Time on Your Side: the Watches of Moorabool’s September Sale

This sale was held on Saturday 5 September 2026. See the results.

Our September Sale — Saturday 5 September, 10am — carries one of the strongest runs of watches we’ve offered: over thirty lots spanning a century and a half of timekeeping, from an early-1920s Rolex to wartime military issue, Victorian silver to Art Deco diamonds. Whether you wear them, collect them, or simply admire the mechanics, there’s something here ticking for you. Every lot below links straight to our online catalogue, where you can browse full descriptions and photos, leave an absentee bid — or join us live on sale day via Invaluable.

The Ladies Lead the Way

The headliner needs no introduction — but this is Rolex before the crown became a legend. Dating to the early 1920s, when the wristwatch was still elbowing the pocket watch aside, Lot 40 is a 9ct gold lady’s Rolex with a white enamel dial, charming red ’12’, and a fifteen-jewel movement signed ROLEX — plus a wonderful period touch: the case back engraved with the original owner’s name and address, ‘L. Maider, 26 Dundas St, Dunedin’. It comes on an ingenious 9ct gold ‘Stylic’ gate-link bracelet with twin springs to each link (est. AU$800 – $1,500).

For pure 1950s glamour, Lot 47 is a lady’s 18ct white gold and diamond cocktail watch by Cyma: the silvered ‘Cymaflex’ dial within a surround pavé-set with single-cut diamonds, on an articulated brick-link bracelet set with diamonds throughout (est. AU$2,600 – $3,000). Its older sister, Lot 46, is an Art Deco 18ct white gold cocktail watch of c.1930 with old-cut diamonds to the shoulders — and, curiously, like the Rolex, a Dunedin address engraved to the reverse. And Lot 43 is marcasite done properly: a lady’s Tissot cocktail watch, the oval silvered dial in a marcasite-decorated sterling case on a scrolling marcasite-set bracelet (est. AU$600 – $900).

Lot 40 — Early Rolex, 9ct gold, c.1920s Lot 47 — Cyma white gold & diamonds Lot 46 — Art Deco cocktail watch, c.1930 Lot 43 — Tissot marcasite cocktail watch

From here the catalogue ticks straight round the dial — an unbroken run from lot 38 to lot 49, one for every hour. Wind it up and choose your moment:

— The Ladies Watches · Lots 38–49 —click to open

Moorabool Antimagnétique Sept 5 · 10 am

38Swiss 1923 39Omega 40Rolex 41Elgin 42Viceroy 43Tissot 44Accurist 45Cyma 46Art Deco 47Diamonds 48Cocktail 49Envoy

And for the gentlemen who feel left out: a Dunklings of Melbourne 9ct gold tonneau wristwatch, c.1935 (Lot 20), a 1950s Tissot ‘Antimagnétique’ automatic (Lot 22), and a 1960s Omega Seamaster Automatic (Lot 23).

Lot 19 — Certina & Norexa gold heads Lot 21 — 18ct gold, c.1960s Lot 22 — Tissot ‘Antimagnétique’ Lot 23 — Omega Seamaster Automatic

Into the Pocket

Before the wrist, there was the waistcoat — and this sale has a pocket watch for every taste and every pocket. The top of the tree is Lot 37, a Zenith 18-carat gold half-hunter of c.1925 (est. AU$10,000 – $15,000). A substantial watch in every sense: 115.5 grams all-up, of which roughly 75–80 grams is 18ct gold, with a blue enamel Roman chapter ring to the hinged cover and a 17-jewel adjusted movement within. Watches like this were made to be handed down — this one is ready for its next hundred years.

Running it close is Lot 32, a fine Movado 18ct gold open-face watch, c.1910–1915 (est. AU$6,000 – $8,000), its inner dust cover proudly engraved with the maker’s five exposition medals — Paris 1900, Liège 1905, Bruxelles 1910, ‘Grand Prix avec Félicitations du Jury’. It comes from a local family estate, the original owner having spent time in Switzerland before the First World War — and it’s running well and keeping good time. For military history, Lot 27 is a WWII Jaeger-LeCoultre military issue pocket watch, c.1942 (est. AU$1,500 – $2,500), the case back with the British broad arrow and ‘G.S.T.P.’ issue marks — one of the great Swiss houses, pressed into wartime service.

Lot 37 — Zenith 18ct half-hunter, c.1925 Lot 32 — Movado, Grand Prix Bruxelles 1910 Lot 27 — Jaeger-LeCoultre, military issue 1942

The gold hunters and open-faces make a fine parade: Lot 35, a 9ct gold full hunter, Waltham for Dennison, c.1900, the inner lid engraved with its original owner’s name ‘A.D. McLauchlan’ (est. AU$2,500 – $2,800); Lot 36, a 15ct gold open-face Waltham retailed by W. Kerr of Sydney (est. AU$2,300 – $2,500); Lot 50, a Swiss 14ct rose gold lady’s hunter engraved with a scallop shell and rococo scrolls (est. AU$1,300 – $1,500); and Lot 31, a Swiss gunmetal & sterling half-hunter by the General Watch Co. (Helvetia), Birmingham-hallmarked 1903, still in its original burgundy leather fitted case (est. AU$600 – $1,000).

Lot 35 — 9ct gold full hunter, c.1900 Lot 36 — 15ct gold Waltham for W. Kerr, Sydney Lot 50 — 14ct rose gold lady’s hunter Lot 31 — Helvetia half-hunter, 1903

And for those starting a collection — or after an honest working watch — the entry points are just as interesting:

• Lot 24 — Lady’s silver open-face, engine-turned with monogram, c.1900 (est. AU$300 – $500)
• Lot 25 — Waltham movement in a Dennison gold-plated case (est. AU$400 – $500)
• Lot 26 — ‘Brit-Rail’ Dennison ‘Star’, presented by British Railways, 1961 (est. AU$100 – $200)
• Lot 28 — Victorian sterling silver, Fattorini & Sons, Bradford, 1897 (est. AU$120 – $250)
• Lot 29 — Omega ‘Greenwich Special’ nickel-cased, early 20th century (est. AU$200 – $500)
• Lot 30 — Pair of chrome-cased Omega stopwatches — Calder Park & Winton racing (est. AU$300 – $500)
• Lot 33 — Lancashire Watch Co., Prescot, gold-plated, c.1900 (est. AU$250 – $400)
• Lot 34 — ‘The Inwajeco’ with its Albert chain, early 20th century (est. AU$150 – $250)

Two final flourishes: a Victorian 15ct gold watch chain, Australian, c.1890–1910 (Lot 57) (est. AU$2,800 – $3,500) to hang your new hunter from, and a charming novelty silver and marcasite carriage brooch watch by Verity (Lot 209) for those who like their timekeeping with a wink.

How to Bid

The sale takes place Saturday 5 September at 10am at Moorabool Auctions, 16–18 Ryrie Street, Geelong. Browse the full catalogue at moorabool.online/auction, bid live through Invaluable on the day, or leave an absentee bid on any lot page — we’ll execute it confidentially, as cheaply as the room allows. A buyer’s premium of 20% applies to the hammer price. Happy hunting — and may your winning bid arrive right on time.