23rd Mar, 2019 10:00
Fine Art & Antiques
Sold for £550
A rare Harwood Automatic wristwatch, the signed round dial with black Arabic numerals and minute markers, luminous hands, rotating bezel, steel case, 28mm diameter, on later black strap, cased with original instruction leaflet
John Harwood (1893–1964) was a British horologist and inventor of the first self-winding wristwatch. A chance observation of some children playing on a see-saw initially gave Harwood the idea of the self winding mechanism which would enable a closed movement, eliminating any chance of interference from damp or dust. The watch has no crown with the time being set by turning the bezel in one direction and the turning it in the opposite direction to re-engage the movement. First seen at Basel in Switzerland in 1926, Harwood went on to open the Harwood Self-Winding Watch Company in 1928 to market the watches in the UK, but the company failed in September 1931 due to their difficulty of manufacture and the effects of the Great Depression. Rolex went on to later develop the self winding mechanism and were highly successful with them. However, later in 1956, Harwood and Rolex exchanged correspondence with Rolex acknowledging Harwood as the inventor of the self winding mechanism and including his portrait in their advertising. In 1957 Harwood was awarded the Gold Medal by the British Horological Institute.
Condition Report
Appears to be currently working.
Some discolouration to dial, with brownish mark running through name.
Case lightly abraded with a few small scratches.
Rear of case more abraded, worn and pitted.
Crown turns and dot moves between light and dark.
Appears currently working.
Please note: In accordance with accompanying instructions, we have not removed the back and are reluctant to do so as this can introduce dust to the movement. As far as we are aware it has never been opened.
Condition reports must be considered as a matter of opinion and not fact.
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