Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Doxa Anti-Magnetic Dress Watch, Steel Case, Gilt Furniture, circa 1950s
- Maker / attribution
- DOXA (maker)
- Date
- c. 1950s
- Historical period
- Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Materials / technique
- steel
- Dimensions
- Case 34 mm
- Stock no.
- vws3838cs
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (vws3838cs)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Doxa Anti-Magnetic Dress Watch - Steel Case - Gilt Furniture - c.1950s (English)
View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction
Record summary
Catalogued by Vintage Watch Specialist (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number vws3838cs), this is a wristwatch by DOXA, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1950s. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: steel. Recorded dimensions: Case 34 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 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
Dealer description — Vintage Watch Specialist
An understated Doxa stainless steel anti-magnetic dress watch with minimalist cream dial and manual Calibre 103, late 1950s or early 1960s Founded in 1889 by Georges Ducommun in Le Locle, Switzerland, Doxa built its reputation on precision timekeeping and innovative design. The brand became widely known for its 1967 SUB dive watch, developed in collaboration with professional divers, which introduced the now-iconic orange dial for improved underwater visibility. From elegant early pocket watches to rugged tool watches, Doxa has combined technical expertise with distinctive styling, earning a loyal following among adventurers, collectors, and watch enthusiasts worldwide. What's on Offer We are pleased to present this understated Doxa anti-magnetic dress watch, likely dating to the late 1950s or early 1960s, housed in a 34mm stainless steel case with slim, angular lugs. The cream dial is clean and balanced, featuring applied gilt Arabic numerals at the quarters and slim baton markers in between, complemented by simple gilt pencil hands. The “Anti-Magnetic” designation highlights the watch’s resistance to everyday magnetic fields — a practical feature in its day. The watch is powered by Doxa’s manual-wind Calibre 103, a 17-jewel movement offering a 47-hour power reserve. The Plexiglass crystal does have some crazing, which appears more pronounced under the macro lens of our camera than it does to the naked eye. Fitted with a black leather strap, this piece offers a classic vintage look, making it a versatile choice for collectors or those seeking a straightforward, reliable mechanical watch with vintage charm.
Historical context
Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.
The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking
Atlas type guide
Wristwatches
Bracelet watches were worn by women from the early nineteenth century — Breguet made one for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810–12 — but the wristwatch only became a man's instrument with military use and aviation in the early twentieth century. Between the World Wars it overtook the pocket watch; the 1920s and 1930s brought rectangular Art Deco cases, water-resistant cases and the first automatic winding systems.
After 1945 the wristwatch became a carrier of identity — dress watches, sports and dive watches, chronographs, calendars — produced by Swiss, American, Japanese, German, Soviet and Chinese industries. The quartz revolution after 1969 and the mechanical renaissance since the 1990s, including the rise of independent watchmakers, complete the story.
What to look for
- The reference number (between the lugs or inside the case back) and serial number, the starting point for dating.
- The calibre: its maker and number are often stamped under the dial or on the bridge.
- Originality of dial, hands and crown — refinished ('redial') dials are common.
- Case material marks: 18K/750, 14K/585, stainless steel, gold-filled, plated.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug cases: before c. 1925.
- Water-resistant screw-down cases: from 1926.
- Quartz movements: from 1969; sapphire crystals widespread after c. 1980.
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.
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