Fully Engraved Hunter Case, Swiss, c.1960s-70s
HENO was a Swiss watch brand registered in 1950 by the Kirchhofer group of Interlaken and active through to the late 1980s. Rather than a manufacturer in the traditional sense, HENO assembled and branded watches built around bought-in Swiss movements, and specialised in the decorative ladies' pieces that were popular through the 1960s and 70s. This is a good example of that output: a small hunter-cased pendant watch made to be worn on a chain or kept as a decorative timepiece.
The case is gold-plated base metal, clearly stamped BASE METAL / SWISS MADE inside the caseback, and is covered front and back in dense floral and scroll engraving. The front cover springs open to reveal the dial, and the knife-lever back opens to the movement. At 27.2mm it is a little larger than the tiny ball pendants usually seen under this name, which gives it more presence on a chain.
The dial is signed HENO beneath the twelve and carries white enamel Roman-numeral cartouches set around an ornate gilt engine-turned centre, with fancy blued hands. Inside is a Swiss manual-wind movement running on 17 jewels. It winds smoothly, sets correctly through the crown, and runs well.
This is an honest, wearable piece rather than a precious-metal watch. The value is in the decoration, the signed Swiss dial and the fact that it is in clean working order. Vintage pendant and pocket watches have been a strong and rising part of the market, and a complete, running example presents far better than the parts-and-spares examples that dominate the listings.
