Description
VTG 1970's Medana Men's Quartz Watch w/Roman+Arabic Numerals Gold Color Dial
This is a rare Medana Model from the 1970's, when Medana started making quartz watches. Note: on the dial it has roman and arabic numbers. This is a pre-loved watch and sat in a jewelry box for a few years. You will need to replace the battery when you get this.
Double-Click on EACH PHOTO to see high resolution photos enlarged, so that you can decide if you would like to add this watch to your collection. This watch is over 50 years old and a rare find.
Medana
was a brand of affordable, mass-market watches from the Swiss
manufacturer Meyer & Stüdeli SA, which is better known for its
higher-end
Roamer watches. Though the company's origins date back to 1888, the Medana brand name was developed in the early 20th century to designate watches featuring more basic movements. Early history
- Company founding (1900): Medana was a brand of the Meyer & Stüdeli SA watch company, founded in Solothurn, Switzerland, by Fritz Meyer and Johann Stüdeli. The company initially focused on inexpensive pocket watches with simple movements.
- International expansion (1909): Meyer & Stüdeli established a UK branch called "The Medana Watch Co." in 1909 to enter the international market.
- Premium brand established (1920s): In 1920, the company officially trademarked both the Medana and Roamer brands. Medana was used for watches with simpler cylinder movements, while the Roamer brand was designated for their premium watches with higher-quality, jeweled Swiss lever movements.
Mid-20th century
- Focus on fashion: Medana was known as a fashion-watch brand, producing a wide variety of watches that emulated the styles of more expensive brands of the time for the mass market.
- Movements and escapements: Medana stopped using cylinder escapements in the 1930s. The watches moved to higher-level pin lever movements.
- Art Deco designs: During the 1930s and 1940s, the brand produced watches with popular Art Deco designs, featuring distinct cases, lugs, and numeral styles. Examples include the "Pontife" model and tank-style watches.
- Continued growth (1940s-1950s): Medana watches from this period were often Swiss-made and featured manual-wind movements, such as the Medana "Pontife" with its 7-jewel lever movement. Many vintage Medana watches found today are from the 1950s.
Decline and legacy
- Company transition (1950s): In 1952, the parent company, Meyer & Stüdeli SA, officially changed its name to Roamer Watch Co. SA, shifting its focus.
- Final phase: Medana watches were produced into the 1980s, including some quartz digital models, but the brand eventually faded.
- Vintage interest: Today, vintage Medana watches are a niche collector's item, often admired for their period-specific designs, especially Art Deco and mid-century styles.
