Another "Who made it watch?"

[rrwatch]

This is a 16 size Swiss private label movement made for Henry Birks & Son, a well known high quality jewelry store headquartered in Montreal with locations across Canada. It is a high grade pendent set movement marked "21 jewels", with wolf tooth winding gears. There is no manufacturers name anywhere on the movement or dial. There are four meantime screws, which are a highly polished silver color and appear to be made of platinium. The dial is a double sunk snap on style.
Any idea who may have made the movement? Any idea of when it might have been made? I would love to see any documentation that would shed more light on this movement.

http://static.flickr.com/29/54423762_89ec3b207f.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/25/54423763_32250dc38d.jpg

[rrwatch]

This is a 16 size Swiss private label movement made for Henry Birks & Son, a well known high quality jewelry store headquartered in Montreal with locations across Canada. It is a high grade pendent set movement marked "21 jewels", with wolf tooth winding gears. There is no manufacturers name anywhere on the movement or dial. There are four meantime screws, which are a highly polished silver color and appear to be made of platinium. The dial is a double sunk snap on style.
Any idea who may have made the movement? Any idea of when it might have been made? I would love to see any documentation that would shed more light on this movement.

http://static.flickr.com/29/54423762_89ec3b207f.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/25/54423763_32250dc38d.jpg

[Jeff Hess]

Well, I have had several V&C's within a very tight area of that same serial number range.

(not that this proves anything) :smile:

[Don Dahlberg]

I find it amazing that someone would finish an ebauche movement to such a fine state and not at least hide their name somewhere. I must get at least one request a week at the NAWCC Library to identify high grade Swiss movements. There is nothing I can do if they are not signed. Many companies used the same ebauche movement and we have no records of any subtle changes they might have made.

Ed, is there no signature or logo anywhere?

Don

[rrwatch]

Don,
There is nothing I can find. The pillar plate only carries the (matching) serial number, even the back of the dial is blank. I have often wondered if jewelers , when they purchased private label movements, couldn't specify that the manufacturers name be completely omitted.

Jeff,
Have you seen V&C marked movements with a similar plate movement to this one?

I'm hoping that the unusual winding click, use of Platinium meantime screws and the general plate layout may provide some clues for those really well versed in high grade Swiss movements.

[Dr. Jon]

I have a similar watch except mine has a different cock over the escape wheel. The rest is virtually identical, includng the platinum screws. Mine has S/N 102***.

I have largely ruled out V&C ad Audemars Piguet.

Mine is in a J&S case with matching Serial number and is lever set.

[IMHO]

For what it's worth, here's another close cousin (see click, and complete with platinum timing screws) for JB Chambers of Chicago and in the near number range ...