Please show some of your Military issue pocket watches

[1908]

Please show some of your Military issue pocket watches. I'm not sure exactly when pocket watches were issued as Military use timepieces, but I thought it might make a nice thread remembering these important timepieces in wartime history.

Here is my 1941 Waltham Premier 1609

Stephen

 

[Jim Haney]

Stephen, Hamilton would have been the largest producer of WWII Military watches . 2974B, 3992B, 4992B Model 23, and several Chronometers. We have many threads full of these and in the Stickies at the top.

Most Military watches would have the contract numbers on the back of the case that they were order by and from, because these Military contracts had specifications for the watch,depending on it's intended use.

Your watch would have most likely had Radium hands or White to be seen better.

I have attached a list from Hamilton of their war production.

 

[Jim Haney]

Nice set of 3992B with the different dials offered.

 

[1908]

Stephen, Hamilton would have been the largest producer of WWII Military watches . 2974B, 3992B, 4992B Model 23, and several Chronometers. We have many threads full of these and in the Stickies at the top.

Most Military watches would have the contract numbers on the back of the case that they were order by and from, because these Military contracts had specifications for the watch,depending on it's intended use.

Your watch would have most likely had Radium hands or White to be seen better.

I have attached a list from Hamilton of their war production.

Thanks Jim. Very interesting list of Hamilton war production. Is there any way of knowing for sure whether my Waltham was issued for Navy, Air force or infantry?

Stephen

 

[musicguy]

I do have a bunch of them, but this Elgin A-13(B W Raymond) G.C.T Navigator
with gold flash is my favorite. Marked on movement "US Army AC"





Rob

 

[Jim Haney]

Is there any way of knowing for sure whether my Waltham was issued for Navy, Air force or infantry?

Stephen

Does it have anything on the back? Being a 9 J watch it would not have been an aircraft of Navy watch.

Maybe someone has one with Military specifications on the back or knows Walthams better than I do.

Maybe it is listed in Marvin Whitney's Military Timepieces book, I don't have one available at this time

 

[1908]

Does it have anything on the back?

Just an arrow, no numbers or letters.

Stephen

 

[Jim Haney]

If it has a Broad Arrow it it British

 

[roughbarked]

Please show some of your Military issue pocket watches. I'm not sure exactly when pocket watches were issued as Military use timepieces, but I thought it might make a nice thread remembering these important timepieces in wartime history.

Here is my 1941 Waltham Premier 1609

View attachment 760560 View attachment 760562

Stephen

I also have this movement with a dial similar except mine does have the luminous hands. I'll have to dig it out to take photos. It is a shame that I can't just go to my old attachments because I've already uploaded it here in the past. I've always believed that it was a younger watch than either of the two world wars. Not that I'm an expert on American watches or anything remotely like that.

 

[musicguy]

It is a shame that I can't just go to my old attachments because I've already uploaded it here in the past.

I take full responsibility for that.



Rob

 

[roughbarked]

I take full responsibility for that.



Rob

I didn't mean to sound like I was making you the whipping post.
Hopefully one day some of that may come back, after all the other updates and repairs are done.

 

[musicguy]

If it has a Broad Arrow it it British

Just an arrow, no numbers or letters.

Post a photo.


Rob

 

[roughbarked]

Post a photo.


Rob

Good idea.

 

[1908]

Here is the arrow on the back of the Waltham.

Stephen

 

[roughbarked]

It is the wrong way up, for a start.

 

[TaborClock]

This is a second setting naval watch with a balance hack from 1940 or so. The watch was set on deck by an officer with a sextant and compared to the other navigational clocks on a ship at sea. When the crown was pulled, it stopped the balance and reset on the navigators mark. .

 

[KipW]

This Elgin 387

is from Canada...

 

[Tsunami]

My little mystery watch.

 

[RagingBunns]

I suppose I’ll add my first post with our little collection

 

[musicguy]

RagingBunns welcome to the NAWCC American Pocket Watch Forum!

Nice set!



Rob

 

[Clint Geller]

Here are two naval issue pocket watches. One watch is engraved "US Navy" on the rear lid, and one is engraved "CSN O&H" [for Confederate States Navy, Bureau of Ordnance & Hydrography] on the front lid. The US Navy watch, a William Ellery Grade Waltham Model 1857, carries an 1861 presentation to Warrant Officer Charles J. Coney of the screw frigate USS Watchusett, part of the Union navy's Atlantic Blockading Squadron. Coney's watch came to me along with a Model 1852 US Naval officer's sword with a matching presentation on the scabbard. (I have since replaced the missing plate screw, but I haven't rephotographed the watch yet.) The CSN watch, an English watch that came through the Union blockade in 1863-64, likely was used to record the times of depth measurements along the southern coast so that depth maps and tide tables could be developed. It reportedly was owned by CSN Commander John Mercer Brooke, Director of the O&H Bureau.

