203 Minerva Oversize and Enchanting Chronograph Wristwatch in Steel, With Red Tachymeter Scale Dial

Estimate: €7,000 –⁠ 14,000

Model: Chronograph
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Bracelet Material: Leather Strap
Year: 1940s
Movement: Manual
Case N°: 172725
Dimensions: 38 mm
Signed: Dial, Case and Movement

The earliest Minerva wristwatch was made in 1909, but the watch company’s greatest success came in 1923 with the introduction of the caliber 13-20, a movement that perfectly illustrates the classic and refined architecture of wrist chronographs of that era, with the iconic “V”-shaped bridge, column-wheel mechanism, a Breguet balance spring and 17 jewels. With the launch of this watch, the company earned its reputation as a manufacturer of complicated movements of exceptional quality. The present Minerva chronograph impresses even the most spoiled of the collectors with its remarkable condition: every detail of the watch is charming. The impressively large 38 mm case is very well preserved, with razor-sharp edges which allow us to admire the elaborate case construction, especially the step of the bezel and the full, unmolested lugs. The dial is breathtaking and a set of color: the blue of the steel hands, the silver of the background, the black of the inner telemetric scale and the red of the tachymetric one. With the taste of passionate varying in recent years, the present piece will impress any collector with its breathtaking aesthetics and impressive size.