West End Watch Co Secundus Watch — Tank Elongated Curved (1930s)
Only 1 available
Shipping from Europe — taxes and customs duties are the buyer's responsibility outside the EU
Lifetime authenticity guarantee
Movement checked & guaranteed for 1 year
International shipping
Photo taken on a 17.5 cm wrist
A question about this piece?
Chat with us on WhatsApp →
Atelier Note
A name taken from London, a manufacture in Saint-Imier, clients in Bombay and Calcutta, and a long, curved tank that hugs the wrist, twelve tight numerals beneath two blued hands, within a tea-colored railway minute track.
A vintage West End Watch Co Secundus Watch, the elongated and curved tank of British India
This vintage West End Watch Co watch bears a misleading name: there is nothing London about it, apart from the district that inspired it. The brand was founded in 1886 in Bombay, where Arnold Charpié represented the Alcide Droz & Fils manufacture of Saint-Imier, the one behind L'Imperméable, the first documented waterproof pocket watch, now in the International Museum of Horology in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Swiss watches signed with an English name, sold to British officers and Indian troops: West End Watch Co., Bombay and Calcutta became a familiar name across the entire subcontinent, even on station clocks. The Secundus is one of its historic models, here in an elongated and curved tank, an Art Deco design from the 1930s.
Its silvered dial has developed, over ninety years, a pronounced patina, denser toward the bottom, born of time and unique to this example. Twelve black Arabic numerals compressed into the height, a hashed railway minute track running along the long sides, a sub-seconds register at six o'clock within its square frame, graduated in increments of 10, and two blued hands, the hour hand pear-shaped. The signature West End Watch Co. and the name Secundus below 12, Swiss Made on either side of the register.
The steel case is an elongated tank: 19.4mm wide for 42mm in Lug-to-lug, with a curved case middle along its length to follow the wrist, polished, with cambered ends, a slim 8.6mm profile, with a steel caseback, an original crown and a mineral Crystal. The lower lugs are not perfectly aligned, a trace of an earlier restoration of the case. The Swiss hand-wound mechanical movement was serviced in 2025 by our partner watchmakers and is guaranteed for one year. The watch is fitted with a 15mm black braided strap and its Buckle, both later additions.
Three points to note
01
West End Watch Co., 1886 — a London name, a Saint-Imier manufacture, a clientele in Bombay and Calcutta.
02
Tank elongated and curved — 19.4mm wide for 42mm long, the curved case middle following the wrist, a slim 8.6mm.
03
Art Deco dial — twelve numerals, hatched railway minute track, sub-seconds carrée, blued hands, for him as well as for her.
Why choose a vintage tank watch?
This vintage West End Watch Co watch holds a precise place among men’s and women’s vintage watches: its elongated tank measuring 19.4mm can be worn by either, and it brings together an uncommon history — the Swiss watch of British India — with a curved 1930s case left just as it is, patina included. A shaped vintage mechanical watch, at the entry-level budget of authentic vintage.
Like all our vintage mechanical watches, this one has been opened and checked by our partner watchmakers: movement verification, examination of the dial, hands and case. Every vintage watch we offer comes with an Atelier Victor invoice Atelier Victor serving as a certificate, a one-year guarantee, and lifetime-guaranteed authenticity.
→ View all our vintage watches
→ Discover our vintage watches under €500
Technical characteristics
- Brand: West End Watch Co.
- Model: Secundus
- Estimated year: 1930s
- Origin: Switzerland (brand founded in Bombay in 1886)
- Gender: Men’s and women’s watch (Unisex)
- Movement: Swiss mechanical hand-wound, serviced in 2025
- Functions: Hours, minutes, sub-seconds
- Case: Steel, elongated curved tank, steel caseback
- Width: 19.4mm (21.3mm including the crown)
- Lug to lug: 42mm
- Thickness: 8.6mm
- Lug width: 15mm
- Lugs: Lower spring bars not aligned, trace of an earlier case restoration
- Crown: Fluted steel, original
- Dial: Patinated silvered, Arabic numerals, railway minute track, sub-seconds at 6 o’clock
- Hands: Blued, pear-shaped hour hand
- Crystal: Mineral (condition 9/10)
- Strap: Black braided, not original
- Buckle: Not original
Condition and guarantee
- Overall condition: Good condition for its age. The silvered dial bears a pronounced patina, created by time, denser toward the lower part, specific to this example; its numerals and blued hands remain crisp. The steel case shows the usual scratches of a worn watch, which our photographs show without retouching, and its lower spring bars are not perfectly aligned, a trace of an earlier restoration. Crystal mineral crystal in very good condition (9/10).
- Water resistance: Not guaranteed (vintage watch)
- Authenticity: Lifetime guarantee
- Mechanics: Movement serviced in 2025, guaranteed for 1 year
- Included: Atelier Victor invoice Atelier Victor
- Not included: Original box and papers
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is West End Watch Co.?
