1860 – “the Juvenia watchmaking house is founded.”
Juvenia is a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer founded in 1860 by Jacques Didisheim, an entrepreneur with a brilliant imagination. At first, the watchmaking workshop was established in Saint-Imier, Switzerland, which Jacques Didisheim named Juvenia in tribute to his wife. In 1880, the company produced its first key-wound watch with cylinder escapement. The firm also developed a lever escapement and it was in the same year, 1880, that Juvenia became a pioneer, one of the first watchmaking houses to make wristwatches for women.

Juvenia produced one of the first ladies wristwatches ever to be marketed. The watchmaking innovation and success was thanks to the development of a caliber with a cylindrical escapement and crown-winding mechanism allowed for the design of smaller movements that could fit inside cases with dimensions adapted specifically for women's wrists. The creation of the winding key was a major innovation for the watchmaking industry.

Some years later, in 1889 the company was taken over by Jacques' son, Bernard Didisheim, then just 22 years old. Expecting better opportunities, Bernard relocated the manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds, which offered an ideal location for developing the watch brand and its activities. Bernard would continue with the factory until its centenary and his death in 1960. Bernard set to work creating products of the highest quality and precision and of exceptional creativity.

The 1900s, represented the first milestones and decades of prosperity. Juvenia launched pocket watches with innovative designs and a resolutely modern spirit. They also had a massive expansion with the opening of two boutiques, in Paris and Madrid respectively. Aware of the need to make its own calibers, by 1908, Juvenia started to create designs for and produce its own range of extra-flat movements, Juvenia began the process of becoming a manufacture to produce their own in-house movements.

Bernard with the Juvenia name filed numerous patents, such as his patent in 1914 for the smallest movement constructed on a single level. They presented the world's smallest movement to date at the Swiss national exhibition. It was in 1914 when Juvenia invested in new, modern buildings to help the growth of its industry. Another early innovation was the 1945 Juvenia Arithmo, a slide rule watch for pilots. Juvenia was also made famous by their pioneer mystery dial watch, the “Juvenia Mystère”, first registered in 1945 and launched in 1947. The Mystère was released in many different forms in the 1950s, including a wrist watch, pendant, and table clock.

After WWII, Juvenia was well recognized as a brand with the advertising motto “Accuracy and Elegance” reflecting their line of upscale dress and ladies watches. The company was known for their avant-garde case designs, in the shape of a star or flower with inset dials and movements. Another success for Juvenia was among the first watches to feature a display case back and other transparent case elements.

By the late 1950s, Juvenia focused on ultra-thin dress watches in the Juvenia Slim line. By 1962, Juvenia added a family of almond-shaped watches with cut crystals known as Juvenia Navette for ladies. The company relied solely on the Juvenia brand until the late 1960s, when they began selling under the Cord, Montana, Polar, Sonor, and Th. Piccard Fils brands as well. By 1970, Juvenia had joined with Ebel, and Eberhardt as part of Communaute d’Horlogerie de Precision, which later included Borel, Doxa, Favre-Leubaand Zodiac.

Juvenia is still quietly making high quality watches for over 150 uninterrupted years. It is one of the few Swiss watch companies to have manufactured watches without interruption since its creation. In 1988, Juvenia was acquired by Hong King group: Asia Commercial Holdings Ltd., with such a long-standing record for timepieces innovation, Juvenia continues to produce fine watches with innovative characteristics and function.

JUVENIA
Dress Wristwatch

This is a unique timepiece; it is a vintage dress Juvenia wristwatch dated from the mid-1950s. It is a manual wind watch with Juvenia MFG movement caliber 622, 17 jewels, sweep second, Swiss made.

Very elegant, the original champagne dial with silver hour marks and silver matching hands.

Cased in a gorgeous 34.5mm round case and fancy lug design, all in stainless steel; case back signed with the Juvenia name and logo.

It is coming with a vintage black alligator two-piece strap.

It is a very good looking wristwatch and unique watch, it is in LOVELY condition, keeps good time and runs very well.

Thank you for looking!  Please feel free to contact us with any questions, or respectful offers.

Movement:
JUVENIA MFG
Swiss
17 Jewels
622
Unadjusted

Case Back Signed:
JUVENIA
Fab. Suisse - Switzerland
453363

Measures (mm):
Case Diameter 34.5
Case Lug to Lug 42.3
Case Thickness 8.5
Lug Width 18
Band Width 16.5

Vintage watches are traditionally smaller than today's watches. Men's watches typically measure between 29-36mm (some larger, some smaller) wide excluding the crown. In the listing details we typically try to do our best to list all pertinent dimensions of a watch. If you don't see it, or we failed to do so, please reach out to us. Women's watches from the 1900s-1970s were also much smaller than today’s offerings. Please also feel free to ask any questions you have pertaining to size.

We prefer to shoot photographs outside when weather is permitting. However, when we shoot indoors, please be aware that we shoot our photographs inside of lightboxes that are lit with 360 LED bulbs. This indeed magnifies any flaws. Usually, they are much less obvious to the naked eye. Having said that, we never photoshop any of our photography, remove blemishes, etc. We adjust light, when necessary, but what you see is what you are getting, and we take pride in that.

The condition is pre-owned.
The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but is fully operational and functions as intended.
See all the photos, feel free to ask questions if you have any.

It will be carefully packed.

Check out my other items listed.
Thanks for looking!

WA-3091