Anker Early 1950s “Patent” Calendar Manual
I love the unique aesthetic of this Anker, which somehow looks much older than it actually is, even with the central second hand and calendar mechanism. It’s difficult to date these watches precisely, but it is likely from the early 1950s. The movement, despite the high jewel count, was inexpensively made, with a single large bridge and a pin palette escapement. Regardless, it still runs well. Anker was clearly very proud of this movement design, because the case back is quite literally covered with patent information, including the Swiss, French, and German patent numbers. I’m not sure about this, but the prominence of the Swiss patent on the back leads me to believe that this was a Swiss-manufactured movement, even though Anker is actually a German company. Restoration of this piece was straightforward, although the case was in pretty rough shape so I elected to re-plate it in 18K gold, which works well with the dial.