Ernest Borel Kaleidoscope Vintage Cocktail Mechanical Watch
Of all the innovations and novelty ideas that the Ernest Borel company came up with, none was so popular or important to the firm as the Cocktail kaleidoscopic watch. This watch, patented in 1952 and introduced in 1953. In fact, the Cocktail Watch was produced continuously from 1953 right through to about 1980, by which time the Ernest Borel company had been sold to another watch manufacturer
For the first years of its production, the kaleidoscope Cocktail Watch had a relatively small market niche, but with the birth of psychedelic pop culture in the sixties, the model suddenly came into its own and reached a whole new audience - an audience that required Ernest Borel to not only produce a men’s version but also to provide variations in the central pattern. Thus in addition to the original sunburst design, arrow and star patterns emerged as did floral examples.
This is a remarkable 17 Jewel Swiss watch with a patent mark on the dial as well as the name "Borel” and Cocktail. It was made sometime in the mid 1960s.
The watch is a classic Ernest Borel design, with a gold-plated case and uniquely shaped lugs, neat jewelled hand-wind movement visible from the back, which is transparent from edge to edge, and a front face that is dominated by of a central disc structure which, when the watch is in operation, creates a lovely moving "kaleidoscope" pattern. There are no hands, the main body of these being hidden behind the patterned center. The time is read around the edge of the dial by means of bright red markers.
Men's Size kaleidoscope cocktail watch with manual wind and original band, made by Ernest Borel in the 1960's Marked 'Borel' on face.
Doesnt include watch buckle