Don't miss the next drop
In the world of vintage watches, there are the household names everyone knows, and then there are the insider’s brands, marques that quietly produced exceptional timepieces for those in the know. Solvil et Titus is, without question, one of the most compelling of these hidden gems. To find an example like this, in such stunning and honest condition, is a true pleasure for any serious collector.
Founded in 1887 by the legendary Paul Ditisheim, a man revered as a pioneer of modern chronometry, Solvil et Titus has a pedigree that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best. Ditisheim’s work in countering the effects of magnetic fields and atmospheric pressure on timekeeping was groundbreaking, earning him top honors at the Kew and Neuchâtel Observatory trials. While the brand would later be sold and expanded, the watches produced in the mid-20th century, like this “De Luxe” model, retain that foundational commitment to quality and classic Swiss design. The “De Luxe” designation, combined with a high-jewel-count movement, signaled that this was a premium offering, a cut above the standard models of the day.
This particular Titus is a fantastic embodiment of 1950s elegance. Its stainless steel case, measuring a classic 33mm, is defined by its beautifully sculpted, flowing lugs that give it a graceful and substantial presence on the wrist. But the dial is the main event here. The soft, eggshell-white surface has aged to a gorgeous, gentle cream color, peppered with a light, honest patina that is impossible to fake. The applied hour markers, a mix of stylized Arabic numerals at the poles and teardrop indices, are beautifully executed. The dauphine handset shows a bit of its age with some darkening, lending the watch an authentic, soulful character that we find irresistible. Even the crown is the original, signed with the brand’s laurel wreath logo, a detail that is so often lost to time.
