Belair
Belair Watch Company
In 1962, Ernest and Ilse Grunwald opened a watch movement assembly plant in the U.S. Virgin Islands called Belair Time Corp. A little more than a decade later, the Grunwalds’ son Alan joined the family business, which eventually relocated to Lakewood, New Jersey, where it still is today.
In the mid-1950s, the company became the U.S. distributor of Enicar, a then-prominent Swiss maker of high-end timepieces. Soon, they began distributing Cyma watches, and operated both Enicar Watch USA and Cyma Watch USA from New York City.
Belair Time Corporation is the last of the true American watchmakers. It assembles all of its watches and movements in the USA, from Swiss parts. Long recognized by industry experts as the number one producer of mid-range private label watches, Belair has been supplying the independent retail jeweler and top brands with high quality timepieces for over 68 years. It is a Union Shop, and thus in a very unique position to be the only company who can supply watch which is made in the USA, from Swiss parts, and one which proudly bears the Union symbol.
History
Notable Models
The Gold colored Belair pictured is a 70's manual wind 17 jewel Swiss powered men's watch. This particular watch hails from Manhattan.
Another example of Belair watch offerings is the 60's skin diver model which is also a manual wind 17 jewel Swiss powered men's watch. This diver watch came all the way from the deep tropical Philippine islands so apparently Belair watches get around the world.
Belair Divers
There are a number of attractive and collectible models. Notable are the SeaPearl 600s - rumour has it the name was licenced from Enicar who were also marketing the Seapearl Sherpa and 600 models at this time. The mens watches seem to have been rated at 600ft and the womens 300ft. Mostly seen on rubber tropic straps or similar waterproofs, with and without rotating bezel.
Plain Dial No Depth Rating
This early model has echoes of Enicar and Zodiac Seawolf models. The lollipop hand and roulette date wheel are interesting, as are the fat lugs.
- Ref????
- manual wind 17jewel
- Earliest model circa 1962 known with lollipop second hand
- Radium/tritium hands and dial
- trapezoid date window
- red/blue date wheel
- manual wind
- chromed lugged case with steel screwback
- rotating bezel
- 20mm lug width
- 25.5mm ex crown
Belair Seapearl 600
Ref 1550
- Chromed case made in France.
- Screwcase back
- 17 jewel manual movement
- Date quick set
- 20mm lugs
- 38mm width ex crown
- Tritium dial and hands
- Circa 1960s
Ref 1551
- Chromed case
- Screwcase back
- 17 jewel manual movement
- Date quick set
- 20mm lugs
- 36mm width ex crown
- Tritium dial and hands
- Circa 1960s
Ref 1556
- Case made in France.
- Screwcase back stamped Belair
- 25 jewel Auto movement with Belair marked on rotor
- Date
- 20mm lugs
- 39mm width ex crown
- Tritium dial and hands
- Circa 1970s
