Titus Geneve, Ref. 9379, Cal. FHF 96-4, Men’s Manual Wind, 1972

Charcoal-Grey Dial with Applied Silver Markers

The dial uses a dark grey vertically textured finish that changes noticeably with the angle of the light, moving from medium graphite to almost black. Applied rectangular hour markers are paired with slim silver-tone hands, creating a restrained monochrome layout with enough surface contrast to remain clearly legible. Small aged luminous plots sit near the outer ends of the indexes, while a fine minute track runs around the perimeter.

A framed date aperture at 3 o’clock introduces the only complication into an otherwise simple three-hand display. The TITUS name and laurel emblem occupy the upper half of the dial, with INCABLOC printed discreetly below the center. The dial remains particularly clean for its age, with the applied furniture, printing and textured surface all presenting strongly after more than fifty years.

Angular 34 mm Stainless-Steel Case with Broad 1970s Proportions

The stainless-steel case measures 34 mm across and 39 mm lug to lug, but its broad tonneau-like outline gives it more wrist presence than a conventional round 34 mm dress watch. Wide brushed upper surfaces taper into sharply defined corners, while polished case sides and bevels add contrast around the darker dial. The relatively short 39 mm length keeps the watch compact even though the case occupies a generous amount of wrist area.

The case remains well preserved, with strong brushing and clearly defined geometry still visible. A new cognac-brown leather strap with white stitching has been fitted at the 19 mm lugs, adding warmth against the cool grey dial and steel case while remaining clearly separate from the original watch components. The resulting combination keeps the watch formal enough for dress use without making the angular 1970s case feel overly conservative.

FHF 96-4 Manual-Wind Movement with Semi-Quick Date

Inside is the Swiss FHF Cal. 96-4, a 17-jewel hand-wound movement with central sweep seconds, date display and Incabloc shock protection. It runs at 18,000 vibrations per hour and offers approximately 48 hours of power reserve. The caliber uses an older semi-quick date-correction system, allowing the date to be advanced by moving the hands back and forth through the late-evening changeover period rather than through the dedicated quick-set crown position found on later watches.

The movement has been fully serviced and the watch is fully operational. It is currently running at approximately -3 seconds per day under present test conditions, a strong observed rate for a mechanical watch from 1972. That figure represents current measured performance rather than a permanent accuracy guarantee. A 12-month movement warranty is included, and comparable pieces can be found among our manual-wind vintage watches.

Titus Genève During the Early-1970s Swiss Watch Industry

Ref. 9379 comes from an interesting period for Solvil et Titus, when the company was part of the Société des Gardes-Temps group formed during the consolidation of the Swiss watch industry. The Genève signature remained part of the brand identity, while the watch itself reflects the practical mechanical production of the period: compact dimensions, a straightforward hand-wound caliber and restrained styling rather than elaborate complication.

This example is distinguished less by rarity claims than by preservation. Its clean charcoal dial, sharply presented stainless-steel case, original watch components, fully serviced movement and measured -3 sec/day current rate make it a particularly complete early-1970s Swiss dress watch. Buyers comparing similarly proportioned pieces can also browse our vintage dress watches.