Men's vintage 1950's 21 jewel Helbros gold manual wind dress wristwatch, running well.

We are delighted to offer this vintage 1950's beautiful men's 21 jewel Helbros gold dress wristwatch.

The 10K rolled gold square case, excluding crown and fancy lugs, surrounds a crisp white dial complimented by gold hour, minute, and sweep second hands, and beautiful raised gold numbers, all under a clear, bright hi-dome crystal.

The highly regarded 21 jewel German, cal. P61 movement sets and winds as it should, is running strong, and keeping very good time.

It has a snap-down back and has been fitted with a new black genuine leather stitched and embossed 2-piece strap with gold buckle.

STOCK CODE: H-24

ABOUT THE HELBROS WATCH COMPANY:

Helbros was founded in 1913 by the Helbein brothers in New York, becoming a prominent American watch brand known for affordable, stylish, and reliable timepieces.

Founding and Early Years

Helbros was established in 1913 by brothers William and Julius Helbein, who aimed to make quality watches accessible to the general public rather than just the elite.

William Helbein, originally a diamond importer from Russia, became an American citizen in 1916 and applied his skills to watch assembly.

The company name, Helbros, is a blend of the Helbein surname and family legacy, though some sources suggest it may also stand for "Helvetic Brothers".

Initially based in New York City, Helbros capitalized on the growing popularity of wristwatches over pocket watches in the early 20th century.

Marketing and Product Development

By the 1920s, Helbros had pioneered extensive advertising campaigns in newspapers, magazines, radio, and later television, making their watches widely recognizable.

The company offered a variety of watches, including the Regency Series introduced in the 1930s, which featured stainless steel or gold-plated brass cases, clean dials with Arabic or Roman numerals, and reliable Swiss manual wind movements.

Helbros also produced watches for lodges, promotional
purposes, and as sales incentives, enhancing brand visibility.

Manufacturing and Quality

Helbros primarily functioned as an assembler and marketer rather than a full manufacturer, sourcing movements from Switzerland, Germany, and occasionally France.

The company produced two distinct lines in the 1950s and 1960s: one for door-to door sales and jewelers, considered higher quality, and another for discount stores and catalog sales.

Notable lines included the Regency and Invincible series, which were recognized for their durability and design.

Ownership Changes and Decline

William Helbein passed away in 1960, and the company gradually declined.

In 1963, Helbros was acquired by Henry M. Margolis and operated as a division of the Elgin National Watch Company, with Larry Prigozen as president.

The Helbros trademark was assigned to Elgin in 1968 and later reassigned to Helbros Watches Inc in 1974.

By the early 1970s, the original Helbros company had effectively ceased operations, though watches bearing the Helbros name continued to be produced under different ownership, including Jules Jurgensen.

Legacy and Modern Era

Today, Helbros continues as a brand under new management, offering collections such as the Invincible line, which maintains the company’s tradition of combining style, durability, and reliable movements.

The brand’s history reflects nearly a century of innovation, marketing ingenuity, and adaptation to changing consumer preferences, leaving a lasting mark on American horology.

We are Stonehenge Watch Company and have been selling vintage and new watches on the internet for over 18 years with hundreds of happy, satisfied, often repeat, customers with over 5,000 positive reviews

We offer free ground advantage domestic shipping on our watches and ship First Class International Mail for a flat fee of $22.00 to assure prompt, safe, and secure shipping to our customers.

Please note: We offer our products on multiple sites and do not remove them until payment has posted and very rarely multiple customers will "buy" an item but it will be sold to the first payment received.

We do our best to accurately describe items on our site and, if for any reason, you are disappointed in your purchase we will provide a swift and satisfactory resolution to your concern.