AM_MUA Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Back again to pick your brains! terribly sorry, it seems I`m always asking for advice or help on here As a lot of you might know, my grandad passed away a few weeks ago and left a mountain of possessions that i need to sort through on behalf of my mum but there is this watch that totally baffles me and was wondering if any of you may be able to help please? I sat up while 4am this morning trawling websites to find out about it but i cannot find anything like it. I know my grandad wore it all his life...its in a lot of photos, old and new and he loved it. I`ve asked around all family but no one knows anything of it. I did come across a article that may suggest it is a trenchwatch? made for ww1 ? Any way, it looks old, the face is white with black numbers and it says SANTOS on the top of the face and QUARTZ at the bottom. The strap is black which states its genuine leather. The thing is, over the face is another round glass, almost like a magnifier that is held with a screw and can be moved. I can slide it away from the watch face if that makes sense? I have included a link to pictures of the watch below. Anyone with any knowledge on watches most appreciated. (sorry for bothering you all once again) ---------- Post added 06-07-2014 at 14:11 ---------- https://www.flickr.com/photos/125929881@N04/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcoblog Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Back again to pick your brains! terribly sorry, it seems I`m always asking for advice or help on here As a lot of you might know, my grandad passed away a few weeks ago and left a mountain of possessions that i need to sort through on behalf of my mum but there is this watch that totally baffles me and was wondering if any of you may be able to help please? I sat up while 4am this morning trawling websites to find out about it but i cannot find anything like it. I know my grandad wore it all his life...its in a lot of photos, old and new and he loved it. I`ve asked around all family but no one knows anything of it. I did come across a article that may suggest it is a trenchwatch? made for ww1 ? Any way, it looks old, the face is white with black numbers and it says SANTOS on the top of the face and QUARTZ at the bottom. The strap is black which states its genuine leather. The thing is, over the face is another round glass, almost like a magnifier that is held with a screw and can be moved. I can slide it away from the watch face if that makes sense? I have included a link to pictures of the watch below. Anyone with any knowledge on watches most appreciated. (sorry for bothering you all once again) ---------- Post added 06-07-2014 at 14:11 ---------- https://www.flickr.com/photos/125929881@N04/ I'm wondering if it's an early Cartier ... many of their watches are 'Santos'. It looks good quality. Many of their watches have magnifiers, although normally just over the date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AM_MUA Posted July 6, 2014 Author Share Posted July 6, 2014 I'm wondering if it's an early Cartier ... many of their watches are 'Santos'. It looks good quality. Many of their watches have magnifiers, although normally just over the date. Well this is what i thought to be honest. The magnifier does move about so what do you mean about just over the date? What I`m trying to find out is what it dates back to and the value if possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcoblog Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Well this is what i thought to be honest. The magnifier does move about so what do you mean about just over the date? What I`m trying to find out is what it dates back to and the value if possible. Watches often have a magnifier built into the glass over the date, which makes it easier to read ... like this one. I don't know enough about watches to date it or confirm that it's a Cartier though ... try a reputable dealer like P.A jewellery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Hardie Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Well this is what i thought to be honest. The magnifier does move about so what do you mean about just over the date? What I`m trying to find out is what it dates back to and the value if possible. It's a local magnifier just over the date display. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mecky Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 It's a quartz watch which means it's battery power but that doesn't mean it's a cheap watch these days. Could be Cartier but I can't see it. If it was it would likely say Cartier rather than Santos. Look for serial and model numbers then contact Cartier to check Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattythefish Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 It's a quartz watch which means it's battery power but that doesn't mean it's a cheap watch these days. Could be Cartier but I can't see it. If it was it would likely say Cartier rather than Santos. Look for serial and model numbers then contact Cartier to check quartz watches werent available in WW1, mechanical chronograph or manual wind ups were the watches of the time, its looks like a modern watch made to look old and definatly not Cartier, Cartier would never use base metals and the case looks base metal. Santos is a model of cartier, so a