
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Tudor Cushion Case Wristwatch, ref. 614421, circa 1945
- Maker / attribution
- Tudor (maker)
- Date
- c. 1945
- Historical period
- Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 28.5 mm
- Stock no.
- vws4384cs
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (vws4384cs)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Tudor - Cushion Case Wristwatch - Reference 614421 - c.1945 (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 vws4384cs), this is a wristwatch by Tudor, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1945. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 28.5 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
What's on Offer We are pleased to offer this handsome Tudor manual-winding wristwatch, dating from approximately 1945 and housed in a beautifully proportioned stainless steel cushion case. At 28.5mm across, the watch has the compact dimensions typical of the period, while the broad, gently curved cushion case gives it considerably more presence than its measurements might suggest. The polished case remains extremely attractive, displaying light age-related surface wear while retaining its distinctive shape and pleasingly defined lines. The real character of this example lies in its wonderfully aged dial. Originally white, it has mellowed over the decades to a warm cream tone with natural spotting, patination and marks that give the watch an unmistakably vintage appearance. Large Arabic numerals provide excellent legibility, complemented by an outer minute track with five-minute numerals. The blued hands are particularly attractive, changing dramatically in appearance according to the light, while the gold-toned winding crown provides an interesting contrast against the stainless steel case. Inside is the manually wound 15-jewel Calibre 59 mechanical movement, with an approximate 40-hour power reserve. The watch is completed by a dark brown leather strap that suits its 1940s character particularly well. The caseback carries the numbers 614421 and 760 , while the supplied movement and case information also records Rolex S.A. 355 and the Calibre 59 , interesting details that further reflect the close historical relationship between early Tudor production and Rolex. Overall, this is a characterful early Tudor with an appealing combination of compact cushion-case proportions, beautifully aged dial and strong period styling.
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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