NATION Ladies' Hand-Wound Watch – circa 1950s – Vintage Gold Tone with Small Seconds

Rare Japanese hand-wound watch from the early post-war period with classic small seconds.

This charming vintage watch from the brand NATION is believed to date from the early 1950s and embodies the elegant, compact style of post-war Japan.
With its gold-colored case, clearly structured dial with small seconds and finely aged patina, it is an authentic testament to early Japanese watchmaking – an era in which Japan developed into a new industrial center of precision mechanics after World War II.

The watch is manually wound, runs reliably, and is still quite wearable despite its age. Its understated design and the rare "NATION" marking make it a sought-after collector's item for connoisseurs of vintage Japanese watches.

Design and dial

The silver-aged dial displays a beautiful, even patina that reveals the history of the watch.
The gold-colored Arabic numerals and hands give the watch a warm, classic character.
At 6 o'clock there is a finely engraved small seconds subdial – a typical feature of high-quality watches from the 1950s.

The case is made of gold-plated brass with a stainless steel base (engraving STAINLESS STEEL BACK 9153 ).
The design is typical of the era in which Japanese manufacturers began to stylistically orient themselves towards Swiss models, but increasingly developed their own characteristics.

The watch is equipped with a new brown vintage leather strap with a gold-colored pin buckle, which perfectly matches its understated elegance.

Technical data

• Brand: NATION
• Origin: Japan
• Production period: approx. 1950s
• Movement: Mechanical hand-wound movement
• Case: Gold-plated (brass) with stainless steel back
• Diameter (excluding crown): 26.2 mm
• Height: 10.4 mm
• Lug-to-lug: 34 mm
• Lug width: 14 mm
• Weight (including leather strap): 20 g
• Dial: Silver-colored with gold hands and applied numerals, small seconds at 6 o'clock
• Strap: Genuine leather, brown, gold-colored buckle
• Condition: Good vintage condition, even patina on dial and case, functional
• Included in delivery: Watch with leather strap, without box/papers

Historical background

The NATION brand originated during the Japanese reconstruction phase after 1945, when numerous smaller manufacturers formed around Seiko , Citizen and Orient .
These companies – often suppliers or licensed manufacturers – produced mechanical wristwatches with imported or locally adapted movements.

While Seiko and Citizen had already risen to become global brands, smaller manufacturers like NATION remained regionally limited , primarily supplying the Japanese domestic market and often disappearing again by the early 1960s.
Their products – often manufactured in small quantities – are now considered rarities of Japanese post-war watchmaking , documenting the transition from handcrafted production to industrial mass production.

Watches like this NATION are therefore not just timepieces, but cultural and historical testimonies of an era in which Japan established itself on the world market with technical ambition and precision.

Notice / Warranty

Warranty (used)
This is a used item. The limitation period for claims based on defects (statutory warranty) is 12 months from delivery.

Notice
As this is a vintage watch, water resistance cannot be guaranteed. To protect the movement, the watch should not come into contact with water or moisture.