I have had this antique piece in my collection for over 40 years, and I have decided it's time for it to find a new owner. The watch was serviced in 2003 and is in good working order. The watch winds easily, ticks, and runs. The Valuation was completed in 2003.
Handley solid 9ct Rose Gold watch casing; inside back casing is hallmarked Handley 9CT, mechanism is hallmarked 17 Jewels Swiss Made R A, total weight 11.5 grams.
The watch has an aged gold face with black numerals and black hands, manual winding with ticking observed. (video available upon request) 2003 Valuation supplied.
AUD $595.00 + Shipping
Pick Up Pomona Qld 4568
Beautiful Collectors Watch; Great Condition for Age Circa 1935
Face / Dial Markings:
- Elaborate Numerals
- Black Hands
Inner Rear Case Markings:
- Handley Hand Logo
- 9 CT (inside oval)
- JN27753
- PELE/12468
- K5172
Movement Markings:
- 17 Jewels
- Swiss Made
- ADJ
- RA
As Found - used antique - running (suggest service due age) - band/strap replaced 2003.
Please see listing photos for full description, Makers Marks, and condition. Please use the zoom function. Antique and Vintage items will have normal bruising and wear commensurate with age and use unless otherwise stated.
As Found – used vintage/antique
Some History I have researched:
Made by Handly: Australia's largest watch case manufacturer from the 1920s.
Back in the 1920s, when Mr Handley and Mr Tilley got into the watch case manufacturing business. Originally established in Victoria St Abbotsford, they moved from the corner of Church St to 655 Victoria St in 1929 into a new purpose-built factory - the modern art deco building featured in the advertisement. What fuelled the business growth was a need for locally made watch cases: after the First World War, Australia imposed high import duties on complete watches, so many Swiss movement manufacturers exported bare movements to be cased up in Australia. Handley made cases for Rolex, Tudor, Unicorn, Cyma, Movado, Tissot, and Omega.
In 1928, Mr Tilley went to Switzerland to source "the most modern" machinery for watch case manufacturing. From press reports of the day, his visit was far from well regarded by the Swiss watchmakers, and they threatened anyone who supplied him with machinery with sanctions. They even approached the police to have this "undesirable trader" deported ( which had previously happened to two Canadians).
The machinery was subsequently purchased, and contracts obtained to produce cases for Swiss brands.
In 1929, one hundred staff were engaged in watch case manufacture.
For whatever reason, Handley and Tilley parted ways in 1934, and Tilley signed an agreement not to work in the industry for a given period of time.
In December of the same year, all the assets of Handley & Tilley were sold to J W Handley P/L. Up to this point, the trademark had been an open hand with the text HANTILY. After the split, the logo was changed to HANDLEY.
(the Handley and Tilley company was officially deregistered on 11/4/1935)
In 1935, Handley launched legal action against Tilley for breach of the 1934 covenant when Tilley set up a company in his wife’s name and started making cases and trying to poach customers from J W Handley P/L. Handley won the case and received 1000 Pounds in damages.
J W Handley went on until the 1960s and made a great variety of products- during WWII, they produced such things as compass cases and gun sights for the military. Handley eventually ceased production in the 1960s.