Pocket watches were still worn during the Art Deco era even though wristwatches were now becoming more popular with men as well as with ladies. The widespread use of pocket watches in a professional environment finally came to an end in approximately 1943. The Royal Navy of the British military distributed to their sailors Waltham pocket watches, which were nine-jewel movements, with black dials, and numbers coated with radium for visibility in the dark, in anticipation of the eventual D-Day invasion. Reference: Wikipedia
Below are some examples and price guides of Art Deco pocket watches including a Patek Philippe platinum open face watch and an Audemars Piguet watch.
INTER. AN 18K GOLD KEYLESS WIND OPEN FACE POCKET WATCH Model: Chronometre Date: Circa 1930 Movement: Jewelled Swiss lever, cut and compensated bi-metallic balance, No.42169 Dial: Two-tone silvered, applied gilt pointed baton hour markers, outer gilt dot minute divisions, subsidiary seconds at 6, gilt pointed baton hands Case: Polished hinged, engraved Art Deco design to reverse, No.57 Signed: Dial & movement Size: 46mm
Sold for £ 612 inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2020
PATEK PHILIPPE, PLATINUM OPENFACE POCKET WATCH WITH BREGUET NUMERALS, circa 1926
Sold for HKD 68,750 at Christie’s in 2019
Audemars Piguet Art Deco Platinum, Black Enamel and Diamond Open Face Pocket Watch Mechanical, the circular brushed silver-tone dial with applied silver-tone Arabic numerals, subsidiary dial, with platinum bezel, the case of black enamel, with diamond-set monogram, round cabochon black onyx crown, dia. ap. 44.8 mm., signed Audemars Piguet & Co., Brassus & Geneve, c. 1920, ap. 22.6 dwts. gross. With fitted leather case
Sold for $4,375 (includes buyer’s premium) at Doyle in 2020
14k Wadsworth Solid Gold monogrammed Art Deco Style open face case. A.W.W. Co. Size 8, 17j, SN: 27382730. Model of 1924 with unique second dial
Sold for $650 at Nest Egg Auctions in 2020
Vacheron Constantin A FINE WHITE GOLD AND ONYX DIAMOND-SET KEYLESS POCKET WATCH WITH CHAIN AND FOB ENSUITE MVT 406811 CIRCA 1929 • cal. 17”’ rhodium finish lever movement, cut bi-metallic compensation balance with timing screws, flat balance spring • two-tone silvered dial, applied white gold Breguet numerals, subsidiary dial for the constant seconds, outer minute dot track • onyx, white gold and diamond-set Art Deco case • movement and dial signed diameter 45.5 mm
Sold for 8,750 CHF at Sotheby’s in 2016
ART DECO HAMILTON POCKET WATCH IN ORIGINAL CASE Circa 1930. Grade 912 open-face pocket watch. 1.75″ diameter
Sold for $125 at Selkirk Auctioneers & Appraisers in 2020
