Certina Labora Cal. K.F.320, 1948

Dark grey-brown tones, pale Arabic numerals and a small-seconds display give this 1948 Certina Labora a distinct post-war appearance. Its hand-wound K.F.320 movement is signed Certina, with the caliber marking visible beside the winding wheels. A silver-toned round case and blue textured leather strap frame the dial, with visible age marks on the exterior.

Dark dial with a separate seconds scale

The dial has a dark charcoal-brown appearance, with a warmer circular central area and a fine pale outer minute track. Large aged Arabic numerals surround gold-toned central hour and minute hands. Certina and LABORA sit below 12, with INCABLOC curved above the lower seconds register.

The small-seconds scale at 6 has its own fine hand and printed 60-second graduations. It partly occupies the lower hour area, giving the dial a traditional wristwatch layout without a date aperture. The two central hands have elongated filled centers and a bright outline against the darker surface.

Round case, large crown and blue leather

The silver-toned case has a narrow stepped bezel, long shaped lugs and a raised crystal. A relatively large ridged crown provides the winding control. Fine scratches and signs of previous handling remain on the case and back; the full case metal and crystal composition are unspecified.

The blue leather strap has an embossed surface, a light underside and a gold-toned buckle. Its replacement or original status is unspecified. Creasing and surface marks remain visible on the strap, alongside the case's older finish.

K.F.320 and Certina's early mechanical identity

The open movement is marked K.F.320 and signed Certina, with exposed winding wheels, visible jewel settings and the balance. Its manual construction has no automatic winding assembly. Manual-wind watches require regular winding, and here that routine accompanies hours, minutes and small seconds alone.

The K.F.320 belongs to Certina's Kurth Frères mechanical heritage and the earlier Labora period, before the later DS and sports-watch lines. This example is fully serviced and includes a 12-month warranty.

Compact late-1940s dress character

The Arabic dial and separate seconds register preserve the restrained layout associated with late-1940s wristwatches. Its smaller-looking case, dark face and narrow bezel give it the compact proportions of traditional dress watches, while the blue strap adds a distinct color contrast beside the dial.