THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: EBEL
YEAR: 1999
BOX/PAPERS: YES/YES
CASE DIAMETER: 38mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

Ebel was founded in 1911 by husband and wife Eugène Blum and Alice Lévy. Eugène focused on the technical aspects of watchmaking, while Alice oversaw the design. The brand’s name, a romantic acronym of their initials—Eugène Blum Et Lévy—reflects their partnership. Ebel quickly gained attention for its innovative yet elegant designs. The brand remained family-owned for over 80 years until it was sold to Bahrain-based Investcorp, and later to LVMH in 1999. Despite its later decline, Ebel thrived during the Blum family’s tenure, producing some iconic watches such as the Zenith El-Primero powered chronograph, which rivalled top brands like Rolex, Omega, and Longines.

The present model, the Ebel Voyager Worldtimer, is a quintessential example of Ebel’s elegant design from the 1980s and 1990s. Its distinct hexagonal case and integrated ‘Wave’ bracelet are beautifully complemented by the Cottier-inspired dial displaying a world map—similar to what you’d typically see on a Patek Philippe. Powered by a modified ETA 2892 movement with a rotating 24-hour ring (indicating AM or PM), it also features a revolving bezel engraved with 23 major cities, completing the world time function. The watch is water-resistant to 200 meters, thanks to its screw-down crown and eight screws securing the case back.

At Fathom, our passion for vintage watches extends beyond the usual suspects like Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Patek Philippe. There are many beautifully crafted watches with rich histories that still offer great value. This Ebel, in fact, costs much less today than it did 30 years ago, when it was priced similarly to a Submariner. It comes with the original boxes, booklets, and original guarantee. The watch runs perfectly at +5 s/d, with 265 amplitude and 0.4 beat error, and is ready for its next owner.