Atlantic AS1783 Automatic Women's Watch

Atlantic Automatic AS 1783 From 1971 — First impression

At first glance, this Atlantic Automatic from 1971 stands out for its strong geometric presence and playful contrast of colours. The compact 25 mm round dial is set within a square, sharply brushed case that immediately signals early 1970s design language. On the wrist, that cushion-like shape gives the watch more visual impact than its measurements suggest, while still remaining perfectly sized for a women’s dress timepiece. The silver sunburst dial, framed by applied hour markers and a practical date window, keeps the display clean and legible. Paired with a vivid lime-green leather strap, the watch bridges the gap between serious mechanical timepiece and expressive accessory, ideal for collectors who enjoy both precision timekeeping and confidently styled vintage pieces.

Atlantic Automatic - Silver sunburst Dial

The dial is executed in a classic silver sunburst finish, with radial brushing that plays beautifully with the light. Applied rectangular markers at each hour give the watch a three-dimensional look; their metallic frames surround darker, aged centres that likely held luminous material when new. A discrete printed minute track at the edge aids accurate reading without cluttering the design. At three o’clock, a framed date aperture displays a crisp white disc with black numerals, an everyday convenience that remains highly useful even on a compact dress watch. The “atlantic” logo and “25 JEWELS” script beneath twelve o’clock underline the watch’s mechanical pedigree, while “AUTOMATIC” and “T SWISS MADE T” at the bottom confirm its vintage Swiss watchmaking origins and tritium lume heritage.

Hands

The handset is unapologetically functional and very much of its time. Broad baton hour and minute hands with central lume strips provide excellent contrast against the silver dial, even as the luminous material has mellowed with age. Their squared-off geometry echoes the block indices, reinforcing the watch’s graphic, architectural feel. A slender central seconds hand with a small rectangular counterweight adds motion and a subtle sense of precision, sweeping across the dial and aligning neatly with the printed minute track. The overall effect is a display that is easy to read at a glance while still retaining the charm and patina expected from a well-preserved vintage wristwatch.

Brushed square metal Case

The case design is a key part of this watch’s appeal. Instead of a conventional round case, Atlantic chose a square, almost cushion-shaped silhouette with a circular dial opening. The top surface is finished with bold radial brushing, creating a dynamic pattern that radiates from the crystal and catches the light from different angles. This gives the watch a slightly sporty character despite its small dimensions, and makes it feel substantial on the wrist without adding unnecessary bulk. The sides transition into shorter lugs that hold a 17 mm strap, giving the watch a confident stance that suits both classic and more adventurous styling. The steel-tone metal retains an honest vintage look, showing only the type of light wear consistent with careful use over several decades.

Crown

Positioned at three o’clock, the original signed crown is a practical size for regular use, larger than that of many delicate dress watches from the same period. Its pronounced coin-edge knurling ensures a secure grip when manually winding the movement or setting the time and date. The simple, unsigned dome profile respects the squared geometry of the case, avoiding unnecessary ornamentation while remaining comfortable against the wrist. This functional yet unobtrusive crown design reflects the tool-like reliability that Atlantic pursued in everyday automatic watches for women during the early 1970s.

Atlantic Automatic Leather Strap

The watch is fitted with a modern lime-green leather strap that gives the entire timepiece a fresh, contemporary personality. The vivid colour plays beautifully against the cool silver dial and brushed metal case, while the contrasting light stitching adds a subtle handmade touch. Its 17.0 mm width fills the lugs nicely, preserving the original proportions of the watch, and the padded construction offers comfort for extended wear. This strap choice emphasises the playful side of the Atlantic Automatic, making it an ideal piece for collectors who enjoy pairing vintage Swiss mechanics with bold, individual styling.

Atlantic Automatic AS 1783 automatic movement

Inside the case works the AS 1783, a selfwinding mechanical movement produced by A. Schild and widely respected for its durability. This calibre is relatively large for a ladies’ watch of the era, which allows for a more substantial automatic winding system and excellent serviceability. It features 25 jewels, direct central seconds and a beat rate of 21,600 vibrations per hour, equivalent to 3 Hz, providing a smooth seconds sweep and stable precision timekeeping. The movement includes a date display with quickset mechanism and an instant change at midnight, making daily use easy and intuitive. Design features such as SCD (direct centre seconds), QG (date indication by aperture), RDR (date corrector) and AUT (selfwinding) are all hallmarks of a well-specified calibre rather than a basic entry-level unit. In this example the movement has been fully serviced and regulated, so the watch is ready for regular wear rather than being a purely display-oriented collectible.

Heritage of the Atlantic Automatic in 1970s cushion-case design

The early 1970s saw many Swiss makers experiment with geometric cases, higher-frequency automatic movements and more adventurous dial layouts. Atlantic joined this wave with compact, robust automatics that offered serious specifications in approachable, everyday designs. The combination of a square, radially brushed case and a clean sunburst dial on this reference captures that moment perfectly. For collectors building a focused set of vintage Swiss wristwatches, it sits alongside contemporaries from better-known brands yet offers a more individual, less commonly seen option. Its mix of reliable AS movement, practical date function and confident design language makes it a compelling representative of Atlantic’s contribution to the era.

Atlantic Automatic — 12-month warranty and worldwide shipping Condition, Originality, trust signals

This Atlantic Automatic is classified as a used vintage watch, but one that has been carefully preserved and recently overhauled. According to the specification, all key components are original, including the dial with its tritium-filled indices, the distinctive square case and the automatic movement inside. The silver sunburst dial shows attractive, even ageing, with patina on the markers and hands that confirms its authenticity without hindering legibility. The movement is fully serviced and fully operational, supported by a 12-month warranty for peace of mind. The bright modern strap is a sympathetic replacement chosen to highlight the watch’s 1970s character while ensuring immediate wearing comfort. With worldwide shipping available, this piece is accessible to collectors around the globe who wish to add a distinctive, mechanically sound women’s automatic to their collection, and who may also wish to explore our full collection of 1970s vintage watches from various Swiss manufacturers to curate a coherent period-focused selection.