source; not independently verified by Atlas editors.

Explore further

Sources & image rights

Record source: LiveAuctioneers auction archive (opens another website in a new tab).

Image rights: © Sphere Auctions LLC / LiveAuctioneers — permission required (opens another website in a new tab).

Images are hosted by the Atlas for study and credited to their owner. Rights holders may request correction, credit changes or removal, or grant permission, via the editorial office.

Cite this record

"1969 Movado Kingmatic Surf 29.14mm 14K Gold Filled Automatic Date Wristwatch." LiveAuctioneers auction archive, Item 222914826. Catalogue record in The Horology Atlas, WatchMuseum.org, https://atlas.watchmuseum.org/museum/1969-movado-kingmatic-surf-29-14mm-14k-gold-filled-automatic-date-wris-eaf4d1.