Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Fortis Skylark, Green 'Granite' Dial, ref. 6179, 20k Gold Plated, circa 1970
- Maker / attribution
- Fortis (maker)
- Date
- c. 1970
- Historical period
- Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
- Country of origin
- Unrecorded in source
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Materials / technique
- gold
- Stock no.
- vws2980
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (vws2980)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Fortis Skylark - Beautiful Green 'Granite' Dial - Model Ref: 6179 - 20k Gold Plated - c.1970 (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 vws2980), this is a wristwatch by Fortis, dated c. 1970. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: gold. 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
Fortis Skylark in Teal Green with a Stunning Granite Texture Encased in 20k Gold Plating, c.1970. Fortis Watches, a renowned Swiss watch brand, has a rich history that spans over a century. Founded in 1912 by Walter Vogt, the company initially focused on producing wristwatches for the military and aviation sectors. Fortis quickly gained recognition for its precision and reliability, becoming the official timekeeper for several prominent organizations, including the Royal Air Force. What’s On Offer This watch is absolutely charming! Just look at the teal green dial with that granite-like texture, stunning! There are so many things I love about this watch! The gold and green colourway looks very regal, the applied Roman numerals look so chic, and the elliptical gold case is just beautiful! The dial is completed by a subtle date aperture at 6 o'clock and an applied Fortis signature at noon. The watch is in superb vintage condition with barely any noticeable signs of wear, the dial is pristine and the case and lugs are also in fine shape. We have paired it with a really nice green leather strap with contrast stitching which brings out the colour in the dial wonderfully. You don't see many of these beauties around and certainly not in this fantastic condition, so snap it up and be the (green) envy of your friends! lol
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 timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Modern Mechanical Horology
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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