Vertex 1934 Silver Manually Wound Purse Watch
£595
A rare Swiss made early 20th century purse watch by Vertex and with the added retailers mark in the dial for Mappin, this sterling silver manually wound vintage purse watch is a lovely, fully working, example of a purse watch. In the art deco style this model has a pleasing action with a sliding front cover which, when opened, releases the hinged inner case – the latter springing upwards to a fixed, angled position this places the watch in an ideal position for viewing when placed on a desk or bedside. The front, back and sides of the case all have a decorative engine-turned decoration. There is a loop to the top of the case allowing the watch to be attached to a fob chain.
The face of the dial is unusual, the numbering is in a solid art deco style Arabic numeral filled in with what appears to be silver, the 6 is replaced with a seconds dial in a square printed frame sectioned in 10 second quadrants with a smooth sweeping single hand motion. The main watch hands are decorated in a yellow enamel with black highlights. there is black outer minute track on the face.
Marks: Assay and import marks for London 1934 , watch face marked Mappin beneath the 12 and Vertex above the seconds dial. In addition to the silver hallmarks is the London mark for the vertex company V.W. Ltd
Vertex was a brand name of the Swiss firm Fabrique D’Horlogerie Thommen SA. but was registered both in London and Switzerland
Technical details
Vertex manually wound movement, lever escapement, 15 jewels, compensation balance,
sterling silver inner case hinged into an outer engine-turned silver case, the front cover sliding open to reveal the dial and inner casement
case, dial and movement signed
Measurements
42.5mm x 30.5mm case closed excluding loop
25.5mm inner case width
70mm case open max length
9mm depth to centre of covers