About the 50s
1950 The beginning of... The aftermath of World War II and the world getting back on its feet.
By AWCo on 21 June 2019
The 1950s were some good times. The aftermath of World War II had been done and the world was back on its feet. Economies were thriving again and people regained their joy in life, this was visible in many ways. Rock & Roll was more popular than ever and Elvis Presley was taking over the world. Another way society expressed its welfare was through cars, think about the American car industry from the 50s. For example the big-bodied Chevy Bel Air or the fabulous Cadillac El Dorado with its enormous tail fins, people were wealthy and happy again and they were not afraid to show it.
Pop-art and propaganda were hot topics as well in the 1950s. Anti-communism posters were visible throughout the world and the colorful paintings of Marylin Monroe which are still loved today are inspired by the paintings from the post-war era.
"The times of exploring the world"
The 1950s were also times of exploring the world, let’s climb the Mount Everest, Let’s see how deep we can dive, how far can we fly?
Swiss wristwatches also became a big part again of the capitalist western civilization and their development hadn’t stopped during the war. The exploring mindset of people pushing all boundaries was an inspiration for the watch manufacturers. Utility and looks became more and more important in the 50s since the competition among watch manufacturers became more fierce. These years meant the beginning for ‘Tool-watches’, the word tool gives it away already, these were pioneering watches with a very specific function designed for a certain public. Two of the most iconic watches which we still love today found their origins in the early 1950s as successful tool-watches, the Rolex Submariner, the ultimate divers watch, and also the Breitling Navitimer which was popular among pilots.
The 1950s were the birth years of many famous watches.
The 1950s were the birth years of many famous watches which have gotten a lifelong spot in the collection of their brands. The Submariner and Navitimer mentioned in the paragraph above are just two examples, but there are so many more. Once you realize that the predecessors of many modern watches are from the 50s you’ll understand the concept of vintage a lot better. Every watch has a story and has evolved throughout time, but the stories start here.
