Bidspirit auction | Vintage Benrus Art Deco 10K

Vintage Benrus Art Deco 10K Rolled Gold Plate 21 Jewel Ladies Dress Watch - A vintage Swiss-made ladies' mechanical dress watch featuring a rectangular case with Art Deco tiered and foliate lug ornamentation. The dial is finished in a cream tone with applied gold-tone Arabic numerals and is marked BENRUS below the 12 o'clock position, 21 JEWELS above the 6 o'clock position, and SWISS at the bottom edge. The manual-wind movement is visible and is stamped BENRUS WATCH CO INC, MODEL BM 401, TWENTY-ONE 21 JEWELS, SWISS, and UNADJUSTED. The exterior of the case back is stamped STAINLESS STEEL and 10K R.G.P. BEZEL. Internally, the case back features a ribbon banner logo reading BENRUS and text stating CASED AND TIMED BY THE BENRUS WATCH CO. alongside a hand-scribed jeweler's mark reading D 65242. The watch is fitted with a stainless steel expansion bracelet, with several interior links stamped SPEIDEL and PAT. 2689450. The crown is signed with the BENRUS name. Case measures approximately 16mm wide excluding crown and 28mm from lug to lug. The watch is in running condition. The case and crystal show significant surface wear, including heavy scratching and scuffing (photos 1, 4, 5). Visible verdigris and oxidation are present on the lugs, crown, and between the links of the expansion band (photos 3, 5, 8). The dial displays heavy patina and discoloration consistent with age (photo 3). One bridge screw is currently separated from the movement (photo 11).