E'cole D'horologerie Student Watch

Every class involves a final project. In the case of watchmaking school, the final project is a watch. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, this was often a pocket watch, but later, hopeful watchmaking students worked on wristwatches.  You can spot one of these by the dial: They’ll often be signed with the name of the watchmaking school. Stylistically, they’re typically reflective of the era in which they were made, and are often on the dressier side of the stylistic curve. In this particular case, what we have is a yellow gold wristwatch from the 1950s-1960s that looks unmistakably like a Patek Philippe Calatrava. Housed in a 34mm 18K yellow gold case with an unsigned crown, an acrylic crystal, and a smooth bezel, it features a satin silver dial with printed and applied quadrant indices, a ‘pencil’ handset, and a handsomely framed date window at 3 o’clock. Signed “École D’Horlogerie, Le Locle,” this piece was made in the watchmaking school in Le Locle, Switzerland. Powered by an automatic movement and paired to a handsome, brown alligator leather strap, this beautiful mid-century dress watch came from the hand of a well trained watchmaking student, and is thus a unique piece. If it said “Patek Philippe” on the dial, it would warrant another “0” in its price!  Lucky for you, this wristwatch is not only a bargain, but also a beautiful design object — and a one-of-a-kind.