Being a watch collector is hard, as you spend a lot of time seeking for rare and unique watches knowing that there are hundereds of us (plus dealers) out there doing the same. So it becomes harder and harder to find these “hidden gems” out there, but if it happens it should be time to celebrate it!

Here we go, let´s party!!

There are only a very few watches that bring all the things together that will let our hearts go fast, I mean really fast. And this small and tiny wristwatch is for sure one of these:

The Marvin Motorist is a watch that brings together everything that ist important for me as collector.

1. A unique watch design
2. A “very first” example
3. A “historic important” watch

 

A unique watch design

The case has an amazing curvature  so the lugs tof the watch sit on the edge of the wrist rather than the top. It is a top winder and has lovely Breguet numerals and blued hands.

 

A “very first” example

The movement inside is a very early unsigned movement looking very similar to the Marvin 140  (Aurore Villeret 10).

 

The dial, movement and case all three are unsigned. That is very unusal, but as you can see from the caseback the number is 5, so it might be one of the very first examples ever made.

A “historic important” watch

I know, the phrase “historic important watch” is abused quiet a lot. But this time it just fits perfect to that watch, as perfect as it fits on the wrist. Faisaval, a memeber of german Uhrforum has written a nice histoy of Marvin brand, going back to 1850. https://uhrforum.de/threads/eine-marvin-mit-zentralsekunde.193047/

But it is not only the place in Marvins history that makes this watch so special. As far as I know the advertising of the Motorist went back to 1939, a time were driving a own car was very expensive and quiet unusal for most people on the planet. So this watch gives me a bit of that feeling starting a 1930 convertible like this beauty Cord sold in June 2019 for whopping 157k dollar at RM auctions.

First comes, first serves

OK, my friends and loyal readers, here comes my gimme for the one of you who reads this article to the end and feels as thrilled about the Motorist as I do. During my research before buying this watch I searched the internet for Marvin Motorist and couldn´t find any other example for sale. Due to a hint from my watch friend Yuong in HK I was able to source one example for sale in UK.

This beautiful unsigned Motorist is offered by Piccadillyvaults in London and the asking price of 900 GBP is from my point of view an absolutley bargain!  So go for it!