# Any info on this vintage Dunklings Rivana



## kymar

Hi all,
my elderly mother has passed on most of her jewellery to me as she's gone into aged care and amongst it is this watch. I remember her wearing it over 40 years ago when I was a child.
It's a hand winding "Dunklings Rivana". I've done the usual google searches and nothing which looks like it has come up. The only other markings on it are "Swiss" at the 6 oçlock position on the dial. I thought I'd crack open the back to look at the movement but the whole movement comes out as one unit and I'm not game to go any deeper.

I'm not after a value as I doubt I'd ever want to sell it but I'd just be curious as to its age and origins if anyone would know.

DSC_4421a by Markus Hainz, on Flickr

DSC_4424a by Markus Hainz, on Flickr

Cheers.


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## rationaltime

Rivana was a brand name of the Nirvana Watch company in Switzerland.
Based on the dial Nirvana made that watch for Dunklings, a retail jeweler
in Melbourne, Australia. Does that seem consistent with your mother's 
experience?

I guess that watch was made in the 1940s or 1950s. If you gently grasp
at the edge of the dial and the flat of the crown and lift straight up the
movement should lift out with no resistance. There are probably marks
on the back of the movement. Marks inside the case back may identify
the case maker. Then you can set the movement back into the case.


Thanks,
rationaltime


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## kymar

Thanks for that. Yes I forgot to mention she would have got it in Melbourne most likely in the late 50's or 60s.

OK so I managed to remove the movement from the case back and this is what I found.

DSC_4431a by Markus Hainz, on Flickr

DSC_4429a by Markus Hainz, on Flickr

So it has a 17 jewel swiss movement and the case back is 9ct gold. I guess all the other scribe marks would only mean something to the guy who put it together.


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## mrv

It could have been dates when the watch was serviced and initials of the person who did it.


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## rationaltime

Thank you for the clear photos.

The movement looks like an AS 1017. There is a whole family of
similar movements made by Swiss watchmaker Adolph Schild (AS).
Which exact model is probably not important. They are all decent
movements. In your photo the balance wheel appears to be running.
Do you see small screws in the rim of the balance wheel?

A watchmaker can service the movement to keep it running. The
marks in the case back were placed there at previous services.

Your mother wore the watch. It should run reliably for you. As you
can see the case is not water resistant. It would be best to store
and wear the watch in a dry environment. Other than that the 
watch seems suitable for regular wear.


Thanks,
rationaltime


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