#TBT The Scarce Mercedes-Branded Competition By Benrus

A “gift for a man who has everything . . . even a sports car!” says the 1959 ad promoting the Benrus Competition, a watch personalized with one of eight car crests. Besides this Mercedes version, Porsche, MG, Jaguar, Triumph, Corvette, VW, and Thunderbird models were available.

I admit that I saw this watch for the first time this week when it was listed by one of the watch dealers I like to follow. Now and then, Avocado Vintage Watches surprises me with a watch I haven’t seen before or one that hasn’t resurfaced for a long time. As a classic car enthusiast, I was instantly attracted to this watch. Not to mention, it looks like an Omega Seamaster CK2913 twin. I don’t want to play Mr. Wikipedia, but the fact I hadn’t seen it before may suggest it’s quite rare.

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I reached out to Matteo to ask more about the watch he’d just listed. I was curious if there is more to discover about its provenance. It would be interesting to learn who the original owner was, what Mercedes he drove (if any), or if he bought the watch or got it as a gift from someone. “It would be a dream to know that, but, sadly, no. I bought it in the USA from a random pawn shop in 2019, so even though there could be some cool stories, I could not trace any,” Matteo told me.

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The Porsche Competition by Benrus

When we discussed it further, Matteo said he had a surprise for me. A few moments later, he sent me a picture of another Competition by Benrus, this time branded with the Porsche crest. That watch in the photo above is from Matteo’s private collection. As an owner of an old 911, my heart skipped a beat. I didn’t even try to ask if it was for sale. I just called dibs on it in case Matteo ever gets bored with the watch.

Red hand

So Matteo’s Mercedes- and Porsche-branded Benrus Competition watches were the first of their kind I had ever seen. That’s why I was baffled when I started reading the old advertisement. “The ‘Competition’ is waterproof, dustproof, shock-protected, and anti-magnetic. Its dial has a black matte finish that eliminates reflection. Its sweep second hand is red for high visibility.” I looked at both watches from Matteo, but neither had the red hand. But after I zoomed in some more on the Porsche version, I noticed that there were still some bits of red paint left. “I always prefer not to repaint and keep the watch in its original state,” Matteo explained.

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Keep reading

I have claimed so multiple times in the last five years of running the #TBT series, but reading old watch ads is pure enlightenment. What interested me the most was the tiny note under the crests list checkbox. “Watch for additional crests in the near future,” it says, but we don’t know if Benrus added any other models to the lineup. I also liked the three-year factory guarantee and the mention of the special packaging for the watch. “Each ‘Competition’ is packaged in an elegant Swedish presentation case with your car crest imprinted on the cover in 24 karat gold.” I would not even think to print it in such a fancy style. Well, it only confirms the extra classiness of the late 1950s.

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Benrus Competition — Mercedes versus Porsche

In the picture above, notice the position and size of the Mercedes logo. It almost touches the number “12” in the print ad, but in reality, the logo is a bit smaller and doesn’t interfere with the hour marker that much. I think it’s not merely due to my affinity with the car, but I also find the Porsche logo more suitable for the dial. It’s likely the thin, round shape of the Mercedes ring that makes it a strange element on the dial. The Porsche crest, on the other hand, sits better and feels more natural there.

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Patina to die for

Well, no one is dying, but you have to admit that the sandy lume is magnetic. The big arrow hand has no cracks in the lume, and the lume appears to be original. I have not seen UV shots of the dial, but the lume on the hands is consistent with the slightly dirtier hour markers. Does this dial remind you of the mighty Omega Seamaster CK2913? It does. Is that a problem? Not for me.

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Last thoughts

A colleague of mine is a huge Jaguar fan. He drives a Jaguar no matter how much trouble maintaining his car may be. I don’t believe he is a vintage watch nerd, but I instantly wanted to get a Jaguar-branded Benrus Competition for him. One was available on eBay recently, but it was not as solid as the one Matteo is selling. When I asked Matteo if he had seen all eight models resurface, he replied, “Not all. Only the Mercedes, Porsche, Triumph, and Jaguar versions have resurfaced in the last five years.” Still, getting another Porsche-branded Benrus Competition certainly won’t be easy. Happy hunting!