Vintage Ebel Automatic

[WWII70]

Just arrived. Vintage Ebel 1953 Ref 273 Cal 119.



Small, beautiful and running like a charm!



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[Rdenney]

Just arrived. Vintage Ebel 1953 Ref 273 Cal 119.



Small, beautiful and running like a charm!

What are the caseback markings on this watch? What size is it? Do you have a movement picture? I'm not familiar with the caliber number and am trying to piece together a caliber number reference for Ebels.

Rick "who usually can't wear Ebels this old because they are just too small" Denney

[Bidle]

Let me guess for you!

34mm and here is the case back:

[WWII70]

What are the caseback markings on this watch? What size is it? Do you have a movement picture? I'm not familiar with the caliber number and am trying to piece together a caliber number reference for Ebels.

Rick "who usually can't wear Ebels this old because they are just too small" Denney

Wow Rick you were all over this! It's about 34mm- same as my Omega bumper. Very wearable on my 7.5 inch wrist (but maybe not on your paws).

Yes I have movement and case back pics I took last night. They're on my camera at home and I'll post 'em up tonight. Movement is an AS 1361N - made by A. Schild in Switzerland (the "N" at the end indicates the movement was modified - presumably by Ebel). It beats at 18,000 bph and has 17 jewels.

Rory "fully Ebel addicted"


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[WWII70]

Yes, that is all correct. In fact, that is a photo of my watch from the sales forum in the other place.....

Let me guess for you!

34mm and here is the case back:

[WWII70]

http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-...&2uswk&AS_1361
Rick,
Here is info on the movement from the Ranfft database. Photo uploader is not working at the moment, so I can't show you movement pics of the Ebel.

Rory

What are the caseback markings on this watch? What size is it? Do you have a movement picture? I'm not familiar with the caliber number and am trying to piece together a caliber number reference for Ebels.

Rick "who usually can't wear Ebels this old because they are just too small" Denney

[Rdenney]

Just arrived. Vintage Ebel 1953 Ref 273 Cal 119.



Small, beautiful and running like a charm!

We should prolly move this discussion to its own thread.

My Ebel auto is in a similar case. Your reference number is 9119920, which (as you know) means steel, caliber 119, case 920. That is a 34mm version of this 36mm case concept:





The pictured model is a slightly newer 36mm 9214955, with an AS 1687 automatic caliber 214. Both of these were Ebel's early autos, near as I can tell, and were designed with the flush recessed crown because they would theoretically not need hand-winding. (I had a larger crown installed on mine so I could wind it manually, but the original crown, which I kept, is shown in the caseback picture.) Both this movement and the 1361 in your watch wind pretty stiffly--they don't disengage the reverser gears when handwinding the way modern autos do--so the recessed crown makes it all but impossible to handwind. After you have it serviced, consider keeping it on a winder.

I'm not sure this is early 50's, but it could sure be late 50's. A screw back case with all those markings would suggest a date closer to the 60's in my mind. But that's speculation--the dial and hand design suggests the earlier date.

Rick "nice pickup" Denney

[WWII70]

Rick,
Here are the movement pics you requested. Not up to your high photographic standards I am afraid but I hope it gives you the information you seek.







Rory

What are the caseback markings on this watch? What size is it? Do you have a movement picture? I'm not familiar with the caliber number and am trying to piece together a caliber number reference for Ebels.

Rick "who usually can't wear Ebels this old because they are just too small" Denney

[Rdenney]

Interesting. This indicates Ebel's marketing intentions. It was made for the US market--unusual for Ebel--but I can't find the PYO import code in any list. (I have seen it before, though, on Ebel watches.) Another indication that they were targeting the American market is the engraving on the rotor. Ebel often signed their movements only with a caliber number and maybe "Fab. Ebel" on the barrel gear. The additional markings on this rotor were required by US law for imported watches.

Ebel didn't care about the extra tariff for an adjusted movement, which would have increased their costs to the US market significantly. Usually only the high-end companies tolerated that--higher end than, say, LeCoultre and Longines, who usually marked even their chronometers as "unadjusted" to avoid tariffs.

But the movement has Ebel's usual level of finish. I have found their movements to be well-finished compared to other companies who used the same ebauches.

These things suggest a high-grade etablisseur on a par with, say, the Girard-Perregaux of the pre-quartz period. GP and Ebel often used the same ebauches, and they were, after all, only about four blocks away from each other starting in the early 40's when Ebel built its new workshop on the Rue de la Paix in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Charles Blum probably played cards with their CEO.

Rick "thanks for the pictures" Denney

[Dan R]

Nope. It's not magic. At the request of the OP and other forum members, I have created this new thread. Hopefully it will attract other Ebel"ers".

Dan