Writing a blog can require me to be equalย parts observant sleuth and wide-eyed student. Writing about watches and this horological obsession takes effort. Nobody “just knows” about watches. It takes years of immersion, luck and maybe some intuition too.
The mystery Swiss Army watch looked similar to this Swiss Army Cavalry watch from the early days of Swiss Army
Ask collectors and they might tell you that they spend countless hours reading articles, watching videos or discussing the finer points of horology with other aficionados. Watch collecting is a rich and rewarding hobby and a great way to connect with other people.
Recently, I was contacted by a man who wanted help naming a vintage Swiss Army watch model that he once had, and wanted to acquire again many years later. I was glad to help, and I believe that the Sherlock Holmes in each us likes solving mysteries.
The challenge started with this photo of a Swiss Army Cavalry watch and a description of how his watch differs from it. He gave the following clues…
- It was released probably between 1992 and 1993.
- The crown/winder was at 4:00, not 3:00 as it normally is, and slightly embedded in the watch case
- There is no black line surrounding the date window, just a beveled frame
- It came with a steel bracelet option, so I don’t believe it had the permanent strap bars affixed.
With this info, the search was on, and it was going to be tricky because we are talking about a watch from the 1990s when the internet was still a baby. Much advertising from that time existed only in magazines. The print ads are almost lost to history unless someone scanned a copy of the ad and posted it online. This is actually kinda how I found the answer. If you ever run into the same situation, here are a few tips on identifying a mysterious watch.
Ask the Manufacturer
Many watch companies have historians or customer service reps who can help identify an old watch. They keep old catalogs for reference. I have had good luck with Swiss Army and Longines. It never hurts to start there since it is their baby.
Ask Amateur Experts
There are probably more experts per square inch on watch forums than anywhere else in the world. Join a watch forum and post your question. You might be surprised at the amount of help that you get from total strangers who can solve the mystery.
Creatively Use Search Engines
Google and other search engines have revolutionized the way we all find information. The better one uses the algorithms, the better the results should be. This can be less straightforward than one might think because the internet is full of misinformation.
A Google search for “Swiss Army watch 1990s” found a comment describing a watch on Pinterest, which was linked to the image itself. This used human comments to identify a photo. This discovery got me a little closer, but still, no model name was there so I had to refine the search parameters.
I visually matched the mystery watch on a Pinterest pin
By purposely using the wrong name in a search, “1990s Swiss Army Cavalry Watch,” the right item appeared. It’s counterintuitive, but this actually worked because people misname products all the time.
A Swiss Army print ad from the 1990s
The product name was hidden in the small pixelated text of this old advertisement. I had to enlarge the blurry image to try to make out the words. Google does not yet examine photos for text, but probably will soon.
The incredibly pixelated ad text identified the watch model. Can you read it?
Drumroll, please….
The name of the mystery watch is… DELTA. It came in a men’s model and a smaller women’s model. According to the ad, the lugs were designed to be pivotal and not rigid meaning that it should fit wrists better. Here is what the Delta watch looked like with a metal bracelet. The mystery was solved, even if the guy wanted to find it got the location of the crown wrong. It is really at 2:00, but that “red herring” did not stop us.
A very early Swiss Army watch with pivotal lugs and offset crown called the Delta
These two words are wholly unrelated, but they often get confused. Calvary is a proper noun that refers to the hillside on which Jesus was crucified. Cavalry is a group of highly mobile army troops.
That is a great catch. I have been using the wrong spelling all this time. Thank you! I updated the blog.
I think the gold color version is gold plated. I purchased the gold version at a pawn shop for $75 which included a new band and polishing. I think the gold is gold plated based on the 25% price increase for the gold colored case.
That is possible. I am not familiar with many gold-plated Victorinox watches. I know they used a gold-color dvd in later Divemaster 500 quartz models. They even had a platinum version, which is quite out of the norm for the brand…. Read about it at https://www.watchhunter.org/2015/10/review-victorinox-swiss-army-legacy-reserve-de-march-platine-platinum.html
My nearly identical watch, which I purchased new in 1994 and wore every day since then, was just stolen. I am trying to figure out the name/model so I can hopefully replace it. I am also combing through pictures of myself, in hopes that I can confirm that mine had the crown at the 3, which is how I remember it. Otherwise it looked exactly the same, date aperture, pivotal lugs and all. Do you know anything about this variation? It also had a domed crystal, do you know if the “Delta” does/did?
Hi Rachel. I am sorry it took so long to reply. I did not know the answer until I made my Swiss Army Watch Identifier at https://www.watchhunter.org/watch-catalog-reference-library/victorinox-swiss-army-watch-identifier. The watch model was Delta. There were a few variations: 24230 – large, 24233 – small (ladies) and 24247 in gold. I do see them from time to time on eBay. Currently, there are 4 for sale (February 2018). The special thing about the Delta was the articulating lugs and crown at 2:00. The dial was also unique with the triangles in the outer track.