Garrard 'Dennison Aquatite' 9K YG Dress Watch Awarded By Ford Motor Company, 1964

Dealer description — Craft & Tailored

In the world of watches, for every household name like Rolex or Omega, there are droves of others that remain mostly unheard of, despite in some cases having some pretty incredible backstories. Garrard is one of those brands. In fact, Garrard is short for Garrard-Asprey, a British jeweler that also just happened to make the Crown Jewels worn by the Queen. Watches with their name on the dial were actually white-labeled Smiths pieces featuring 18-jewel movements and Dennison Aquatite cases, making them true beacons of the oft-forgotten British watchmaking tradition. (In fact, rumor has it that Sir Edmund Hillary was wearing a Smiths watch with a Dennison Aquatite case—not a Rolex—when he conquered Mt. Everest, but we digress.) Despite the relatively obscurity of the brand, this is a gorgeous time capsule that deserves to be worn and talked about. Featuring a 9k gold case and an incredible dial with subseconds and gilt hour markers and hands, it looks as good as it would have when it was awarded, per the inscription on the case back, to a Ford employee in 1964 for "30 years of loyal service." SPECS Stock # GAR9KFORD Brand Garrard 'Dennison Aquatite' Style Dress Watch Model N/A Serial N/A Size Men's Material 9K Yellow Gold Dial Cream Millimeters 33.5 Strap 2pc Handmade Leather Strap CASE & BRACELET The strong and symmetrical 9k yellow gold case is in incredible condition, especially considering its age. It appears to remain unpolished and shows only minor signs of use. The unsigned gold crown is believed to be original to the watch. The screw-down case back is in excellent shape, featuring only minor wear and a custom inscription that reads, "H.J.A. Foster. In appreciation of 30 years of loyal service. April 1964. Ford." The watch will come supplied on a two-piece handmade leather strap. DIAL & HANDS The original cream dial features alternating applied dagger and Arabic numeral markers and is in exceptional condition with almost no signs of wear or age visible to the naked eye, except for minor marks inside the subseconds. The gilt hour markers are in exceptional condition and perfectly complement the gilt handset, giving the watch an air of class and sophistication. ACCESSORIES The watch comes complete with its original Ford presentation box and Garrard papers. The watch is keeping time, but the service history is unknown. A movement service can be provided upon request.