De Ville Prestige Small Seconds 34.4 Stainless Steel / Silver / Bracelet

In Context

At 34.4 mm it is classically proportioned: the size a dress watch was understood to be for most of the twentieth century, and small enough to sit under a cuff. The case back is closed, so the movement stays out of sight, and the sapphire crystal will resist everything short of deliberate abuse. Rated to 30 m, it is protected against rain and splashes and nothing beyond that.

The movement is hand-wound, so winding it becomes part of the day rather than something the watch does for you. 42 hours of reserve carries it overnight, but not through a weekend in a drawer. At 21,600 vph the seconds hand advances 6 times a second, the slower and more audible rate of an older design.

4520.21.00 stands on its own in this catalogue — no other reference here shares its base number. It pairs a silver dial with a stainless steel case.

Handwound movement with small seconds. Height 2.5mm.