Minerva Art Deco 26mm Fancy Lugs Two tone dial from 1940s

A remarkably well-preserved example of Minerva’s mid-century watchmaking, this 26mm dress watch combines distinctive Art Deco design with a historical in-house movement.

The watch is powered by Minerva’s manually wound Calibre 48, an in-house movement introduced during the 1940s and designed under André Frey. The architecture of the Calibre 48 would later provide the foundation for Minerva’s celebrated Pythagore watches, whose movement design became known for arranging key components according to proportions inspired by the mathematics of the Golden Ratio.

This early example represents an interesting precursor to one of Minerva’s most recognizable movement families, from a period when the manufacture was still producing its own calibres in Villeret and remained remarkably vertically integrated for a company of its size.

The movement is additionally fitted with Incabloc shock protection, a meaningful practical refinement for a watch of this period as shown on the dial Anti-Chocs.

Condition is particularly good. The two-tone dial displays only slight signs of natural aging and remains exceptionally well preserved. 

Brand: Minerva
Year of Manufacture: 1940s
Material: Stainless steel
Dimensions: 26mm
Luminous Material: No
Caliber: caliber 48
Type of Mechanism: Manual winding
Band Width: 17mm
Band: Period correct "new old stock" strap.
Box/Papers: None
Mechanical Function Guarantee: 6 Months

Comments: The watch is working properly, service history unknown.