A Swiss brand founded in 1886 in Bombay: Arnold Charpié, Alcide Droz & Fils of Saint-Imier's representative in India, named it after the London district. Based in Bombay and Calcutta, it sold Swiss watches to British officers and Indian troops, then across the entire subcontinent and as far as Persia; its models were called Sowar, Secundus, or Queen Anne. In 1934, it was the first to fit the Incabloc shock absorber in serial production. The house still exists, in Valais.
Is this watch English?
No. Only the name comes from London. The brand is Swiss, its watches are made in Switzerland, Swiss Made on the dial, and its historic clientele was that of British India.
Why is the case curved?
Because it is long: 42mm Lug-to-lug by 19.4mm wide. In the 1930s, elongated tanks were curved lengthwise to follow the curve of the wrist, and the watch sat flat instead of arching over it. This is the characteristic design of shaped watches from the interwar period.
What does the note about the spring bars mean?
The spring bars are the small spring-loaded bars that hold the strap between the lugs. On this watch, the lower ones are not perfectly aligned, a trace of an earlier restoration of the case.
Is this piece suitable for a slim or larger wrist?
At 19.4mm wide, 42mm Lug-to-lug, and 8.6mm thick, it suits wrists of approximately 14 to 18cm — a guideline, never a rule: everyone wears what they like. Its long, curved tank wears like a shaped watch, under a cuff. The Lug width measures 15mm.
Mechanical warranty — 1 year
Each watch is inspected by our watchmakers before shipping. In case of a mechanism malfunction during the first year, we cover the repair.
Authenticity warranty — lifetime
If a watch turns out to be non-authentic, we will take it back and refund you in full. Without time limit.
What is not covered
- Exposure to water or humidity
- Shocks, impacts, or vibrations
- Consumable parts (strap, Crystal, crown, pushers)
- Battery replacement (quartz movements)
- Opening or disassembly of the watch by a third party
- Improper use
The accuracy of vintage watches varies according to the model, movement, and year of production. A request for accuracy improvement deemed within acceptable tolerances cannot be covered by the warranty.
Shipping fees
After-sales service is free. Shipping fees outside the United Arab Emirates remain the responsibility of the customer.
Authentication Process
Each watch is examined by our partner watchmakers before being offered for sale: verification of authenticity, checking the conformity of the components, identification of any modification or replacement of original parts.
If any element has been replaced during the life of the watch (dial, hands, crown, Crystal, strap), we systematically indicate it in the product sheet. You buy knowing the exact history of your piece.
Certificate of Authenticity
Your Atelier Victor invoice serves as a certificate of authenticity: it attests to the origin and conformity of the piece, and is covered by our lifetime authenticity guarantee — if a piece sold by Atelier Victor were found to be non-authentic, it would be fully refunded, with no time limit.
We accept several payment methods:
- Bank card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express)
- Bank transfer (AED, EUR, USD)
- Cryptocurrency (USDT, USDC)
- PayPal
Other currencies accepted upon request. Exchange fees of approximately 3% may apply.
A 3% discount is granted for any payment by bank transfer from €1,000.
Does the strap not suit you? Add the strap of your choice to your order: we will fit it to your watch before shipment, at no fitting charge.
International Shipping
Shipped within 48 to 72 business hours by DHL Express or an equivalent carrier depending on the destination. Delivery in 2 to 6 business days. Each shipment is insured and delivered against signature.
- Free delivery from €1,000 of purchase, as well as on the Jewelry Atelier Victor
- Tracking number sent as soon as the shipment is dispatched
- For certain destinations, delivery may be made to a secure collection point in order to guarantee the integrity of the shipment
Pickup in Dubai
Hand delivery by appointment in Downtown, Dubai. Make an appointment.
Taxes and Customs
The shipping origin is indicated on each product sheet. If the delivery country differs from the shipping country, customs duties and taxes may apply upon receipt, at the buyer's expense. In exceptional situations, customs checks may extend the delivery time, regardless of our wishes and those of the carrier.
For full details, please consult our shipping policy.
FINAL SALES
All sales are final: no return, exchange, or cancellation is accepted after order confirmation. Each piece is authenticated, inspected, and described in detail before being offered for sale.
BEFORE PURCHASE
Our advisors remain at your disposal for any questions and can send you additional photographs or videos upon simple request, by email or on WhatsApp.
NON-CONFORMING ITEM
In the exceptional case of an item that does not match its listing, please notify us within 72 hours: it will be eligible for a refund or an exchange. If the parcel shows damage upon delivery, it should be refused or its opening filmed continuously.
For full details, please consult our return policy.
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.
Choose the options
WATCHES BY BUDGET
