Posted by Today I like to share another Eterna-Matic, this time the Eterna-Matic reference 106IVT-1439 Centenaire 61.
Back in 1956 Eterna celebrated their 100 Years Anniversary by launching the “Centenaire”. Later the Centenaire became a whole line…
There were many different models of the Centenaire 61… Mine is a sportier version with wide minute track and lume dots.
“Ebony” hands and index adds to the sportiness, to my eyes, a very 1960’s look.
I am far from an Eterna expert, but if my understanding is correct, the reference was a mix between an id and the Calibre of the watch.
Here is a scan from the 1964 Eterna-Matic catalogue showing several versions of the Centenaire and the Centenaire 61.
Now my problem starts… According to several sources, Eterna did not user movement serial number to identify year, instead year is based on the Calibre of the watch. So far so good…
In the scan you can see 1438. 1439 and 1428. According to the most common chart, all three Calibres are placed in 1956…
The catalogue I dated through the pricelist, 1st of August 1964.
Inside my watch is the Calibre 1439U, same as the Chronometer shown in previous scan.
A 1956 movement in a 1964 watch? Could the movement have been replaced? Well, anything is possible, but I am having a hard time believing that the movement should have been replaced based on the looks and condition. Plus, that would still not explain the catalogue reference.
It could well be that the 1438. 1439 and 1428 all were produced in 1956, but if so, I suspect that some Calibres were used long after they were manufactured.
Enough mystery for today – the 106IVT-1439 is an elegant sporty watch. God size, the stainless steel case is 37 mm in diameter. Hidden crown which makes it perfectly round.
And with a good buckle, the pleasure of wearing this watch is even bigger!
1960’s, sporty elegant, over 35 mm in diameter, automatic and date… Yes, this reminds me of several watches, one of them the Jaeger-LeCoultre Geomatic.
I will continue to look closer on these Eterna-Matic Centenaire… Here is a link to one I already posted here – Shot of the day: Eterna-matic Centenaire
More to come, so stay tuned!
The Blomman Watch Report 