standard brand name Santos is possible as its not alluding to be a cartier. the strap looks fairly new. unlikely to be of any value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AM_MUA Posted July 6, 2014 Author Share Posted July 6, 2014 quartz watches werent available in WW1, mechanical chronograph or manual wind ups were the watches of the time, its looks like a modern watch made to look old and definatly not Cartier, Cartier would never use base metals and the case looks base metal. Santos is a model of cartier, so a standard brand name Santos is possible as its not alluding to be a cartier. the strap looks fairly new. unlikely to be of any value. Its not new. I have photos of my grandad wearing the watch with his arm around me mum as a little girl. my mum is 62. ---------- Post added 06-07-2014 at 22:38 ---------- Watches often have a magnifier built into the glass over the date, which makes it easier to read ... like this one. I don't know enough about watches to date it or confirm that it's a Cartier though ... try a reputable dealer like P.A jewellery. Thanks for this. I have emailed the jewellers and will let you know once i have received a response. ---------- Post added 06-07-2014 at 22:47 ---------- quartz watches werent available in WW1, mechanical chronograph or manual wind ups were the watches of the time, its looks like a modern watch made to look old and definatly not Cartier, Cartier would never use base metals and the case looks base metal. Santos is a model of cartier, so a standard brand name Santos is possible as its not alluding to be a cartier. the strap looks fairly new. unlikely to be of any value. If the brand Santos was a brand of its own and not connected to cartier like you suggest, surely i would be able to find a "santos" watch on the internet such as google images or ebay even but their is nothing! I cannot find any watch that states Santos as the brand, only Cartier. I have an crappy market stall watch and if i put that brand into google something would come up the same or near enough but nothing for santos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcoblog Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Its not new. I have photos of my grandad wearing the watch with his arm around me mum as a little girl. my mum is 62. ---------- Post added 06-07-2014 at 22:38 ---------- Thanks for this. I have emailed the jewellers and will let you know once i have received a response. ---------- Post added 06-07-2014 at 22:47 ---------- If the brand Santos was a brand of its own and not connected to cartier like you suggest, surely i would be able to find a "santos" watch on the internet such as google images or ebay even but their is nothing! I cannot find any watch that states Santos as the brand, only Cartier. I have an crappy market stall watch and if i put that brand into google something would come up the same or near enough but nothing for santos To be honest, I just recalled that Cartier make a Santos range, but like yourself did a quick Google and came to the same conclusion as yourself ... I can't find any other brand of watch called Santos (or with it in the name). I agree that you should be able to find virtually anything on Google. I agree with mattythefish though ... the case does look like base metal which is perplexing as I'd be surprised if Cartier would use this. The 'Quartz' bit is confusing too as I've no reason to disbelieve your statement that the watch has been owned for as long as you say. Maybe the movement has been changed at some point after the late 70's (first quartz watches)? It may be just coincidence, and the watch just happens to be called 'Quartz' and nothing to do with the movement. Does the winder actually 'wind' or just move the fingers? It certainly doesn't look like a battery powered watch from the photos (and patina). Personally, I'd say that the watch style has an art-deco look to it which puts it around the 1920's. I also think the watch would have at one time been plated ... my guess being nickel or chrome. I'd be interested to hear what the experts can tell you about this as I find it intriguing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AM_MUA Posted July 7, 2014 Author Share Posted July 7, 2014 Well i removed the back, it is battery powered but... it does not match up with the age of the watch and does not feel right at all! Its too new and i think that it has been replaced for one reason or another. My grandad did love the watch and wore it for many years, maybe the original broke and he had the movement replaced? it certainly looks that way and you even said yourself that from the photos it does not look like a battery operated watch...maybe because it wasnt suppose to be? Also i agree that it was plated with something, maybe silver i thought? i dont think chrome because its not shiny enough for it to be that. Also, under the watch movement on the back, i can see the original plate with the newer quartz movement placed over it. I would be reluctant to pursue finding out about this watch if i had found another with santos on it, just put it down to a watch my grandad wore but as you found out yourself, theres nothing, not even a fake range of watches! just nothing... which fuels the fire and makes it all the more intriguing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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