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JW Benson Tropical, 9K Gold, Roman Sector Dial, circa 1950s — view 1 of 6
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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

JW Benson Tropical, 9K Gold, Roman Sector Dial, circa 1950s

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Unrecorded in source
Date
c. 1950s
Country of origin
Unrecorded in source
Object type
Wristwatch
Materials / technique
gold
Stock no.
vws3595cs
Credit line
Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (vws3595cs)
Catalogue title (original)
JW Benson Tropical - 9K Gold - Roman Sector Dial - 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 vws3595cs), this is a wristwatch, 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: 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

A Delightful JW Benson Tropical in 9K Gold with Two Line Signature and Two-Tone Sector Dial with Applied Gold Furniture and Dauphine Hands, c.1950s J.W. Benson, a prestigious name in British horology, traces its roots back to 1847 when brothers James William Benson and Samuel Suckley Benson established their watchmaking business in London. Initially located at Cornhill, they quickly gained acclaim for crafting exquisite timepieces renowned for their precision and elegance. Over the years, J.W. Benson became synonymous with quality, earning royal patronage by serving as watchmakers to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.ben Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the company adeptly combined traditional craftsmanship with innovative techniques, producing pocket watches and wristwatches that were both functional and stylish. After James William Benson took full control in 1873, the brand continued to flourish. The 1920s and 1930s marked a golden era for the company, with the production of iconic designs featuring their proprietary movements. Despite the decline in British watch manufacturing post-WWII, J.W. Benson maintained its reputation for classic designs until it ceased production in the 1970s. What's on Offer We are delighted to offer this beautiful 9k gold JW Benson watch for sale in such wonderful vintage condition. Boasting a stunning sector dial composed of contrasting concentric circles with Applied Roman numerals in gold and a sub-seconds dial at 6 o'clock - it is very pretty indeed! Rather an opulent looking watch, the dial is completed by gold Dauphine hands and encapsulated underneath an acrylic crystal which is encased in 9k gold. It is in exemplary condition and has obviously been well taken care of over the years. This watch is the two line signature Tropical iteration. It is running well and keeping good time, a valuable addition to any collection.

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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