Mens 1927 Waltham 14k Solid Gold QUAD-STEP Case Art Deco 17j USA Vintage Watch

Description

Founded by Aaron Dennison and E. Howard, the highly regarded
Waltham Watch Company of Waltham, Mass.
is one of the
grandfathers
of U.S. horology, in business from 1850 to 1959 making high quality pocket watches, clocks and wristwatches known the world over. The company adopted the
American Waltham
name in 1859, having already used such names as Warren, Tracy, Appleton and Boston.
I am pleased to offer for sale the following vintage timepiece from the Waltham firm, a men’s
14kt Solid Yellow Gold
quadruple-STEPPED Tank model that dates to 1927. This pure Art Deco model is in FLAWLESS condition, just look at that dial and the multi-stepped sides!
Its two-piece case measures
35mm lug tip to lug tip and 27mm in width
(28.5mm with original crown). In inches this is 1-3/8” long by just shy of 1-1/8” wide, not including the winding crown.  Its original and higher grade 17 jewel, Waltham USA ‘RUBY’ mechanism has been
fully serviced
by my trusted watchmaker David and it winds and sets very smoothly while keeping accurate time.
The ivory color, enamel finished dial is in excellent condition, correctly restored to its original status and beautifully done. It features a 60 minute outer chapter, black enamel Arabic numbers, original yellow gold Lance-style hands and a round sub-seconds dial with 60 second outer track and ‘sweep’ original blue steel seconds hand (yes, Waltham often combined two colors of hands back in the day). Signed
WALTHAM
below the 12.
The solid glass crystal is in excellent condition. The two-piece case is
14 KARAT SOLID YELLOW GOLD
, made for Waltham by the Star Watch Case Company.  It is in excellent PLUS condition – absolutely stunning with its quadruple-steps that scream Art Deco. The original and correctly unmarked gold winding crown is excellent as well, winding and setting smoothly.
This crown and stem are a part of the case (held in place with a stem sleeve), meaning that when you remove the mechanism they stay in place. This was common place for early American wristwatches but was phased out by the end of the 1920s.
Turning the watch over I note that the back lid is in pristine shape, no wear or engravings past or present.
Peeking inside I find a clean and high grade Seventeen Jewel, manual wind movement signed
WALTHAM, 17 JEWELS, ADJ. TEMP. USA - RUBY
, with serial number 26,171,813, dating the watch to circa 1927 as per available production records.  The “Ruby” was part of a series of higher end Waltham mechanisms made in the 1920s. The other three models were called the “Sapphire”, “Emerald” and “Diamond.”
The inside of the case lid is stamped
STAR WATCH CASE CO – 14K FINE .585/1000
. You can be fully confident that this case is 14kt solid yellow gold.
This watch has been cleaned, oiled and regulated to ensure it
winding and sets smoothly while keeping accurate time
. It comes fitted on a
new 16mm black buffalo (grain) calf leather strap
with matching color buckle, handcrafted by Fluco of Germany.  All in all a stunning Roaring 20s Waltham whose quality is on par with a similar age Longines or Hamilton but far less often seen. Arguably the nicest (and my favorite) Art Deco era watch I’ve sold in the past year!
Watch sizes: I provide exact case measurements in millimeters (the watch industry standard) and inches, and include a U.S. quarter in one photo as a size reference. Draw the measurements on a piece of paper to help visualize the watch on your wrist. Remember, men’s vintage watches are noticeably smaller than oversized timepieces you see today. Prefer a brown strap instead of black? For most men’s watches I can switch the color before mailing; just let me know.
U.S. winners pay .75 for fully insured, safely boxed USPS shipping with door-to-door tracking. Washington State residents are required to pay sales tax. Residents of states where eBay collects sales tax are also required to pay this.
Canadian winners pay .00 (actual cost) for Global Priority Express with insurance. Other international buyers pay .00 (actual or below cost) for Global Priority Express Mail with door-to-door tracking. I cover any additional insurance fees and always pay MORE for shipping than what I charge.
International buyers: Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are your responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to confirm any additional costs prior to bidding. I ship within 24 hours of receiving cleared payment, but your local custom authorities can cause delays.
Payment is due within three days of auction end, unless you have contacted me prior to auction end to arrange otherwise. In accordance with eBay policy, payments not received in four days will initiate an unpaid item case through the Resolution Center.
All of my watches are under warranty. In the rare event that a watch needs further service upon receipt, return the wristwatch to me (or mail it to my watchmaker, David, in New York City) at my expense. It will be corrected and quickly mailed back to you. Note: I will not pay for or offer a partial refund for work done by another watchmaker. I am a proud member of the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors (
NAWCC
).
If you like unique and collectible vintage or antique wristwatches, add me as one of your favorite sellers. I specialize in American and Swiss timepieces from the 1900s to 1970s. My selection changes weekly, and is comprised of manual wind and automatic watches from the following categories: WWI trench; WWII; military; fancy case, art nouveau; art deco; mid-century modern; stainless steel; sterling silver; white, yellow and rose gold; solid gold; platinum; and diamond, ruby and/or sapphire ladies cocktail watches.
Need accessories for your watch? Our sister store,
Holben's Fine Watch Bands
, offers an extensive selection of sport, military and dress straps, buckles, deployment clasps and other wristwatch accessories from European and American manufacturers.