What is a cocktail watch?

A small dress watch made to be worn in the evening, with a tiny movement set into a decorative gold or platinum case. The value sits in the metal and the stones rather than the mechanics. The form was standard women's wear from the 1930s through to the 1960s. On Sellingantiques the word appears in half of all titles, which makes it the single most common term in the category.

Which makers turn up most often?

Omega leads on title count, with Rolex next, split between Rolex Precision and Rolex Tudor. Longines, Vertex and Jaeger-LeCoultre follow. These names come from dealer titles rather than from any firm-level attribution, so they describe how the watches are offered. Plenty of listings carry no maker at all and are described simply as Art Deco ladies' wristwatches.

Are these watches hand wound or automatic?

Hand winding is the norm. 'Manual' or 'manual wind' appears in sixteen titles, and it's the default assumption for a small cocktail case. Automatics are a bare handful, among them an IWC of 1963 and an Omega Ladymatic.

How old are most ladies watches for sale?

The dated field runs from 1850 to the late 1960s, and it's firmly mid-century. The 1960s is the largest group with 144 listings, then the 1930s with 77 and the 1950s with 76. Everything else forms a long tail: the 1920s, 1900s, 1940s, 1890s and 1910s in descending order. A few dealers give only 'Victorian' or '19th Century', which is a period claim rather than a date. Many titles carry a circa year of their own, c1964 and c1966 being the commonest, and that figure can be more precise than the decade bucket.

Why does platinum matter in this category?

Platinum is the metal of the diamond-set top end, appearing in 67 titles and usually paired with a quoted carat weight. Platinum-and-diamond Art Deco cases from around 1930 and 1950 account for most of the highest-priced watches recorded on Sellingantiques, including one carrying 9.6 carats of diamonds.

Do fob and pocket watches appear here too?

Yes, though under one in ten. They're Victorian and Edwardian, in silver or gold, some with enamel work, and they include half hunter and full hunter cases. They sit at the lower end of the range. One unusual piece is a convertible fob-to-wristwatch with a 2.2 carat diamond bezel.

Home > Watches > Ladies Watches > Page 2

Antique Ladies Watches

25 items · page 2 of 2

← Page 2 of 2 →

A small watch made for a woman's wrist, most often a mid-century Swiss cocktail watch in solid gold or platinum, worn for evening rather than for timekeeping.