For sale we have a good example of a 1954 JW Benson retailed watch. It has a full Stainless Steel case with excellent horn lug design and screw back. The dial is clear with lumed Arabic numerals alternating with raised dot markers. It has thermally blued hands with the original radium lume in-fill. Inside is an AS bumper automatic movement, which has detached manual wind. It is signed JW Benson and has been recently serviced. 
 
The case is marked Didisheim Goldschmidt Grandsons Swiss. Didisheim Goldschmidt & Co was founded by Jacques Didisheim, founder of Juvenia, in the 1860s. This later signing indicates relatives of the original, still producing watch cases and parts in the 1950s. 
 
The case measures 31mm x 31mm. This is a neat case size, but with a lug-to-lug measurement of 40.5mm and the horn lug design, this adds significant presence to the case on the wrist. Despite it being an automatic movement, it is still relatively slim at 10.75mm. It is Stainless Steel with a circular centre of the case with neat horn lugs. To the right is a chunky crown with strong knurling. To the rear is the screw back with personal engraving “Michael from dad 20.4.54”. This is a well-executed engraving and is a sweet piece of personal history. 
 
The dial is original and is very well preserved for the age. It is a light champagne tone having aged even from the original silver tone. This is a very pleasing patina. It also has light speckling on the original satin finish. It has clear minute/seconds track with 1/5 second graduations for accurate timing with the sweep second. It has lumed Arabic numerals alternating with raised dot markers which add texture and depth to the dial. It is neatly signed J.W. Benson London, with Switzerland to the foot of the dial.
 
The hands are excellent and original. They are a beautiful thermally blued tone with orginal aged radium lume in-fill. The central second hand is also original and bright with nice counterbalance.
 
The movement is an AS 1250. It is a bumper automatic with sweep second hand and detached manual wind. It is a higher jewel count of 17, with Incabloc shock protection. The watch has been recently serviced by ourselves. It is keeping time to +10 seconds a day.
 
Overall, this is an excellent watch, with intriguing lug design and many high quality design techniques and finishes from the period. There is a real joy to having a good quality bumper automatic movement. A standout watch with a British retailer name. One for the collector or connoisseur. 
 
Full condition report below. Please see the images as these compliment and aid the description provided below.
 
Dial: 
The dial is original and is in good condition for the age. It has a light speckled patina to the base finish which is even. All signing is clear and the hour markers have original lume in-fill.
 
Hands: 
The hands are original, with thermally blued finish and radium lume in-fill. They are in good condition with a bright thermally blued finish and the original lume intact. The central second hand is also original and bright with nice counterbalance.
 
Glass: 
It is a replacement acrylic crystal which is in good condition with no noticeable marking.
 
Crown: 
The crown is of the period and is stainless steel, in good condition.  
 
Case:
The case is made of Stainless Steel and is in good condition. It has a polished finish, with a brushed finish to the sides. It has some light surface scratching associated with wear. There is a deeper scratch on the top left lug and a scratch on the bezel at 10 O’clock.
 
Caseback:
The screw back is in very good condition with polished finish. It has some light surface scratching associated with ageing. It has a personal engraving which is well done. 
 
Strap: 
The watch is on a new genuine leather strap of vintage style. It will fit up to an 8” wrist diameter.
 
Movement:
The movement is an AS 1250. It is a bumper automatic with sweep second hand and detached manual wind. It is a higher jewel count of 17, with Incabloc shock protection.
 
The watch has been recently serviced by ourselves. It is keeping time to +10 seconds a day, with an amplitude of 285 degrees and a beat error of 2.6m/s.
 
Case dimensions: 
Case width: 31mm
Case width with crown: 33.5mm 
Case length: 31mm 
Case length lug to lug: 40.5mm
Case Depth: 10.75mm
Lug width: 16mm