Junghans - Tank - No reserve price - Men - 1900-1949

Junghans Tank Small Seconds – Art Deco – Circa 1930s – 30 × 22 mm

A rare and evocative early Junghans wristwatch, designed in the elegant rectangular style that defined the Art Deco era. Its compact chromed case, black dial with beautifully developed patina, golden Arabic numerals and subsidiary seconds display create an unmistakable pre-war character. Believed to date from the 1930s, this is a fascinating survivor from the formative years of the modern wristwatch.

Technical Details

Brand: Junghans
Style: Tank / Art Deco
Estimated period: Circa 1930s
Movement: Original Junghans mechanical hand-wound movement
Functions: Hours, minutes and small seconds
Case material: Chromed metal
Case dimensions: Approximately 30 × 22 mm, excluding the crown
Crystal: Acrylic glass
Dial: Black dial with natural age patina
Hour markers: Golden Arabic numerals
Seconds display: Subsidiary dial at 6 o’clock
Strap: Generic brown leather strap
Wrist size: Suitable for a wrist of up to approximately 18 cm
Water resistance: Not tested
Accessories: Generic presentation box

Condition Report

The watch is offered in Grade B condition, showing visible signs of wear consistent with its considerable age and previous use. The chromed case displays scratches, marks, oxidation and areas of plating deterioration, particularly around the bezel, edges and lugs.

The acrylic crystal shows scratches and surface traces. The black dial has developed a pronounced and attractive patina, with ageing, spotting and tonal variation visible throughout. The Arabic numerals, hands and subsidiary seconds display also show age-related wear.

The generic brown leather strap displays signs of previous use. The mechanical movement is functioning at the time of listing. No recent service history is available, and future accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

Water resistance has not been tested. Due to the age and construction of the watch, it should be kept away from all contact with water. Please examine the photographs carefully, as they form an essential part of the condition description.

Story & Heritage

Founded in Schramberg in 1861, Junghans grew into one of Germany’s most important watch and clock manufacturers. By the early twentieth century, the company was producing an extraordinary variety of timepieces and played an important role in bringing precision timekeeping into everyday life.

During the 1920s and 1930s, rectangular wristwatches became symbols of modernity. Their clean geometry reflected the architecture, automobiles and decorative arts of the Art Deco period. This Junghans captures that design language through its elongated case, stepped dial layout, stylised Arabic numerals and small seconds register at 6 o’clock.

The deeply aged black dial gives the watch a particularly atmospheric appearance. Every mark and variation is part of its long history, preserving the character of a timepiece that may have witnessed almost a century of European life.

Based on its design and construction, the watch is believed to have been produced during the 1930s, although the exact production year cannot be confirmed. Today, it survives as a rare piece of early German wristwatch history and an appealing collectible for admirers of Junghans, Art Deco design and pre-war horology.

Internal Reference Number - Itm. 908