Dreyfuss and Co. 1924 | Watch Review

Dreyfuss and Co. 1924

It still amazes me when I come across a brand I have not heard of. That would be the case with the Dreyfuss and Co. 1924 Series. I had to do some research, unlike some brands that I review, as I knew absolutely nothing about this brand. That of course makes reviewing it a little difficult. Yes, I have the watch in hand, so I can obviously see if it is quality or not, but where is Dreyfuss and Co. from, how long have they been in business? Well, it turns out the Dreyfuss and Co. has been around since 1890. At least that is when the brand was started. Today they are owned by the Rotary Group. It would seem the brand has changed hands a few times through the years, and honestly it is odd that a brand that has been around for so long is not really talked about much. Much like any other brand that seems to fall off the map, that seems to be due to marketing, or lack thereof. My contact for Eterna reached out to me and asked if I would like to review this new model from Dreyfuss and Co. I could see instantly it was an homage to a Zenith Pilot and that it was Swiss Made, so I said yes. Unfortunately this model is not listed on their website currently, which made me scratch my head a little. Nonetheless, I do have all the info on the model and how to order, as again, head-scratcher, the Dreyfuss website is not set up for E-commerce. Listed below in the specifications is an email you can use to order directly, if you are so inclined.

Dreyfuss and Co. 1924 Series Specifications:

• Dimensions: 44mm case
• 12mm thick
• 22mm lug width
• 51mm lug to lug
• Eterna Calibre 39 Mechanical Movement
• Sapphire Crystal
• Screw Down Crown
• Alligator Embossed Leather Strap
• Retail Price $1450 USD

To order, Email Dreyfussenquiries@rotarywatches.com

I want to get right into the heart of the Dreyfuss and Co. 1924 Series, the Eterna Calibre 3902M movement. This is part of the Eterna 39 series movements, which from the base over 88 movement references are now being produced. This is an in-house movement with a power reserve of 65 hours. For some that have seen the previews, Eterna is releasing a bronze Kontiki at Baselworld this year, that will house the automatic version of this same movement. Winding is smooth as silk on my example and to be able to get a watch such as this with a quality movement from a respected brand such as Eterna is quite nice. There is an obvious relationship between Dreyfuss and Co and Eterna, so it seems they are able to put these movements in watches that others would probably charge more for. It is a great movement in my opinion, and if nothing else, nice to see something different than the standard ETA or Sellita.

At 44mm the Dreyfuss and Co. 1924 is modest in size for a pilot watch, especially for this style. Most pilot watches like this are in the 46-48mm range. Because of the super high gloss black enamel dial,  high polished accents on the case and crown, and with the alligator patterned leather strap it can easily work as a dress watch. While I know its inspiration is a pilot watch, it does not scream pilot watch, at least to me. Because it is only 12mm thick, this should easily be able to fit under most dress cuffs and I think would look quite suitable at the office or at a function when you need to pull out the nice duds.

I love the enamel dial of the Dreyfuss and Co. 1924. It is always interesting to me how your tastes change over the years, but they almost always do, and while years ago I did not like a glossy dial such as this, now I gaze at it over and over and I am enamored with how you can see the reflection of the hands and markers in the dial. Speaking of the markers, large Arabic numerals are at play here with polished chrome borders. The numerals are applied and quite thick, and because we all need to see what time it is when we can’t wait to leave our spouses late night office party at the bar we would never otherwise frequent, they are filled with copious amounts of lume.

You know how I tend to complain about useless boxes and packaging that you will just throw in a closet to take up space, only to be seen again if and when you decide to sell or give the watch away? Well, the Dreyfuss and Co. 1924 presentation box is one that you will want to use, if not have on display. It is a massive lacquered wood box that holds 5 watches. This box is almost furniture grade. I am not sure how much this box cost to manufacture and if they could have sold the watch even cheaper had they went with something more standard, but to be honest, if more brands gave you a storage box such as this with your watch, I would not complain at all.

If I was to change a few things with the Dreyfuss and Co. 1924 Series it would be that you need two screwdrivers to remove the strap; one piece threaded screw bars are much easier to remove and also they usually lessen the chance of stripping the screw heads. Also, no tools are included in the packaging. The other thing would be that the leather strap is black. I know, that is so highly subjective, but for me, a glossy brown Horween or even a brown alligator pattern leather would look so much better. I have a thing for black dials and brown straps. It just looks luxurious to me. Still, the leather strap is pretty nice, and it fits my 7 ½ inch wrist comfortably.

LUME

As I stated in the beginning, there is no doubt the inspiration for the Dreyfuss and Co. 1924 Series. It is an homage, and that is a little strange as it is weird to see a Swiss Company that has so much heritage and past models of its own it can use for inspiration. Be that as it may, Dreyfuss and Co. has produced a beautiful watch with a great movement for a relatively affordable price point. The watch is quality through and through and to be honest, I would not have been shocked if I was told it was $2000. I am not sure why this brand is not marketing their new product more, I mean this model is not even on the website! Looking through it, I only found two dealers listed on their website as well, both in England. They need to start selling through their website direct or start getting these out to more distributors. As for the watch, if you like the style, it is tight, as the young kids say. Actually I have no idea what the young kids say, because to them, a 36 year old might as well be 80. That aside, it’s a hell of a watch, and if any of you end up ordering one, I would love to know your thoughts on it.

Peace out. (Total 90’s reference).