 

[TaborClock]

This example of a military Waltham 16s had seen a lot of action. The crystal and dial were smashed, and replaced by me. When serviced, I found the lower balance jewel was a bronze bushing. It remains as a testament of war time watch repair. The balance runs brisk, but I seldom wind it. The back originally was of British Broad Arrow marking, but the watch was re-serviced for India. A faint Broad Arrow is still visible on the rubbed down back.

Movement Serial Number:

31471261

 

[MSETTLE]

I have this Elgin 21 jewel B W Raymond marked U S Army AC . I also have a Hamilton 4992, but I have no pictures of it.

 

[musicguy]

I have this Elgin 21 jewel B W Raymond marked U S Army AC

Very nice! It's not in it's Military case, but you really
do not see these posted too often compared to the
Hamiltons.

Rob

 

[MSETTLE]

Very nice! It's not in it's Military case, but you really
do not see these posted too often compared to the
Hamiltons.

Rob

Interesting. I didn't think the case was original. Where would I look to find an authentic case for it?

 

[musicguy]

Where would I look to find an authentic case for it?

Your gold flashed movement is very special and no too common
If it were a Hamilton, I would say it would be
much much easier to case, but I do doubt you will ever
find an Elgin military case.


Rob

 

[Tsunami]

Beautiful watch! While unfortunate not to be in its original military case Musicguy is correct in it being a very special and not too common movement. Enjoy it! I wind and wear all of my watches on a rotating basis.

 

[musicguy]

Beautiful watch! While unfortunate not to be in its original military case Musicguy is correct in it being a very special and not too common movement. Enjoy it! I wind and wear all of my watches on a rotating basis.

I have tried to wear my 24 hour military watches but they are
not helpful for me, they are in 24 hour time and my brain will not
translate it for me. I guess if I was in the military at some point
it would be much easier.


Rob

 

[Tsunami]

I have tried to wear my 24 hour military watches but they are
not helpful for me, they are in 24 hour time and my brain will not
translate it for me. I guess if I was in the military at some point
it would be much easier.


Rob

It’s easy for me because I work for Metro North Railroad. Lol everything is 24 hour time.

 

[musicguy]

Metro North Railroad.

I've used it all my life.


Rob

 

[grtnev]

……. While unfortunate not to be in its original military case…..

I’d be careful declaring the case to be non-original. The watch is an A-13, marked US Army Air Corps.

Case backs for A-13’s are special in and of themselves - they were smooth which this one is - and they won’t fit on a 4992B.

If this was a Hamilton 4992B, due to the high stirrup bow, I’d agree with that statement, but since this is an Elgin grade 581 “A-13” I would definitely investigate further before declaring it non-original.

Richard

 

[musicguy]

The nice BWR above is not just missing the government markings, it's also the style of the case.
It has a much earlier style(and not like military BWR ones I have seen).




This is mine

Case back marking
Cased and timed by the Elgin National Watch Co

this is just a guess:

Type A-13
SPEC NO AN-GG-W-108
SER NO AC42-3593
MFRS PART NO 1786
ORD NO W535AC-2807
Elgin



Rob

 

[musicguy]

just found a marking on the case i have
never noticed. on the side there is
some writing.




Rob

 

[Tsunami]

I’d be careful declaring the case to be non-original. The watch is an A-13, marked US Army Air Corps.

Case backs for A-13’s are special in and of themselves - they were smooth which this one is - and they won’t fit on a 4992B.

If this was a Hamilton 4992B, due to the high stirrup bow, I’d agree with that statement, but since this is an Elgin grade 581 “A-13” I would definitely investigate further before declaring it non-original.

Richard

You are right. I do not matter of fact my know if it’s not nor is the original case.

 

[darrahg]

I posted this Elgin 18s Father Time Indicator g367 21j free sprung (USMC) with flip up sterling case before but here goes since it is one of my favorite military time pieces.

 

[musicguy]

18s Father Time Indicator g367 21j free sprung (USMC)

Fantastic.


Rob

 

[MSETTLE]

Your gold flashed movement is very special and no too common
If it were a Hamilton, I would say it would be
much much easier to case, but I do doubt you will ever
find an Elgin military case.


Rob

Surprisingly, I have found an original case with markings like the one pictured by musicguy. How can I determine if my smooth case is original? I feel the asking price is a bit high, and if my case is actually an original, I don't want to pay the asking price.
Here is a pic of the inside of the case on mine.
Thanks. You guys have been a great help to me on this one.

 

[Jerry Treiman]

This is another of my brother's watches. It would appear to be the 17-jewel model shown in the War Department Technical Manual TM 9-1575 on page 104, and reproduced in Whitney's "Military Timepieces" on p.368, except those sources indicate an ORD NO.OC-3707 and this one is marked NO OB-18181. It has the expected Elgin grade 387 movement.