CYMA Watches

CYMA Watches

CYMA is one of those brands that was everywhere in the mid-20th century — ticking on the wrists of soldiers, engineers, and civilians alike — and now quietly lives in the

vintage watch cases of those who know where to look. No hype. No noise. Just solid Swiss watchmaking with surprisingly good bones.

A Little History

CYMA was founded in 1862 in the Swiss Jura mountains by Joseph and Theodore Schwob. By the early 20th century, it was producing high-grade mechanical movements

and even supplying calibers to other watchmakers.

The brand became known for its durable, elegant watches, especially in the mid-1900s — producing military-issue timepieces, waterproof sports watches, and

ultra-slim dress models.

During the golden age of Swiss watchmaking, CYMA was right there alongside brands like Longines, Universal Genève, and Zenith… just with a lower profile.

Later, CYMA partnered with Tavannes Watch Co., sharing movements and technology. They quietly produced millions of watches through the 20th century

— and while they never chased luxury status, their reputation for value and reliability endured.

What Collectors Love

Vintage CYMA offers a tremendous quality-to-price ratio — especially if you like mid-century Swiss design.

Popular vintage models include:

  • CYMAflex — featuring their proprietary shock-protection system, often paired with elegant dress or field-style dials.

  • Navystar — military-adjacent sports watches with bold numerals and screw-down casebacks.

  • CYMA Chronometers — often COSC-certified, thin, and beautifully dialed.

  • Military-issued pieces — including WWII-era British military watches and postwar field models.

Movements were often in-house or in-house-modified, including the respected cal. R.484, cal. 586, and other manual or automatic calibers. Many vintage Cymas

were also signed on the crown and movement — a sign of quality control and pride.

Why CYMA Still Deserves Attention

Because it’s one of the last great vintage brands where you can still get real Swiss heritage without paying a hype tax.

You’re getting:

✅ In-house or manufacture-level movements
 ✅ Clean, mid-century dials with great typography
 ✅ 34–36mm case sizes that wear beautifully
 ✅ Often gold-capped, steel, or rolled gold cases with snap or screw-down backs

They were workhorse watches, often gifted at graduations, worn through war, or passed down quietly. And now? They're affordable, collectible, and still ticking.

What’s Out There Now

CYMA’s modern brand is still active — but most collectors focus on pre-quartz-era vintage, especially from the 1930s–1970s.

Look for:

  • Manual-wind dress watches with applied markers and dauphine hands

  • Military-style field watches with lume and Arabic numerals

  • Chronometers and thin automatics — still undervalued

  • The occasional chronograph or bumper auto

Prices are still relatively soft — $200 to $800 for great examples — but rising as collectors rediscover the build quality and movement reliability.

Fed’s Take

CYMA is what I recommend when someone says: “I want a legit vintage Swiss watch under $1,000 that isn’t boring.”

I’ve seen some killer CYMAflex and Navystar pieces come through the shop — smooth-sweeping, warm-patina, cleanly designed watches that feel way nicer than their

price would suggest.

They’re not flashy. But they’re real — and when you put one on, you know. Solid tick, tight crown, dial that aged just right. That’s vintage joy.

Check Out Our CYMA Inventory

Delray Watch is always on the lookout for unique CYMA watches — especially CYMAflex, Navystar, and military-issued models.

If you have a CYMA watch you’re ready to sell or trade – reach out. We’re always buying.

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