The Story Behind the Aureus Caseback
The front of a watch belongs to the world. The caseback belongs to its owner.
Towards the end of the 1960s, a curious detail began to appear on the casebacks of some Conteas watches: an engraved heraldic emblem. Unlike the Conteas crown, which had already been used as the brand’s logo since the 1940s, this was something different. It was not accompanied by any explanation, and no surviving documents tell us who designed it or what it was originally meant to represent.
It may have been inspired by a personal coat of arms, or perhaps created specifically for the brand. Today, its original meaning remains unknown. Rather than inventing a historical certainty, we chose to preserve the mystery while giving the emblem a contemporary interpretation.
At the centre of the shield lies a key, which we see as a symbol of truth safeguarded through knowledge. Beside it stand two stars, representing the lights that guide the human journey. Together they suggest an idea that resonates with the values we wanted Aureus to embody: truth is reached through wisdom and virtue.
The original engraving was surmounted by a knight’s helmet with flowing mantling, in keeping with traditional heraldic conventions. For Aureus, however, we made a different choice. The helmet was replaced by the seven-pointed Conteas crown — the historic emblem that had represented the brand since the 1940s. In doing so, the caseback became unmistakably Conteas while remaining faithful to its historical inspiration.
The drawing itself was completely redesigned. Every line was refined, unnecessary details removed and the composition rebalanced for modern engraving. Finally, we added a motto that had never appeared on the historical watches: Noblesse oblige.
It is not a claim of noble ancestry. It is a statement of responsibility. Excellence is never simply inherited; it must be earned, preserved and passed on.
That is why the Aureus caseback tells more than the specifications of a watch. It tells the values we hope to carry into its next chapter.