Vintage Eterna Matic Rectangular Ref 563 6050 24

Swiss Made
Circa : 1960
Reference : 563 6050 24
Movement : Automatic Eterna Cal 12670-1B 25 Jewels
Case Material : Stainless Steel
Case Size : 21 x 43 mm without crown
Thickness : TbA
Lug Width : TbA
Band : Brown Leather (AM)
Dial : Ivory Roman & Stick Combination Dial
Crown : Original
Crystal : Plexyglass
Overall condition : Good Condition 8/10

This is a textbook illustration of what in our business we often term a “thinking man’s” vintage watch. Much benefit is to be obtained by a study of movement types and case manufacturers, and armed with this knowledge, the connoisseur with a genuine in-depth understanding of his subject will be able to sift through the myriad watches offered to him, obtaining the finest possible horological standard and craftsmanship for the lowest possible price. It is absolutely true to say than the movement and case on this watch are in every respect the equal of those by Rolex, Omega, IWC or Jaeger LeCoultre.

We have an enormous enthusiasm for vintage Eterna watches, and feel that we can justify this, believing so strongly that they represent almost unparalleled value for money at present. Founded in 1856 in Grenchen, Switzerland, Eterna has been one of the most instrumental concerns in the development of the luxury mechanical wristwatch as we know it today. Responsible for innumerable patent applications, the firm created the first alarm wristwatch and introduced in 1948 the concept of mounting the winding rotor of an automatic movement on five ball bearings, an arrangement that was nothing short of revolutionary at the time, but was so ingenious and effective that it has become universally adopted throughout the top-tier wristwatch industry today. 

The reason for Eterna being very low key, and consequently also the reason for period Eterna pieces being superb value today, is that the main business of the company was as a wholesale trade supplier of beautifully made movements to other concerns. Eterna was, and is, enormously commercially successful, and under the guise of ETA S.A, supplies its mechanisms to almost every one of the most prestigious houses in the world. IWC, Ulysse Nardin, Rolex and Omega all rely heavily on ETA movements, purchasing these as raw, unfinished units, refining and signing them to their own desired standard.

Yet Eterna, the division of the company that is involved with the supply of complete watches to be sold under the firm’s own brand name, hardly advertises, is rarely noticed by the enthusiast and almost completely ignored by the casual high street buyer. To us, buying an Eterna is very much like purchasing a superb wine from a remarkable chateaux, but obtaining it in an unmarked bottle, without the presence of a prestigious label, and at a fraction of the normal price. Hence the comment earlier that vintage Eterna items are ideal choices for the thinking buyer, the individual that makes an informed purchasing decision on the basis of quality and engineering standard, rather than simply being influenced by the household name stated on a dial.