Findeisen Nuremberg watches age determination
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Background to “Findeisen – Nuremberg”
- City: Nuremberg, Germany
- Active: ca. 1900 – 1950 (+/-)
- Company: presumably “ J. Findeisen Watchmaker / Jeweler ”
- Observed on: pocket watches, early wristwatches, rarely deck watches.
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Engravings usually on the dial or movement :
“Findeisen – Nuremberg” or “J. Findeisen – Nuremberg”
- Acquisition and testing assembly: classic practice of many German watchmakers who imported finished Swiss calibers or ebauche blanks (A. Schild, FHF, Unitas, Rebberg, etc.) and regulated, signed, and sold them in Germany.
Typical time periods
| Period | Typical watches | Factory features |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 – 1915 | Pocket watches, silver 800/900, enamel dial | Aegler (Rebberg), FHF 19''' |
| 1915 – 1930 | Precision pocket watches, early wristwatches | A. Shield AS 340 – AS 500, 17 rubies |
| 1930 – 1945 | Military-style wristwatches | FHF 29 / AS 970, nickel case, small seconds |
| After 1945 | Late hand-wound or automatic watches | AS 1130 (“Wehrmachtswerk”), Durowe |
Serial numbers and approximate dating
Findeisen sourced the watch movements → the movement number is therefore the serial number of the Swiss manufacturer . A few rules of thumb can help narrow it down:
| Serial number (approx.) | Manufacturer | Time | note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200,000 – 400,000 | Aegler / Rebberg | 1900 – 1915 | Early pocket watches, Roman numerals |
| 400,000 – 600,000 | A. Schild AS 340 / 500 | 1915 – 1925 | Precision pocket watches, often with enamel dial |
| 600,000 – 900,000 | FHF 29, AS 970 | 1925 – 1935 | Wristwatches, steel / nickel |
| 900,000 – 1,200,000 | AS 1130 / Durowe | 1935 – 1945 | military-inspired models |
Example:
“Findeisen – Nuremberg”, work number 612 480 , A. Schild AS 970 → ca. 1925–1928.
Style and technical characteristics for dating
| feature | Time range |
|---|---|
| Enamel dial, Roman numerals | before 1915 |
| Arabic numerals, steel hands (blue) | 1910–1925 |
| “15 Rubis – Swiss Made” engraving | typical 1915–1935 |
| Luminous numerals (radium) | from 1915 to 1940 |
| Small second | until about 1940 |
| Central second hand + shock protection (Incabloc) | from 1950 |
Case and engraving features
- Silver 0.800 / 0.900 + crescent moon & crown: German, high-quality pocket watches up to approx. 1930.
- Stainless steel, chrome-plated or nickel: wristwatches from 1925 onwards.
- Case back stamp with “Waterproof”, “Antimagnetic”: after 1935.
Example time assignments
| engraving | Serial number | Factory | Dating |
|---|---|---|---|
| “J. Findeisen – Nuremberg” | 423,580 | AS 340 | ca. 1919–1921 |
| "Findeisen – Nuremberg" | 610 732 | AS 970 | ca. 1926–1928 |
| "Findeisen – Nuremberg" | 1,042,215 | AS 1130 | ca. 1939–1942 |
Source: Wikipedia, AI
