UMF RUHLA WRIST WATCH - MADE IN EAST GERMANY

Offered for sale is a very nice period mechanical Wrist Watch manufactured in the East German Republic (DDR) during the 1960s; This watch was made by UMF (Uhrenmanufaktur) Ruhla and features the Caliber 44 pin pallet movement, based on a design developed before the Second World War by the descendants of the Thiel Brothers.

This is a very attractive, albeit somewhat chunky, medium sized watch that is in excellent working order; It winds, sets and runs very smoothly and keeps good time. It is supplied without an arm band or strap but we can supply and fit one in black or brown leather for an additional £5.00.

As with most European watches made during the 1960s and earlier, at 32mm overall diameter (excluding the winding crown), this watch appears to be of a modest size especially when compared with the modern oversize fashion watches much favoured in North America. Nevertheless, we believe that it will be a pleasure to wear as an every day watch or a nice addition to any collection of European classics.

UMF-Ruhla 44 movement, 26mm dia. (11½"'), Marked as 2062 (1962), gilded brass, no jewels, centre seconds, manual wind.

Chromed brass case, 32 mm dia., stainless steel snap-on back, 17mm fixed lugs.

Cream textured face with applied gilt numerals and batons; gilt hands and red seconds hand, 28 mm acrylic crystal.

Mechanical watches make the ideal gift - classic appearance and no battery to fade or fail. They do, however, require attention from time to time by a competent watchmaker and although usually good timekeepers, a mechanical watch needs to be wound regularly and carefully. Timekeeping is unlikely to match the exact performance of modern quartz movements but, if properly looked after and regularly serviced, a mechanical watch will still be keeping good time long after its modern counterpart has ceased to function.

This watch was handcrafted by the watchmaking co-operative of the Thuringian town of Ruhla in the former German Democratic Republic before the fall of the 'Iron Curtain' in the early 1990s. The town's watchmaking tradition was founded in 1862 and survived two world wars and occupation by Russia to become one of the main centres for the production of wrist watches in Eastern Europe.

Production of 'low-tech', popular, work-a-day mechanical watches for the masses continued at Ruhla until imports of quartz movements became possible with re-unification of Germany during the early 1990s. Traditional mechanical watches are still made in the former East German factories but todays products include some of the most expensive watches in the world and are aimed at a very wealthy market.

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'NO QUIBBLE GUARANTEE'

We know that you will be pleased with this watch and, on this auction, we will back our confidence with a 'No Quibble Guarantee' that if you are unhappy with the item for any reason, you may return it to us and, provided we receive it safely back within ten days of the auction ending, we will refund the auction price in full.

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