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Nivrel 1955-65?

7K views 22 replies 11 participants last post by  ghce 
#1 ·
As this is my first post here, let me just say hello to all members and users of this forum.

I know it`s unpopular and hard to answer type of question but if someone has any ideas, some basics would be much aprechiated, like possible year of production, quality range, history of company... or where to find some data about Nivrel in the past.

It is an Nivrel Antimagnetic with AS1188 movement, with pink gold plated housing. Two shots of this watch.

Thanks on advance!
Marijan
 

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#4 ·
Thank you Marrick,

yes, that is about all I could find on net beside new Nivrel production. Unfortunatly I do not know much about watches, and I can not use design properties of the watch to determine the age, range etc., that is why I tryed here. But anyway, it looks like a nice pice of work.
Maybe someone will have some more ideas.

Thanks!
Marijan
 
#5 ·
Hello,

I once talked to the current owners of Nivrel and asked about the watch history. they told me that they bought th brand name because it had become inactive. Nivrel, when it was a Swiss brand was apparently produced for around sixty years and then disappeared around the time of the quartz crisis.
 
#7 ·
Thank you SE and Ray.
That is the dating that one of the old watch repairers in my home town gave me as a starting point. From 1950-1955.

It is interesting how hard is to find a reliable data about company history, to find out something about old models of not so known makers, seams to be allmost imposibile.
But it looks that it was not unknown company. That repairman remembered that he has sean and cleaned few of those pieces. Very decent watches, he said.

Here is the photo which will give moore justice to the actuall look of this watch. Maybe to some Nivrel fan for the archive:).

Thank you guys again!
Marijan
 

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#8 ·
Thank you SE and Ray.
That is the dating that one of the old watch repairers in my home town gave me as a starting point. From 1950-1955.

It is interesting how hard is to find a reliable data about company history, to find out something about old models of not so known makers, seams to be allmost imposibile.
But it looks that it was not unknown company. That repairman remembered that he has sean and cleaned few of those pieces. Very decent watches, he said.

Here is the photo which will give moore justice to the actuall look of this watch. Maybe to some Nivrel fan for the archive:).

Thank you guys again!
Marijan
I do not think this watch is that old, according to 1985 Swiss Trademark directory, Nirel was only a brand by Marvin S. A. company, and 1994 same directory listed again the name belong to Marvin S. A in La Chaux-de-Fonds, and listed the name was first registered in October 1975.
So before 1975, the trademark was not existed yet.

I further search Swiss Trademark Office in www.swissreg.ch, get a similar result.

The movement was manufactured since 1950 till 1980, so that does not say the year of the watch made. Beside the case was typical gilted aluminum, which was trend for early '70, I will not take any information from a source where the watch was produced and promoted, we all know in late 1980, 2/3 of Swiss manufactures bankrupted, now the names come back and all carried a long history twice as long as before.

Marvin S. A. sold the name Nivrel to a German factory at 1993, simply because they stopped the line for a while.

I believe the watch is one of the first production, that will dated it back to 1975.
 
#14 ·
It wasn`t my intention to start some kind of guesing competition. Since I realy like this watch, maybe even more through my ignorant and uneducated eyes, comparing to the eyes of the expert, I do not realy care much is it from 1950 or 1980. I`d just like to know if possible, if not that 30 years range is good enough for me. But knowing a bit of history of an item we posses, gives a bit of charm to the ownerships pride. And that is why we ask I supouse. Rarity is a good spice to;-).

I`m familiar with problems of datings, valuations, identification etc. of art and antique items, since in my busines, wich is string instrument making, one can face a confusions, educated gueses, speculations... allmost every day.
You can never be shure that you will get reliable answer even from expert, and some of connoisseurs will admit sometimes that their expertise, if data is unsuficient, that their opinion must be taken with reserve.

Genways opinion and facts about unreliability of some data, which may be used as a references in such discusions is valuable to me as an indicator, that even in this kind of kind of exact industry as watchmaking is, one should never be 100% shure that things are allways as it seems to be.

That is whay I`m asking if I missunderstud the statement given above.

Looking my watch, as a complete laik and novice, I would newer date it as new as 1975, but on the other hand, repliquas in violin busines started as far as 1800 and even I make some Stradivari and Guarneri copys these days.

Here is a chronograph from aprox. 1940 (if I can belive to data given) and replica of one of todays Nivrel latest production chronographs. I find a few similarities betwen my watch and that 1940 piece.

Thank you for all of your given opinions.

Marijan Radaljac
 

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#15 ·
b-) Nivrel has done a nice job with that replica, much like Eberhard.
It wasn`t my intention to start some kind of guesing competition. Since I realy like this watch, maybe even more through my ignorant and uneducated eyes, comparing to the eyes of the expert, I do not realy care much is it from 1950 or 1980. I`d just like to know if possible, if not that 30 years range is good enough for me. But knowing a bit of history of an item we posses, gives a bit of charm to the ownerships pride. And that is why we ask I supouse. Rarity is a good spice to;-).

I`m familiar with problems of datings, valuations, identification etc. of art and antique items, since in my busines, wich is string instrument making, one can face a confusions, educated gueses, speculations... allmost every day.
You can never be shure that you will get reliable answer even from expert, and some of connoisseurs will admit sometimes that their expertise, if data is unsuficient, that their opinion must be taken with reserve.

Genways opinion and facts about unreliability of some data, which may be used as a references in such discusions is valuable to me as an indicator, that even in this kind of kind of exact industry as watchmaking is, one should never be 100% shure that things are allways as it seems to be.

That is whay I`m asking if I missunderstud the statement given above.

Looking my watch, as a complete laik and novice, I would newer date it as new as 1975, but on the other hand, repliquas in violin busines started as far as 1800 and even I make some Stradivari and Guarneri copys these days.

Here is a chronograph from aprox. 1940 (if I can belive to data given) and replica of one of todays Nivrel latest production chronographs. I find a few similarities betwen my watch and that 1940 piece.

Thank you for all of your given opinions.

Marijan Radaljac
 
#19 ·
Beautiful watch. I allways found that simplicity is a great ground for a timeles and as Marric said classy design. Is this one of the new Nivrel redesigns of early years?

Do you know what movement is used in it?

Thanks for sharing.

Marijan Radaljac
 
#20 ·
Dobro jutro Marijan,

Sorry to you and everyone for my early conclusion of the date on your watch. Based on your additional pictures and further search of myself, I am convinced that the watch is as early as 1955, at least before 1960, like the link to US government document by Marrick, any manufacture after that will stopped making such case any more, and on your watch it is targeted at US market, not like other older model has French on the dial instead of English.
For Eeeb, I use 'gilted' instead of 'treated to simulate gold' for quick description. I do remember back to early 80' I seem many of those watches came in for repair, but I did not recalled saw them as for sale in store. In fact, I now remember seem a lot of them in pawn shops!
Thanks to everyone for your input.
 
#22 ·
Dobro jutro Genway,

or good evening i should say. Suprised to be addressed in a native laguage here. A translator, learning Slovenian, or do you have roots somewhere in this parts of the world?

Thanks Tim, it`s in great condition. I realy like it. Please, post a photo of movement when and if you can. I`m creating a small photo album of old Nivrels for personal joy. Would you be so kind to send a full size one on my personal mail. It is: marijan.radaljac@amis.net

I find myself a litle owerenthusiastic here with this Nivrels, dont take it hard on me please, but it`s fun.
 
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