Can anyone date this Zodiac?

[Grossisten]

Hi,

I was recently gifted this watch by a friend. It belonged to her late grandmother and sat in a drawer for years. Her grandmother grew up in Sweden and worked in Germany in the late 40ies before marrying a Dane and settling in Denmark in 1950. As Zodiac to my knowledge was not imported to Denmark before 1953 (when my father became the first official agent) and as the early catalogues in the catalogue site do not feature this exact model (even if some rather similar is in the earliest), I assume it dates to a time before 1950. The dial says "incassable" which I have come across on watches claimed to be from the 1920ies and 30ies which would match the Art Deco inspired style.

Based on your experience - when would you date it to?You cannot view this attachment.

[Butch]

Is there a serial numbe on the back? Movement pic?

[Grossisten]

No serial number, no. Only the text "STAYBRITE" inside a rectangle. I have no idea how to open this type of case even if I suspect it hinges at one end and may be opened at the other.

[YuriyV]

Guessing it is late 1930s or early 1940s

[YuriyV]

Interesting article about Stainless steel in watchmaking. And Staybright in particular:
https://www.vintagewatchstraps.com/stainlesssteel.php

[Grossisten]

Thank you Yuriy, interesting info as always.

This certainly narrows down the timeframe the watch may have been produced in.

I found an article in a book (proper, researched watch history) that points to the term "Incassable" first being patented in 1930 by the brand Election. It was basically an early shock proofing system. Election went bankrupt shortly after (the Great Depression was a terrible crisis in the Swiss industry it appears) and the patent taken over by others. Its introduction lead to a patents race in the 30'ies in which Thommen, Waldenburg, Generale Watch, Tavannes Watch AND Zodiac participated all filing patents for "Incassable" systems.

I guess this narrows the timeframe down even further as at least the very early 1930ies may be ruled out.

Are you aware of more details on that topic - and/or can you confirm my findings?

[Butch]

Interesting article about Stainless steel in watchmaking. And Staybright in particular:
https://www.vintagewatchstraps.com/stainlesssteel.php

Very interesting Yuriv, thanks for sharing this.

[YuriyV]

Are you aware of more details on that topic - and/or can you confirm my findings?

Not enough information. I'm still learning 1920-30 era. Very interesting period.

[Grossisten]

I agree that the period is interesting, so little info available though. On later watches the term "Incasecurit" appears - so far I've only seen it on Zodiacs. Perhaps a later schock proofing system or an English marketing term for "Incassable"? I did read somewhere that Zodiac developed their own shock proofing system, but if thats "Incassable" or "Incasecurit" I have not been able to discover.

If you study the info on this site it appears that Zodiac struggled in the 20ies and 30ies but came through partly because of an innovative approach. Automatics and the power reserve indicator complication are mentioned, but the timeline doesn't seem entirely confirmed (the Autographics appear to have been launched in 1948 according to an old catalogue). Anyway - I hope you will share your findings.

[YuriyV]

"Incassable" in French is literally "Unbreakable".

[Butch]

Guys, '48 soud good to me and ties in with this article.

https://www.vintagezodiacs.com/TheZodiacAutographic.php

I seem to remember one of the phamplets or catalogs or even one of the advertisments had something about when they introduced "Incasecurit" or their version thereof.

Sorry my memory is not what it used to be and time is very precious now a days.

[Butch]

1 - https://www.vintagezodiacs.com/zforums/index.php/topic,2873.msg12273.html#msg12273

2 - Incabloc is referenced at the end of the 1952 catalog.

3 - https://www.vintagezodiacs.com/p7lsm_img_2/fullsize/1921JumpHour_fs.jpg
I own this one. A quick search showed I never wrote it up in the forum though. I will, with pics, when I get the chance.

I see that Sea Wolf never published all the vintage ads to the ZC site. I will look through them next when time is available.

This is all I found after a quick look this morning. Unfortunately, other than the ads, we don't have anything that goes back into the 40's and 30s.

Hope this helps some.