he watchmaking industry reacted to the Great Depression of the early 1930s with remarkable inventiveness, revolutionising almost every technical and aesthetic standard. The introduction of steel led to the decline of silver, which, until the previous decade, had been the only alternative to gold in high-quality products.

The first effective shock-proof device (Incabloc) and models with “armoured” cases dispelled the remaining clichés about the fragility of wristwatches. Rolex combined the Perpetual automatic movement with its waterproof Oyster case; Mimo introduced a model with a digital date display; and Breitling launched the two-pusher chronograph.

1930: Biel-based case manufacturer La Centrale announces the adoption of a new material in watchmaking: stainless steel. The image of the large-scale factory, a common feature in advertisements since the 1910s, demonstrates the advertiser’s considerable production capacity.

Designers opted for austere and functional elegance, creating models that would become icons: the Reverso (LeCoultre) and the Calatrava (Patek Philippe). Initially, these innovations didn’t achieve the desired success: times were challenging and sales stagnated.

1931: This photo sequence showcases the workings of the LeCoultre Reverso, which can be “worn like any other watch but protected at will”. Published by a Parisian retailer, the advertisement gives considerable space to the text, reflecting a fairly widespread trend during that period.

As often occurs during a crisis, investment in advertising declined. Lacking the necessary ads to secure their funding, magazines became noticeably thinner. The number of pages started to increase around 1934, signalling the beginning of the recovery. Along with the latest creations – Driva’s inexpensive wristwatch repeater, Bovet’s simplified rattrapante, Marvin’s motorist’s watch, among others – came increasingly sophisticated advertisements, extending the competition between manufacturers to communication and image.

1933: Breitling introduces “the only wrist chronograph with two pushers” with a presentation enhanced by varied typography and attractive graphics.

1934: The brand new Reference 96, later christened the “Calatrava”, takes centre stage in the photograph. Patek Philippe’s communication strategy diverges from other brands, consistently prioritising visuals over text.

1937: To promote its “sensational” hour and quarter repeater, Driva’s designer superimposes the watch’s image onto those of two potential buyers, suggesting that the model is unisex.

1938: The locomotive and the Oyster Perpetual are hailed as “two masterpieces of modern technology”. Typical of Rolex advertisements from the first half of the century, the text adopts an almost didactic tone, explaining that the automatic movement offers exceptional regularity and that the Oyster case is water-resistant to 6 atm.

1939: The Incabloc anti-shock device, patented in 1933, significantly enhanced wristwatch reliability. The advertiser’s choice to make a wall the central element is an effective if unsubtle allusion to robustness.