Rodania Bauhaus Style 17 Jewel 35mm Manual Winding Watch
A very cool 1960's Rodania watch in the minamalist, or Bauhaus style - A super quality watch with a 17 Jewel Rodania movement, working well, and keeping time - Chrome plated case, and a new leather strap - The champagne dial is excellent, with it's bright silver stick, and arrowhead markers - Great looking watch - Case 35mmx43mm.
Rodania History -
Founding (1930): Established by Hans Baumgartner (with some records mentioning Fritz Baumgartner). The company built an early reputation for precision pocket watches and ultra-slim manual-wind timepieces. Paris World Fair (1937): Rodania gained prominent prestige after designing the official watch for the Universal Exhibition in Paris. Global Footprint (1940s–1950s): Seeking to expand, Rodania rapidly set up international sales offices in key world markets, including New York, Montreal, Caracas, Madrid, and Brussels. The Belgian Connection (1954): The Brussels branch, managed by Mr. Manfred Aebi, proved so successful that it eventually became the epicentre of the company's global distribution strategy. Simultaneously, the brand became a cultural icon in Belgium by introducing a legendary promo jingle that played at almost every major national cycling race. During the mid-20th century, Rodania transitioned from an "accessory" fashion brand into a serious engineering manufacturer producing reliable mechanical gear: [1] Alarm Movements (1947): Collaborated with prominent movement maker Adolf Schild (AS) to pioneer early mechanical alarm watches. The Geometer (1952): Launched a highly sought-after, symmetrical layout timepiece that heavily influenced mid-century Swiss watch aesthetics. Military Chronographs (Late 1950s): Designed highly collectible mono-pusher chronographs explicitly engineered for the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Diving & Extremes (1960s): Introduced the Waterman (one of the first divers featuring an internal rotating bezel) and the Aquaseal 333. Antarctic Exploration (1964): Developed the robust Poltimer watch, worn by the commander of the 6th Belgian expedition to Antarctica under the patronage of King Baudouin. Like many mechanical watch houses, Rodania suffered structural changes during the Quartz Crisis of the 1970s and 1980s. Belgian Migration: In the mid-1970s, international distribution officially consolidated under the Brussels division. The Aebi family eventually purchased the entirety of the brand's licenses and copyrights, effectively turning it into a Swiss-made, Belgian-owned powerhouse. Corporate Shifts: The Aebi family sold the enterprise to the investment group BV Capital Partners, which subsequently sold it to Belgian investor Philip Cracco in 2015. Current Status (2022–Present): In 2022, Rodania was acquired by the Vincent Gaye Company, a prominent jewelry and watch distributor based in Belgium. The brand continues to produce accessible, Swiss-heritage timepieces targeting consumers who value historic authenticity and clean, minimalist modern aesthetics.
