Shortly after the war, Swiss-made self-winding movements benefitted from a major technical advance developed by Eterna; the invention is still reflected in their logo to this day: ball-bearing assisted rotational movement.
Since that time, Swiss wristwatches fitted with tiny ball bearings have enjoyed worldwide success, consolidating Eterna’s reputation internationally.
Ball bearings were major step forward for self-winding technology; they eased the oscillating weight or winding rotor’s rotation around the pivot axis. Reducing wear and tear on vital parts, Eterna’s development extended the watch’s working life, thus prolonging the investment value of a watch.
Eterna lost no time turning the five spheres into its now famous corporate symbol. Runaway sales of the model followed. For years to come, the “1948” would find discerning customers everywhere.
The new “1948”
Now the 1948 Automatic, has been revived and updated with a choice of two dial styles. Its shapely contours and in-curved case lugs remain virtually unchanged. The contemporary version of the “1948” features a sturdy self-winding mechanical movement fitted with a ball-bearing device similar to the original. The 44mm watch is housed in finely polished stainless steel case with the obligatory sapphire window on the case back to view the intricacies of the movement.
The case frames a silver-toned or sunray brush-patterned black dial enhanced with rounded hour markers and a date window at 6 o’clock, over which rotate rhodium-plated hour, minutes and seconds hands protected by an anti-reflexive scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. The new “1948” comes on a handsome black alligator strap with a polished steel deployment clasp.
