Alanbury is one of those mystery dial signatures that show up in vintage collections, swap meets, and drawer finds — usually Swiss-made, often charming, and almost
always off the mainstream radar.
If you’re into vintage watches for the aesthetics, the curiosity, and the thrill of the hunt — not the hype — Alanbury is a fun rabbit hole.
There’s very little concrete information on the origin of Alanbury as a brand. Most signs point to it being a private-label or export-market name, likely active from the 1950s
through the early 1970s — a time when Switzerland was full of small-scale assemblers producing manual-wind watches for department stores, regional jewelers
or rebranded resale.
Alanbury dials typically read “Swiss Made” or “Swiss,” and cases tend to be chrome-plated or steel, with manual movements from A. Schild, FHF, or early ETA. The designs follow
the modest, functional aesthetic of the era — sunburst silver dials, applied indices, small seconds, and slim hands.
In short? A microbrand before microbrands were a thing.
Alanbury watches aren’t collector grails — but they are collectible in the sense that they’re:
Typical Alanbury traits include:
Because not every vintage piece has to be a $10K chronograph or a grail diver.
Alanbury represents a slice of mid-century Swiss watchmaking that’s honest, accessible, and historically real — a time when hundreds of small brands were producing
mechanical watches for a growing global middle class. Many of these watches are still ticking today, and they have charm in spades.
For vintage lovers, Alanbury is a great example of the joy of the hunt — and proof that you don’t need a big name on the dial to enjoy the hobby.
Everything Alanbury is vintage — no modern revival exists (yet).
Expect to find:
Prices are modest: $100–$400, depending on condition and originality. These are fun-to-wear, easy-to-service watches with low buy-in and decent longevity.
Alanbury is vintage without the stress. You’re not babying it. You’re not insuring it. You’re just wearing a cool old mechanical watch, made in Switzerland, from a brand
nobody else at the table recognizes — and that’s part of the fun.
I’ve seen some Alanbury pieces with great dials and tidy little ETA calibers inside. Perfect daily beaters, perfect starter pieces, and a reminder that this hobby still has hidden
gems if you know where to look.
Delray Watch is always on the lookout for unique Alanbury watches — especially manual-wind
Be the first to know when new Alanbury watches are available - subscribe for insider access here.