Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Movado M95 Steel Chronograph “dagger hands” Ref 19038, 1940s
- Maker / attribution
- Movado (maker)
- Date
- 1940s
- Historical period
- Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Materials / technique
- steel
- Stock no.
- W-2437
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Bulang & Sons (W-2437)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Movado M95 Steel Chronograph “dagger hands” Ref 19038 (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Bulang & Sons (dealer), Copenhagen (stock number W-2437), this is a wristwatch by Movado, made in Switzerland, dated 1940s. The Atlas places it in the Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking period (1900 – 1945) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: steel. 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 — Bulang & Sons
This is a very special chronograph that dates to the 1940s, to many the golden era of steel chronos. Housed in a Francois Borgel-style waterproof and anti-magnetic case with decagonal caseback and faceted lugs. This watch has a full-blown vintage look thanks to the radium-induced patina on the dial, almost like crème brulee. The hour and minute hands have radium lume and the chrono hands are all blued steel, with snake/dagger esque hands on the minutes and hours chronograph register, so cool ! This is a very special and highly collectible chrono we find. The watch is fitted with the pictured leather strap and the calibre M95 movement has been fully serviced by our watchmaker. We love vintage watches like this and would love to share our passion with you on a call or visit to our lounge. Please get in touch! Specifications:
Historical context
Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
The wristwatch displaces the pocket watch; waterproof cases, self-winding and grand complications.
The wristwatch overtook the pocket watch. Military use in the First World War, aviation, water-resistant cases (1926), automatic winding (1923–31), rectangular Art Deco designs and early chronographs and calendars defined the period.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Industrial Revolution
Atlas type guide
Chronographs and split-seconds watches
A chronograph is a watch with an additional seconds hand that can be started, stopped and returned to zero independently of the timekeeping. Louis Moinet built an early example in 1816 and Nicolas Rieussec a recording 'chronographe' in 1821; Adolphe Nicole's heart-shaped reset cam (patented 1862) made the modern return-to-zero possible. Split-seconds (rattrapante) chronographs add a second hand that can be stopped for intermediate times; flyback chronographs restart instantly.
Chronographs were essential tools for doctors (pulsometer scales), artillery (telemeter), engineers and sport. In wristwatches, Valjoux, Venus, Lemania and later the automatic chronographs of 1969 (Zenith El Primero, the Chronomatic Calibre 11 group and Seiko 6139) are milestones.
What to look for
- Push-pieces on the case band or a single button in the crown (monopusher).
- Subsidiary registers for minutes and hours; tachymeter, telemeter or pulsometer scales.
- Column wheel versus cam control visible in the movement.
- Calibre markings of specialist makers (Valjoux, Lemania, Venus, Landeron).
Dating clues
- Pocket chronographs with heart cam reset: after 1862.
- Wrist chronographs: from c. 1910; two-button designs from the 1930s.
- Automatic chronographs: from 1969.
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.
Read next:Flyback chronographChronograph
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