Recently Sold (VA016)

Christmas Day In 1978 - Vintage Birks Interchangeable  Watch Collection.  This stunning watch collection is crafted from gold plate and silver metal.  Featuring a quality watch collection made by Birks.  The back of the watch is inscribed To My Bride Xmas 78. This beautiful collection has one watch casing, marked Birks, which is a  Swiss made wind up design, and keeps perfect time. The watch is accompanied by 6 leather straps, in colours of red, lavender, green, navy blue , white, and black. There are several alternating bezels that allows the timepiece to have a completely different look. The bezels range from gold, silver, rhinestones, and enamel. There is also an enamelled bezel pendant on a chain, which can be worn as a necklace.  This Collection is accompanied in the original Birks blue box.  Ohhh the things they use to make... just gorgeous!

Henry Birks (30 November 1840 – 16 April 1928) was a Canadian businessman and founder of Henry Birks and Sons, a chain of high-end Canadian jewellery stores.

He was born to English immigrants from Yorkshire, England. His parents moved to Canada in 1832. Son of John Birks, a pharmacist, and Ann Marie, he did his schooling in commercial studies at the High School of Montreal.

In 1857, Birks was hired as a clerk at Savage and Lyman in Montreal, reputed to be the finest jeweller and watchmaker in the Province of Canadaat that time. Although Birks eventually became a partner in the firm in 1868, the company's later financial difficulties encouraged Birks to leave in 1877.^[1]

With an investment of C$3000, Birks opened his own small jewellery shop in 1879 on Saint James Street in the heart of Montreal's financial and commercial district. In 1893, Birks went into partnership with his three sons (William, John and Gerald), and the name of the firm became Henry Birks and Sons. As the focus of Montreal's commercial centre moved north towards Saint Catherine Street, the Birks store moved to new premises on Phillips Square in 1894, where the company still maintains a store and corporate offices. Commencing in 1901, Birks oversaw the expansion of the company across the country, with stores opening in Canada's largest cities.

Henry Birks served as a prototype to many Canadian entrepreneurs of the 19th century. The son of English immigrants, his education was focused primarily on commerce, and he subsequently put it into practice by working in a large and successful firm. As soon as the circumstances would permit, he started his own company, which prospered and ultimately became a Canada-wide commercial empire.

Five successive generations of the Birks family have been involved in Henry Birks and Sons since its founding in 1879. One of Birks' sons, Gerald Birks, proposed an educational system for Canadian soldiers known as the Khaki University, which was ultimately implemented for all soldiers in 1917

A clockmaker from Nuremberg named Peter Henlein is typically credited with inventing the very first watch. He created one of these “clock watches” in the 15th century. It's important to note, though, that many other clockmakers were creating similar devices around this same time.

The earliest known enameled pieces have been dated to the 13th century BC, when Mycenaean goldsmiths inlaid enamels into gold rings. ... In the 5th century BC, Greek artisans used enamel to decorate artwork such as the Phidias statues of Zeus.

Measurements: Watch Strap 7 1/2 "   Chain 24"

Condition: Very Good.   No wear on bezels and chain. Only slight wear to some of the leather straps. Amazing condition considering age.

Origin: Canada, Birks         Watch: Swiss made 

DateL Dated 1978