Michel Herbelin Tank Allongé Watch — Gold-Plated (1970s)

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An elongated Herbelin tank, the French touch of the 1970s

This watch is a Michel Herbelin, the family-owned française house founded in 1947 in Charquemont, at the heart of the watchmaking Doubs — the française valley facing the Swiss Jura. Signed Paris on the dial, made in Franche-Comté: it is the assertive française watchmaking of the 1970s, in its boldest design.

Its gold-plated case is an elongated tank with stretched proportions — 22mm wide for 42mm Lug-to-lug, almost double: a golden door laid across the wrist. The gadrooned bezel defines it: diagonal grooves cut at an angle into the corners, catching the light across the surface — the decorative gesture of the seventies, executed with restraint.

The white dial follows that elongation: twelve slender black Roman numerals stretched to the point of elegant distortion, an inner railway minute track echoing the rectangle, the escutcheon signature and the word Paris — beneath two slender black hands. The black cabochon crown punctuates the side.

The movement is an ETA 2512-1 calibre, a 17-jewel hand-wound mechanical movement — the Swiss movement that Cartier itself also rebranded in its watches from the same period, and which was used by Piaget and Baume & Mercier. It has been checked by our partner watchmakers and is guaranteed for one year. The watch is fitted with a later period black leather strap.

Three points to note

Why choose a vintage française watch?

This vintage Michel Herbelin watch holds a singular place among men's and women's vintage watches: its elongated tank can be worn by either, as a piece of character, and the vintage française watch is a territory that collectors are only just beginning to explore — houses from the Doubs and the French Jura that used the same Swiss calibres as the big names, at a fraction of their market value. A singular vintage mechanical watch, at the most accessible price point in the catalogue.

Like all our vintage mechanical watches, this one has been opened and inspected by our partner watchmakers: movement verification, examination of the dial, hands and case. Each vintage watch we offer comes with an Atelier Victor invoice serving as a certificate, a one-year guarantee, and guaranteed lifetime authenticity.

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Technical specifications

• Brand: Michel Herbelin
• Model: Tank elongated, Roman numerals
• Estimated year: 1970s
• Origin: France
• Gender: Men's and women's watch (Unisex)
• Movement: Hand-wound mechanical, ETA 2512-1 calibre (17 jewels)
• Functions: Hours, minutes
• Case: Gold-plated, gadrooned bezel, elongated rectangular shape, steel caseback
• Width: 22mm (24mm with crown)
• Lug to lug: 42mm
• Thickness: 6.5mm
• Lug width: 17mm
• Crown: With black cabochon, original
• Dial: White, black Roman numerals, railway minute track, original
• Hands: Slim black hands, original
• Crystal: Mineral (condition 9/10)
• Strap: Period black leather, not original
• Buckle: Steel pin buckle, not original

Condition and guarantee

• Overall condition: Good state of preservation. Crisp white dial, Roman numerals and hands without alteration, Crystal in very fine condition. The gold-plated case shows fine signs-of-use scratches on the gadrooned bezel and case sides, visible in our photographs; the plating is even.
• Water resistance: Not guaranteed (vintage watch)
• Authenticity: Lifetime guarantee
• Mechanical: Mechanical movement checked, guaranteed for 1 year
• Included: Atelier Victor invoice
• Not included: Original box and papers

Frequently asked questions

Who is Michel Herbelin?
A française watchmaking house founded in 1947 by Michel Herbelin in Charquemont, in the Doubs — the française watchmaking valley facing the Swiss Jura, where watches have been made since the eighteenth century. Family-owned and independent to this day, it is now one of the last great names in française watchmaking, and its vintage pieces from the 1970s are beginning to be sought after for their design.

Is the ETA 2512-1 caliber a good movement?
It is one of the most proven small Swiss mechanical movements of its era: a 17-jewel hand-wound movement produced by ETA from the 1960s through the 1980s, chosen by far more expensive houses — Cartier fitted it under its own signature, and Piaget and Baume & Mercier used it as well. Its parts remain available, which ensures it can be serviced for decades.

How do you wind a hand-wound watch?
Gently turn the crown clockwise, about twenty turns, until you feel resistance. Never force it beyond that point. Daily winding, at the same time each day, is enough to keep the watch running and ensures the best regularity.

Why does the dial say Paris?
Because it is the historic business address of the house, whose watches are designed and assembled in Franche-Comté. This practice was common in française watchmaking: the manufacture in the watchmaking region, the signature in the capital. The dial bears both truths — the Herbelin crest and the word Paris — and the watch is française through and through.

Is this piece suitable for a slim or larger wrist?
At 22mm wide for 42mm Lug-to-lug and 6.5mm thick, it suits wrists of about 15 to 18cm — a guideline, never a rule: everyone wears what they like. The elongated tank is read vertically: narrow from the front, it occupies the wrist lengthwise, which defines its character. The Lug width measures 17mm, making strap changes easy.

A piece selected by Atelier Victor

Authenticated, checked, and photographed by us. As all sales are final, our team remains available 7 days a week on WhatsApp to answer your questions, share additional photos or a video of the piece in hand — so that your choice can be made with complete peace of mind.

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