Archival 1930 Small Seconds

From Fears

SOLD OUT The Archival 1930 Small Seconds has sold out, however, you might find one at one of our Fears Authorised Stockists , please contact us here . The rectangular Fears watch. Hand built in Britain. Created to coincide with the 175th Anniversary of the founding of Fears, the Archival 1930 Small Seconds is a proportional recreation of an art deco watch Fears made in 1930 . True to the original, each watch features an original vintage movement. With its elegant form it is a perfect luxury rectangular watch for men or women. CASE The slim, rectangular case has the same elegant proportions as the original made in 1930. The new watch has been increased in size a little while maintaining all the important ratios of the original to suit modern tastes. The case is expertly machined from 316L Stainless Steel, in Germany, to a level usually reserved for precious metals. This precisely milled case is then finished in a combination of linearly brushed and highly polished surfaces. This long, slim watch sits comfortably on the wrist thanks to its curved profile. Just like the 1930 original, both the crystal and case back have a matching curvature that follows the contours of your wrist perfectly. The tip of the winding crown, used to wind the watch each day, is deeply engraved with the Fears ‘pipette’ logo. DIAL A close reproduction of the 1930 original, the dial has a distinctive Art Deco design, reflecting the glittering age in which it was first created. To capture the original’s look and details first the dial’s base is polished and plated in 18ct Yellow Gold, and then the rest of the dial is layered on top. This results in the real gold border shining through the smooth, matte Champagne finish that is treated to a light 18t yellow gold plating. The ‘Deco’ numerals that share the slim proportions of the case are printed in crisp glossy black, giving excellent contrast. We call this concoction of gold, ‘Vintage Champagne’. HANDS Expertly milled before being diamond polished, the solid ‘Fears-shaped’ hands feature a central bevel down their length. This bevel helps them catch the light beautifully. The rich bluing offers great contrast with the light dial that increases legibility and aids telling the time. MOVEMENT The Archival 1930 Small Seconds is powered by an original ‘new old stock’ movement that Fears used in the past. The ETA 717 movements date back to 1935 and having never been used previously have undergone a full reconditioning in the workshop while receiving an upgraded mainspring to improve reliability. Each of these original rectangular movements are thus effectively hand built in the traditional way with each movement taking days to assemble and regulate. Please note With these movements being first machined nearly 90 years ago they do not include modern shock absorbing components. This means the watch can be worn and enjoyed everyday but care must be taken to avoid drops or large bangs as this could upset the timekeeping. We expect timekeeping to be within +/-30 seconds a day, in-keeping with the original specification of the movement. STRAP Each Archival 1930 Small Seconds is paired with a handmade Bristol Leather strap in a traditional Oxblood Red, crafted in an art deco style like the original would have been, with no padding and with ‘box-style’ stitching. This premium strap uses calf leather that has been vegetable tanned in Britain’s oldest vegetable tannery, Bristol’s Thomas Ware & Sons to our own shade of this vintage red tone. The strap is lined in Fears Blue Alcantara®, offering a soft and comfortable feel against the skin. The Strap is fastened with a vintage shaped stainless steel pin buckle, which has received a linear brushing to its sides, matching the finish on the sides of the watch’s case. The final flourish comes in the form of a 1930s Fears logo deeply engrave on the polished top of the buckle. Strap Size Standard: Fits wrists approx. 172 - 206mm (6.7" - 8.1") Shorter: Fits wrists approx. 163 - 195