Description
The Eterna-Matic KonTiki has quite a history. Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl and his crew of five drifted and sailed on ‘KonTiki,’ a balsa-wood raft, from Peru to the Polynesian Islands in 1947. Heyerdahl completed the journey in 101 days while wearing a true tool watch made by Eterna. In 1958, Eterna commemorated the event with the launch of the KonTiki series of watches. This early 1960s version is one of the rarest of the KonTiki series of watches and has a spectacularly aged dial (which was once black), and has now changed to a beautiful brown with the steel kite markers and Dauphine-style original hands – wow! Of course, there are some age marks on the dial. This watch even retains the very fine-looking Gay Frères original stainless steel bracelet, which will fit up to a 6.5″ wrist. The accurate automatic winding Eterna ball-bearing rotor movement absolutely sparkles after a full overhaul and cleaning. This is not a small watch and measures a wrist-covering 37mm with original recessed (signed) Eterna winding crown. Notice the bombe-style, inwardly curved beveled lugs. This watch truly shines on the wrist. We have priced this vintage Eterna watch extremely well compared to other dealers and examples.
