We had never heard of Descartes as a watch brand, but that didn’t stop us getting this example as it is tremendous value for money.
HOW DO WE DATE THIS WATCH?
Descartes were registered as a company in Germany in 1970, and the movement used in this watch was first launched in 1971. Other than this we have no other information, but the watch can not be older than 1971. The number 23 on the case back may indicate it was only the 23rd model (or even the 23rd watch!) they made. If you know more on Descartes then please contact us.
CONDITION
If you are buying a Rolex Submariner, you can trace the history of the model perfectly as so much has been published about the watch design evolution. When you see a brand like Descartes that you have no experience of, you have to make the judgement on what you see in front of you. So this has a stainless steel case and bracelet – the bracelet is not signed so not sure if it is original or not. The crown is signed, but with a logo than doesn’t appear elsewhere on the watch – again, it could be original but we don’t have the reference to compare. The 21 jewel automatic movement is a PUW1561, which is running well. All decent so far, but the outstanding part is the dial and hands. The blue dial is brushed in a very effective way that the video will show better than any photos could. The hands, with their white stripe, are very legible and the red seconds hand just adds a splash of colour. Combined with an attractive price that is not investment money like a Submariner would be, it was a no-brainer to get and offer this Descartes watch. The bracelet is quite long and our sister website, SpareLinks.com, may have extra links if required.
This watch will be supplied with our branded presentation box and our Certificate of Authenticity.
Please see the HD video for more detail. All photos and videos are part of the description and are of the actual watch unless mentioned. We do not photoshop any pictures, and the images are copyright of birthyearwatches.com and should not be used without permission.
SIZE
Width with crown 38.7 mm
Width without crown 37.1 mm
Between lugs 19.5 mm
Lug to lug length 40.2 mm
Case Thickness 11.3 mm
Bracelet will fit a maximum wrist size of 202 mm. The bracelet can be sized for you if you give us your wrist size when placing the order.
All sizes are approximate. The watch is photographed on a wrist of 190mm/7.5 inches.
Included with this watch is a 3 month guarantee and free delivery to UK addresses. If you live outside the UK we can still deliver to most countries. Please see our Worldwide Shipping information, or Contact Us. Payment can be made by most credit or debit cards, bank transfer or PayPal.
From 1st September 2021 we will be planting a tree for every watch we sell, working with the International Tree Foundation (Est 1922) to make this business positive on carbon. By buying anything pre owned you are effectively reusing what already exists, but this takes it further and makes us feel good.