Rodana Doctors Wrist Watch

Rare 1940s Rodana 'Regulator' Doctor's Wristwatch - Stainless Steel, Original Black Gilt Dial
Unusual Three-Register Regulator Display | 33mm Stainless Steel Case | Fully Serviced | Period Watches of Switzerland Presentation Box
There are certain vintage watches that immediately capture the imagination, not simply because of their rarity, but because they represent a genuinely different approach to traditional watchmaking. This extraordinary 1940s Rodana Regulator is one such example, combining an unusual and wonderfully distinctive dial arrangement with the purposeful engineering and understated elegance of wartime Swiss horology.
Produced by Rodana of Grenchen, Switzerland, this fascinating manual-wind wristwatch dates from the 1940s and features an uncommon three-part regulator display, a configuration that separates the hours, minutes and running seconds into individual indications. The result is a beautifully balanced yet unconventional design, originally associated with precision timekeeping and particularly well suited to professions where the clear reading of minutes and seconds was important.
Regulator-style watches have their origins in precision clocks used by watchmakers and observatories, where separating the time indications allowed the minutes and seconds to be read without interference from the hour hand. This principle was subsequently adapted for specialist wristwatches, including designs associated with medical practitioners and laboratory work. It is this unusual arrangement that gives the Rodana its distinctive character and considerable appeal to collectors today.
The most striking feature of this particular example is undoubtedly its superb original black gilt dial. Remarkably well preserved and entirely unrestored, the deep, glossy black surface provides a dramatic backdrop to the beautifully detailed copper-gold printing, which has retained much of its original warmth and definition.
Unlike a conventional wristwatch, the hours are displayed in a subsidiary register positioned at twelve o'clock, while the minutes are indicated by a long central hand extending towards the finely graduated outer minute track. Beneath the centre sits an oversized running-seconds register at six o'clock, its generous proportions making the passing seconds particularly easy to follow.
The arrangement is both practical and visually fascinating. The upper hour register features finely printed Arabic numerals in a warm copper tone, complemented by a delicate gilt pointer, while the lower seconds register is marked with a complete sixty-second scale and its own slender hand. The contrasting hands and carefully arranged scales lend the dial an almost scientific appearance, yet the overall effect remains wonderfully elegant.
The original 'RODANA' signature appears prominently within the upper register, accompanied by the period 'ANTIMAGNETIQUE' designation, while the lower subsidiary dial carries the 'PARE-CHOC' marking, referencing the movement's shock-resistant construction. These small details are particularly evocative of Swiss watchmaking during the 1940s, when manufacturers increasingly emphasised practical reliability alongside traditional craftsmanship.
Particularly attractive is the warm, copper-coloured printing against the rich black dial, a combination that has developed a wonderful depth and softness with age. The original hands retain their distinctive period styling, and the dial shows the gentle signs of its passage through time without having lost the clarity or character of its original design.
The watch is housed in a handsome 33mm stainless steel case, a well-balanced size for the period, with an overall lug-to-lug measurement of approximately 39mm. Its proportions are complemented by a neatly stepped bezel, gently downturned lugs and an elegant, uncomplicated profile that allows the unusual dial to take centre stage.
The stainless steel case has survived in excellent vintage condition, retaining its original shape and definition, with only light surface marks and the honest signs of careful use accumulated over more than eighty years. The snap-on stainless steel caseback completes the practical construction, while the simple winding crown maintains the restrained character of the design.
Powering the watch is a traditional Swiss manually wound mechanical movement, incorporating the anti-magnetic and shock-resistant features advertised on the dial. The movement has recently undergone a complete professional overhaul and service, including cleaning, lubrication and regulation, and is performing very well.
Winding is smooth and positive, the hands set cleanly, and the separate hour, minute and seconds indications operate correctly. It is particularly reassuring to find such an unusual vintage movement in sound mechanical order, allowing the watch to be appreciated not merely as an interesting collector's piece, but as a fully functioning example of traditional Swiss watchmaking.
Adding considerably to the charm of this Rodana is its accompanying period Watches of Switzerland presentation box, associated with the firm's historic premises at 13-16 New Bond Street, London W.1.
Finished in a rich burgundy textured leatherette, the box features an attractive gilt retailer's crest on its lid and a contrasting pale interior. It is a particularly evocative accessory, recalling the traditional presentation of fine wristwatches by established London retailers during the middle decades of the twentieth century.
Watches of Switzerland has long been associated with the sale of quality Swiss timepieces in Britain, and the survival of this period box provides an appealing connection with the history of London's luxury watch trade. Although the box itself does not establish the original point of sale without supporting paperwork, it makes a wonderfully appropriate companion to a watch of this age and character.
The Rodana is fitted with a classic 18mm black fine-grain leather strap and stainless steel pin buckle, a simple and sympathetic choice that complements the glossy black dial and polished stainless steel case beautifully.
For the vintage watch collector, the appeal of this remarkable little timepiece extends well beyond its unusual appearance. True regulator-layout wristwatches from the 1940s are relatively uncommon, and examples retaining such a striking original dial are particularly interesting. Its separate indications, elegant proportions and distinctive copper-gilt detailing give it a personality quite unlike that of a conventional three-hand watch.
With its original unrestored dial, attractive stainless steel case, freshly serviced mechanical movement and charming period Watches of Switzerland presentation box, this is a wonderfully individual survivor from an inventive period of Swiss horology.
A fascinating combination of precision-inspired design, mechanical ingenuity and unmistakable 1940s styling, this Rodana Regulator is a watch that rewards closer inspection. Unusual, beautifully proportioned and full of period character, it would make a particularly appealing addition to any collection of distinctive vintage wristwatches.

Watch Details
Manufacturer: Rodana, Grenchen, Switzerland
Model: Regulator / Doctor's Wristwatch
Date: Circa 1940s
Reference: 2625
Case Serial Number: 110435
Movement: Swiss manually wound mechanical calibre with anti-magnetic and Pare-Choc shock-resistant features; recently fully overhauled, cleaned, lubricated and regulated
Case: Solid stainless steel with stepped bezel, gently downturned lugs and snap-on stainless steel caseback
Case Diameter: 33mm, excluding winding crown
Lug-to-Lug Measurement: Approximately 39mm
Dial: Original unrestored gloss black gilt dial with contrasting copper-gold printing, finely graduated outer minute track and two subsidiary registers
Hour Display: Separate twelve-hour register positioned at twelve o'clock, featuring copper-gilt Arabic numerals and a gilt pointer
Minute Display: Central sweep minute hand indicating against the outer minute track
Seconds Display: Oversized sixty-second subsidiary register positioned at six o'clock
Hands: Original period-style gilt and contrasting subsidiary hands
Dial Signatures: 'RODANA', 'ANTIMAGNETIQUE' and 'PARE-CHOC'
Strap: 18mm black fine-grain leather strap with stainless steel pin buckle
Presentation Box: Period Watches of Switzerland burgundy textured leatherette presentation case with gilt retailer crest and pale silk/velvet-style interior
Retailer Details: Watches of Switzerland, 13-16 New Bond Street, London W.1
Condition: Excellent vintage condition, retaining a beautifully preserved original black dial, attractive copper-gilt detailing and a well-defined stainless steel case showing light, age-appropriate surface wear
Mechanical Condition: Recently professionally overhauled and serviced; winding smoothly, setting cleanly and maintaining accurate timekeeping, with all three time indications operating correctly