Eterna Watches

Eterna: The Brand Behind the Ball Bearings — and Basically Half of Modern Swiss Watchmaking

If you’ve ever worn a watch with an ETA movement, thank Eterna.

If you’ve ever appreciated a ball-bearing rotor, that was Eterna too.

And if you like clean, understated tool watches with real provenance — welcome home.

Eterna isn’t loud, but it’s one of the most important Swiss brands ever, especially when it comes to movement development and case design. Ask any seasoned collector or watchmaker and they’ll nod in respect — because they know.

Brand History: Quiet Genius Since 1856

Founded in Grenchen, Switzerland, in 1856, Eterna started as a traditional watchmaking house before breaking major ground in the 20th century:

  • In 1948, they released the Eterna-Matic, the first automatic movement with ball bearings under the rotor — making winding smoother, more reliable, and setting the standard for every automatic movement that followed.

  • In 1932, they spun off their movement division, ETA SA — which later became the movement supplier for practically every Swiss brand that doesn’t make its own calibers. That’s not an exaggeration.

  • In the 1950s–60s, they produced a line of clean, robust tool watches, including collaborations with the Royal Norwegian Navy.

For decades, Eterna was the watchmaker’s watchmaker — supplying the industry, innovating quietly, and earning more respect than attention.

Collector Highlights: Tool Watch Royalty and Movement Pedigree

  • Eterna-Matic (1948–1970s) – One of the most important automatic watches ever made. The five-ball-bearing logo was born here, and vintage models still wear like a charm.

  • Kontiki Series – Named after the 1947 Thor Heyerdahl expedition. Dive watch looks with an actual story behind them. Modern reissues still wear great.

  • Super Kontiki / Super KonTiki 1973 – Classic skin diver designs, thick bezels, cushion cases, and real dive heritage.

  • KonTiki Chronograph LE (Valjoux 7750 or Lemania based) – Under-the-radar sport chrono with vintage punch.

  • Sahida / 1948 Heritage – Dressier, mid-century-style watches with excellent case finishing and dial layouts.

You can also find Eterna movements in vintage brands like Girard-Perregaux, Tissot, and even early Porsche Design — a hidden trail of movement history if you know where to look.

Why Collectors Should Care

  • Eterna literally invented ETA — the foundation of modern Swiss watchmaking.

  • Ball-bearing rotor tech? That was them.

  • Real-world tool watches — especially the KonTiki line.

  • Strong vintage market — especially for 1960s–70s divers and 1990s chronos.

  • No hype tax — everything is undervalued, and it shouldn’t be.

It’s a rare thing to get engineering heritage and design credibility in one package — especially at these prices.

What They’re Making Now: Heritage-Driven, Indie Energy

Eterna is still alive, though its production has slowed and ownership has changed hands a few times in the last decade. But they’re still doing what they’ve always done:

  • KonTiki Reissues – Faithful, well-built revivals of the original 1950s and 1970s divers.

  • 1948 Dress Pieces – Vintage-styled dress watches with understated proportions and clean dials.

  • Chronograph and GMT models – Powered by modified Sellita or legacy ETA-based calibers, with good finishing and real wrist presence.

Production is low-volume, mostly boutique-channel, and the pre-owned value is borderline ridiculous for what you’re getting.

Fed’s Take

Eterna is one of the most underappreciated brands in the game, full stop.

They innovated, they supplied, they designed, and they did it before most other brands even had in-house credibility. Their logo — those five ball bearings — means something.

And the KonTiki line? Still one of the best-wearing vintage-inspired divers you can get under $2K. The Eterna-Matic? A historical cornerstone that still gets no love.

I’ve owned a few. I’ve sold a few. I’ve regretted letting most of them go. And every time one shows up at Delray, it feels like a secret I don’t want to give away.

The Watchmaker’s Watch Brand

If you’re ready to collect for substance, not spotlight — and want a brand with real history under the hood — Eterna should be on your wrist.

Delray Watch has a rotating selection of pre-owned Eterna watches — pieces you won’t find sitting in mall boutiques or flexing on billboards.

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