Don't miss the next drop
The Market · Buyer's Guide
Movado Kingmatic: A Vintage Buyers Guide
References, in-house calibers, the collectible Sub-Sea, and what they actually sell for.
DPDaniel Park
9 min read
9 min read
The short version
- What it is: Movado’s flagship in-house automatic, from 1956, before the 1969 Zenith merger.
- The movement: a 28-jewel in-house caliber that outclassed comparable Omega and Longines.
- The one to want: the Sub-Sea, cased by Borgel, Patek’s own supplier.
- What it costs: clean steel from the low hundreds; gold up to ~$3,000.
Talk to enough vintage dealers and one name keeps surfacing in the value conversation: pre-1970 Movado. Hodinkee made the case in its feature on the brand, recalling a time when the same four people bid on every good example at auction. That era is over, and the Kingmatic is the watch most of those bidders were chasing.
What the Kingmatic actually is
Movado spent most of the 20th century as a real manufacture, designing and building its own movements, with at least 98 Swiss patents between 1900 and 1969. This was not a fashion label borrowing a caliber from a supplier.
Key takeaway
The collectible mechanical Kingmatics are the pre-1969 pieces. Date the watch before you pay for the heritage.
The calibers
Open a Kingmatic and you’ll find an in-house Movado automatic, almost always marked 28 jewels: the cal. 115 “Futuramic,” 388, 408, 431, 531, and the 538 “Calendoplan.”
The Sub-Sea is the one to want
Movado sent its water-resistant cases out to Francois Borgel, the Geneva specialist Patek Philippe used for grail references. Borgel-cased Movados carry an “FB” stamp inside the caseback. You are buying case work from Patek’s own suppliers at Movado money.
What a Movado Kingmatic is worth
| Configuration | Condition | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Steel, time-only | Clean original | $300 – $500 |
| Gold-filled, chronometer dial | Original | $1,200 – $1,500 |
| Solid gold, cal. 538 calendar | Collector | $2,500 – $3,000 |
FAQ
What movement is in a Movado Kingmatic?
An in-house Movado automatic, usually marked 28 jewels.
What does Sub-Sea mean?
Movado’s water-resistant line, cased by Francois Borgel, with an “FB” stamp inside the caseback.
Quick facts
Introduced1956
MovementIn-house auto, 28J
One to wantSub-Sea
Shop the Movado collectionView all in stock