Royce Watch Co. - Tropical Amber Dial - S. Kocher & Co Swiss - WWII Era - Circa 1943

Built during WWII, this Royce watch is an exceptional period example. The dial is the first thing you see and it stops you immediately. What was once a standard cream or white dial has transformed over eighty years into a deep, glowing amber. This is the kind of tropical patina that collectors search for and almost never find. Every Arabic numeral, every minute track graduation, every printed line is still fully legible against that warm field. The red-tipped sweep seconds hand cuts across it with an accent of color that was deliberately designed for quick legibility in field conditions. This is a tool watch built for serious use during the Second World War.

The British Horological Journal of March 1943 specifically mentions the Royce watch from the Eska factory of S. Kocher & Co, Grenchen, Switzerland, confirming active production during WWII. S. Kocher & Co had been manufacturing under the Royce name since 1935, supplying the export market, particularly the United States, with solid Swiss-built watches intended for professional and utility use. The caseback of this example is stamped Steel Back with serial number 11549, and the inner surface carries the S. Kocher & Co / Swiss stamp confirming the maker. The movement is signed Royce Watch Co, Seventeen 17 Jewels, Swiss, and presents cleanly.

The case is chrome over base metal with the distinctive fixed integrated lug bars that characterize Royce's tool watch references of this period.

The brown leather strap is period-correct and noteworthy in its own right: a stiff, structured cowhide construction that holds its shape rather than draping like softer modern leathers, exactly the strap that would have been paired with a watch like this originally. It could very well be the original strap and it is still wearable. It suits the watch and adds to the overall sense of an object that has come through its years intact and honest.

The watch is running well and keeping time.

Terms: Please review all photos carefully as they are a part of the listing. This is a vintage timepiece. Accuracy, power reserve, and water resistance are not guaranteed. Vintage watches may require periodic service. Performance can vary with wear, temperature, and position.

I am happy to service any unserviced watch listed on the site — please inquire about service charges when purchasing.

All sales final.