ETERNA-MATIC 2002 - ECY Gallery

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ETERNA-MATIC 2002

MOSAIC DIAL

CIRCA 1970

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On November 7, 1856, Josef Girard, a doctor, and Urs Schild, a teacher, founded the "Dr. Girard & Schild" sketching workshop, renamed "Eterna" a few decades later.

In 1889, the name Eterna appeared on a watch face for the first time.

At the 1914 Swiss National Exhibition in Bern, Eterna presented the first wristwatch with an alarm mechanism, a technical breakthrough that the company had patented in 1908.

Eterna added to its reputation with the mass production of the smallest baguette movement, demonstrating once again that fashion and technical progress go hand in hand.

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In 1947, Norwegian researcher and adventurer Thor Heyerdahl demonstrated that Polynesia could have been settled by indigenous Peruvians by sailing across the Pacific in a balsa wood raft named Kon-Tiki. He and his team were all wearing Eterna wristwatches.

The following year, the Eterna-Matic entered the history of the automatic movement with its oscillating weight mounted on ball bearings to reduce friction and mitigate the effects of shocks, jolts and blows on the speed of the watch. Exclusive to Eterna, this system remains a world reference while the five spheres have become the Eterna logo.

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The 50s were a prosperous decade for Eterna. For the company's 100th anniversary, Eterna releases the extra-thin automatic "Centenaire". The "Golden Heart" is the crowning glory in the ladies' watch segment. The world's smallest automatic movement with a massive golden rotor is worn by actresses Gina Lollobrigida and Brigitte Bardot.

In 1958, the first serial production of the Eterna-Matic KonTiki design gave Eterna an entry into the world of sports watches.

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The particularity of this model lies in its atypical mosaic type dial. The silk-screen printing changes according to the angle of view and thus gives it a special character. 

The stainless steel case has the original part number, 5933035.

 The watch is powered by a Swiss-made Eterna automatic movement. The watch is equipped with a quick-set date.

This Eterna is relatively clean and in complete original condition with signed bracelet, buckle and crown, which is unusual.