Bueche Girod
Bueche Girod
Bueche-Girod was founded in 1947 in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland, by watchmaker Vital Bueche, who combined his surname with that of his wife, Edwige Girod, to name the company. Through the 1950s–70s, its finely crafted movements and cases were admired enough that houses like Cartier sourced from them, alongside work for Bulova and Universal Genève. The brand became known for luxurious, gem-set ladies' watches, favoured by celebrities, before ceasing production in the 2000s.
This Bueche-Girod dress watch is a fine example of late-1970s Swiss watchmaking aimed squarely at the quartz-era luxury market. The case is crafted in 9 carat yellow gold, fully hallmarked London 1979 on both the case and caseback, confirming assay and date of manufacture in the UK.
The dial here is a deep, glossy black onyx (or onyx-effect) surface, chosen for its rich depth and ability to set off the gilt dauphine hands faceted, triangular hands that catch and reflect light beautifully against the dark backdrop, lending real presence to an otherwise minimalist face. It's almost definitely onyx because it absorbs all the available light and it has numerous tiny veins when examined under a microscope, which apparently is a sign of onyx.
Powering the watch is the ESA quartz calibre 950.001, a reliable, slim Swiss movement typical of the period's shift from mechanical to quartz technology.
Tech Specs.
Reference: Bueche Girod
Year: 1979
Movement: quartz 950.001
Service History: unknown
Dial: black (probably Onyx)
Case: 9ct gold (hallmarked London 1979) - as is caseback
Measurements: 31mm (case diameter), 36mm lug-to-lug, 6mm thickness
Water Resistant: No
Crystal: mineral glass
Crown: not original
Bracelet: new black leather strap
Lug Width: 17mm
Box & Papers: no
Warranty: 3 months
Watches modelled on a 7” (18cms) wrist
Condition
So the great points to mention first:
- The hallmarked 9ct gold case and caseback are in wonderful contrast to the deep black onyx dial with its dauphine hands. It is a really striking watch with its straight lugs.
- The watch is cosmetically very clean and running strongly (over several weeks of testing) with a new battery; but no service history.
And what you should know:
- The crown is not original; nor is the strap buckle.
- There is a small crack in the glass at about '4' and another smaller one at '5'.
- There is some wear to the 9ct gold surface on the case.
- small scratch and dent to caseback.
Vintage Watch Pointers
Owning a vintage watch can be incredibly rewarding - you are wearing a miraculous, tiny mechanical engine with a design, calibre, and materials from decades ago - all of which tell a story. But vintage watches are not highly accurate and shiny new like modern quartz or mechanical watches.
+/- 60 seconds a day really isn’t bad for a vintage watch. Please be aware of this before buying a watch. If you want a highly accurate timekeeper or one with a modern power reserve, it might be best to buy a new watch.
Most vintage watches have had previous services and repairs - and it’s nearly impossible to find out exactly what was done, when and by whom. However, if it’s possible to find out what parts have been replaced or repaired I will let that be known in the description.
Old watches are not waterproof either despite what it may say on the case back: please don’t take them swimming or in fact anywhere near water.
Serviced or not ?
If a watch has been serviced I will make that clear in the description. If not, then all watches are inspected and checked within my limited knowledge and will have been cosmetically cleaned and tested over a period of time for basic accuracy and reliability. I will always point out if the the watch has any scratches, dents or other issues. Some watches come with their original strap or bracelet, but most have been replaced.
Watches which have been serviced are sold with warranty (see watch description for length of warranty), which only covers mechanical defect. Watches without a service naturally only have a short warranty.
If you are a collector or enthusiast you will probably want a vintage watch which has not been over-polished or redialled and you may even prefer to get the watch serviced by your own local watch repairer.
I will always be honest and clear in the description of each watch to the best of my abilities. Any mistakes or errors are mine and would be 100% unintentional. The photos and videos are there to give you as much visual information as possible and are part of the description of the watch.
Although we have made every effort to display the information and colours accurately, the colours on your screen can be different than the original product.
At present, descriptions and images take the place of physically seeing the watches as all transactions are done online and through the website.
Returns policy
We really hope that you will be pleased with your purchase, but if not, you can return a watch bought online for any reason you want as long as you return it within 14 days of receiving the watch and as long as the goods remain in unused condition.
Click this link to see the EU
'Exercise your Right of Withdrawal'
If you wish to claim that any Goods have been delivered damaged, you must notify us of the damage and return the Goods, including all original paperwork, boxes, links, user manuals, service papers, and any other included items including the receipt or proof of purchase, within 14 days of delivery.
If, upon inspection, the Goods are found to be faulty and you meet the return requirements mentioned above, we will either attempt to repair them or issue a full refund.
In the event of a return, we recommend using a trackable service and retaining proof of postage. Any watches returned to us must be securely packaged and insured during transit. Please note that you are responsible for the cost of return postage, packaging, and insurance.
When we have received the returned item, it will be inspected before a refund is given. Please note that we reserve the right to deduct costs from the refund amount for any item returned to us which we believe to have been altered, damaged, or tampered with in any way.
We will then process a refund which will take no longer than 10 business days after we receive the returned item.
The refund is issued to the original payment method used to pay for the item. Note, it may take a further seven days for the refund to appear back on your card.
As the UK is no longer in the EU, you will have to fill in a Customs Declaration form if you return the item. Please write in the description field "wristwatch, return for factory repair / refund , no commercial value" and list the item value as £10. This is essential otherwise an import duty will be levied which you will be liable for (there is no way for us to reclaim this charge).
Warranty Policy
We can only offer a warranty on a watch that has been serviced. The warranty period applicable to your purchase will be clearly stated in the product listing. This warranty period begins from the date of purchase as shown on your receipt.
Our warranty covers the mechanical movement of the watch only, unless explicitly stated otherwise. This warranty does not cover wear and tear, accidental damage, or water damage, cosmetic deterioration, or damage caused by improper use and any issues relating to original straps.
If your watch develops a fault within the warranty period, and the fault falls within the terms of this warranty, we will inspect and, where appropriate, repair the item free of charge within a reasonable time. Please note that watch repairers can take up to 8 weeks or more depending on the nature of the repair.
The customer is responsible for the cost of return postage, insurance, and secure packaging of the watch.
The warranty will be void if the watch has been opened, serviced, or repaired by any party not authorised by us.
Shipping
Free UK mainland delivery is available on all our items. These items will usually be shipped via Royal Mail Special Delivery, fully tracked and insured. We aim to deliver orders in the UK within 3-5 working days.
Free Worldwide Shipping on all items via DHL Express or FedEx. We aim to deliver international orders within 10-15 working days.
Please note that the buyer is solely responsible for any customs duties or charges which may be payable. This is completely out of our control and separate from us. Please investigate this prior to buying. Without exception we will also put the full value of the item on the customs form.
At present we are not shipping to the USA or Canada.
We also do not ship to the following countries: Russia, Belarus, Iran and to any country in South America including Mexico.
It is also not possible to ship solid gold watches to India, due to complex import restrictions.