Pierce Chronograph - Cal. 134 - Tropical Black to Ruby Dial - Telemeter Tachymeter - Fully Serviced - Circa 1938-1941

Offered here is a beautiful and increasingly hard-to-find Pierce chronograph, dating to approximately 1938 to 1941, powered by the in-house Pierce Caliber 134. This is a watch from the great transition period just before and into the early war years, when chronographs still carried the elegance of 1930s design but were already becoming more purpose-built instruments. The result is a watch that feels both refined and technical: compact by modern standards, but visually dense, highly functional, and full of character.

The standout feature is the dial. Originally a gloss black dial, it has aged into an extraordinary deep tropical dial showcasing rouge and ruby tone with a lacquered depth that is almost liquid in certain light. In some angles it reads nearly black; in others it takes on a translucent, jelly-like red-brown glow unlike almost anything else. It is one of those dials that genuinely changes personality as you move it. The gilt-tone Arabic numerals and printed scales sit beautifully against that dark red ground, and the overall presentation is dramatic without feeling over-restored or artificial.

The dial layout is classic multi-scale Pierce chronograph: outer tachymeter-style scale, inner tracks, and a telemeter scale in miles at the upper register. The blued chronograph hand and red central hand add exactly the right amount of contrast. This example has the visual complexity collectors want, but the dial remains legible and balanced.

The case shows honest wear consistent with age, with visible plating loss and brassing in areas visible in the photographs. It still presents very well on the wrist and retains the strong vintage look that suits the watch. The chronograph is fitted on a leather strap.

Inside is the desirable Pierce Caliber 134, one of Pierce's distinctive in-house chronograph movements from the period. Pierce is particularly respected among collectors for doing things their own way, and that was not just marketing. The company, founded in Biel in 1883 as Léon Lévy Frères, chose an independent path at a time when much of the Swiss industry was consolidating around consortium suppliers. Rather than conforming and building around outside ebauches, Pierce invested in developing its own calibers and chronograph architecture in-house. That independence came with real consequences: Pierce's refusal to join the consortium effectively cut the brand off from many supplier channels, forcing it to engineer solutions internally. The result was a long run of genuinely unusual and inventive movements, including the chronograph family that led to calibers like the 130 and 134. For collectors today, that independent engineering mindset is a big part of the appeal. These are not generic signed chronographs; they are products of a company that deliberately chose to do things its own way, and Pierce chronographs also saw real-world use in military and professional settings, which further reinforces their instrument credibility.

Because this watch has been freshly serviced, I provide a one-year limited warranty on the movement. If the movement develops a functional issue under normal use within one year of purchase, I will repair it at no cost for labor. This warranty does not cover anything related to the case, dial, hands, crystal, pushers/crown, bracelet/strap, or cosmetic condition, and it excludes any issue caused by external factors, including but not limited to impact or dropping, case damage of any kind, shock, improper use, tampering or attempted repair by anyone other than me, water or moisture exposure, humidity/condensation, magnetism, corrosion, loss of parts, or any other accidental or intentional damage. Any shipping costs associated with warranty service are the buyer's responsibility unless otherwise agreed in writing.

All sales final.