*Unpolished* 1950s Movado Chronograph (Ref. 19038) "Cal. M95"

Movado stands as a perfect example of what makes vintage watches so captivating compared to their modern counterparts. During the mid-century, the brand competed directly with the likes of Rolex and Patek Philippe, earning acclaim for its design innovation and craftsmanship. Movado firmly established itself as a premium manufacturer—one whose influence continues to resonate throughout the watch industry today.

The Movado M90 and M95 chronographs, for example, remain today as some of the most sought-after, collectible, and incredibly beautiful wristwatches to come out of the mid-century era of watch design. This revolutionary modular chronograph movement was designed by renowned watchmaker, Frederic Piguet, in 1938 for the M90 caliber and the following year for the M95. The most notable difference between the two movements is the number of registers, with the M90 employing two registers while the M95 employs three. 

Interestingly, the operation of the caliber M95 is inverted from conventional chronographs, with the bottom pusher starting and stopping the chronograph and the top pusher resetting it.

While many Movado references employ the M95 movement, the M95 watches as a whole have captivated collectors since its creation, especially those with cases manufactured by Francios Borgel, the case maker responsible for iconic Patek Phillipe references such as the ref. 1463 Tasti Tondi and reference 565.