Purse watches are stylish and functional accessories designed to be attached to a purse or bag. They combine the practicality of a timepiece with the elegance of a purse. With a range of designs and styles available, purse watches make a chic and convenient addition to any outfit.

Movado Ermeto Purse Watches
Purse watches were designed for travelers. When you think of watches for global journeys, Rolex GMTs, Patek Philippe World Time, or even the Glycine Airman may come to mind. However, the Movado Ermeto purse watch, though lesser known, was created for a similar purpose—and it predates the Rolex GMT by 30 years.
Movado, founded in 1881, originally bore the name of its founder, Achille Ditesheim, before adopting the name "Movado," meaning "always in motion" in Esperanto. Their Ermeto purse watches, introduced in 1926, take their name from the Greek word for "sealed."
These watches, produced until 1985, hold the record for the longest production span. The design, a collaboration between Huguenin Freres and Movado, aimed to protect the watch's inner mechanism from dust, moisture, and shocks, encasing it in sliding covers. Interestingly, the sliding action also winds the watch, making it more convenient for the owner to keep it running.
Over the years, numerous variations were crafted, showcasing the many ways this unique piece could be decorated.
An Alternative to a Purse Watch
Founded by Henri Sandoz in 1891, Tavannes Watch Company was introduced by the man who created his namesake brand - Sandoz Watch Company. Named after the town of Tavannes in Switzerland, the watches became immensely popular in the early 1900s. The company employed 3,000 watchmakers by 1938, producing up to 4,000 watches per day. For that reason, Tavannes was the fourth-largest watchmaker in the world during the 1930s.
One of the early producers of wristwatches, Tavannes supplied movements to several companies. These included Jaeger-LeCoultre and Cartier amongst others’ under the name Lisica SA. They also innovated the belt buckle watch, originally for King Edward VIII. The belt buckle watch is rumoured to have inspired the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso. Subsequently, the Reverso has become one of the most popular watch models currently available.
If you were to wear a belt-buckle watch in the modern day you couldn’t blame the average passer-by giving you strange looks when you flip open a time-keeping mechanism from your waist. One would almost expect you to follow up with a “Go-Go Gadget…”. However, purse watches are a little more subtle.
Purse Watches at Auction
Watches & Watch Accessories | Monday 30th September 2024
Viewing times (ID required):
Birmingham
Friday 27th September 10:00-16:00
Virtual viewings are available by request. Virtual viewings are the ultimate personal shopping experience. Using Zoom, you can ask us whatever you need to know to buy with confidence. Find out more here.