Benrus Day/Date Pointer Gold Tone

Some watches are beautiful because they are pristine. Others, like this one, are beautiful because they tell a story. In the world of vintage collecting, there is nothing more soulful or unique than a watch that has aged gracefully, and this Benrus triple calendar is a masterclass in the art of patina. It’s a mechanically fascinating timepiece with a dial that is, in our opinion, a work of art created by time itself.

Benrus was a powerhouse of the American watch market in the mid-20th century, offering the public stylish and complicated Swiss-made timepieces that were both high-quality and attainable. In the optimistic post-war years, a complicated watch in a handsome gold-tone case was the ultimate sign of sophistication. This piece features the triple calendar complication, a miniature mechanical computer for the wrist displaying the day, month, and date. The use of a pointer hand to indicate the date on an outer track is a wonderfully charming feature of vintage watches, adding a constant, slow-moving piece of visual intrigue to the dial.

This specific example is what gets our hearts racing. The 32mm gold-tone case has a classic presence, with elegant lugs that give it a refined profile. But the dial—the dial is simply magnificent. What was once a uniform silver has aged over decades into a stunning, warm parchment color with an incredible, speckled “stardust” patina across its surface. This is not damage; this is character of the highest order. The dial features a mix of applied gilt Arabic and dot hour markers, sharp day and month apertures, and a subsidiary seconds register. The outer date track is printed in a vibrant red, perfectly matched by the tip of the pointer hand, adding a fantastic pop of color to the warm, aged landscape of the dial.