Show us your military watch

[markr]

Here are my Tudors.  Both dials have been refinished before I received them.The first one should be two toned and should not say Rolex.

[RichardHarris123]

On 4/9/2023 at 9:32 PM, oldhippy said:

I think we will have to wait on this after all this is Marks site. 

Not sure whether to send a happy or sad face.  Nice either way. 

[RichardHarris123]

Just bought this.  Comes with what I think is an outer case. 

[rehajm]

 

9 hours ago, markr said:

Here are my Tudors.  Both dials have been refinished before I received them.The first one should be two toned and should not say Rolex.

It's a Tudor AND a Rolex- twice as valuable!

The Cyma is nice- WWII or before?

Edited April 12, 2023 by rehajm

[RichardHarris123]

10 minutes ago, rehajm said:

 

It's a Tudor AND a Rolex- twice as valuable!

The Cyma is nice- WWII or before?

Not sure yet. 

1 hour ago, RichardHarris123 said:

Just bought this.  Comes with what I think is an outer case. 

Has anyone seen an additional case before.  I'm assuming that's what it is. 

[rehajm]

6 minutes ago, RichardHarris123 said:

Not sure yet. 

My guess would be early 40s...

[markr]

[Neverenoughwatches]

29 minutes ago, RichardHarris123 said:

Not sure yet. 

Has anyone seen an additional case before.  I'm assuming that's what it is. 

Pair case pocket watches have been around for hundreds of years. Is this just a standard outer case for any pocket watch of this size to provide extra protection on the battle field. 

43 minutes ago, rehajm said:

 

It's a Tudor AND a Rolex- twice as valuable!

The Cyma is nice- WWII or before?

WW2 General service time piece ( trade pattern ) mil spec watch.

[RichardHarris123]

17 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Pair case pocket watches have been around for hundreds of years. Is this just a standard outer case for any pocket watch of this size to provide extra protection on the battle field. 

WW2 General service time piece ( trade pattern ) mil spec watch.

Yes, I think it's just a standard outer case for extra protection.  I  didn't help much looking at the dial.  Hehe. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

13 minutes ago, RichardHarris123 said:

Yes, I think it's just a standard outer case for extra protection.  I  didn't help much looking at the dial.  Hehe. 

The outer case use was maybe a provoked idea after the dial was damaged. Poor thing, still nice though and a cracking piece of history. If it could only talk eh. 

[RichardHarris123]

1 minute ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

The outer case use was maybe a provoked idea after the dial was damaged. Poor thing, still nice though and a cracking piece of history. If it could only talk eh. 

£25 for both and a Smiths Empire.  Not bad, I think. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

18 minutes ago, RichardHarris123 said:

£25 for both and a Smiths Empire.  Not bad, I think. 

I think thats pretty good. Dont expect a lot from the Empire, the low jewel count usually indicates some worn pivots and pivot holes and they were often wrist worn to death. But you might be lucky. Here is my GSTP Frencha with a Buser 105 movement inside. The staff has a broken pivot and I managed to find a packet of 2 in a cheap job lot 4 weeks ago. I have 2 goes at getting it right, putting it off for the time being, strange things happen when i ticker with a watch that has a lot of history. This one has already twisted my melon once when i first opened it up last year. Annnnyway. Here is its Military serial number on the back, and broad arrow with an S stamped through that indicates it was decommissioned and sold possibly to its owner ( dont ask me how but i think i have his name ) Moving swiftly on, Buser became part of the well respect MSR group in 1961 that included Phenix , Revue and Vulcain that made good quality timepieces. And looking inside this is no exception and still in good condition.The crystal is battered and i took a bit of a risk on the dial but it is perfect.

[RichardHarris123]

6 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

I think thats pretty good. Dont expect a lot from the Empire, the low jewel count usually indicates some worn pivots and pivot holes and they were often wrist worn to death. But you might be lucky. Here is my GSTP Frencha with a Buser 105 movement inside. The staff has a broken pivot and I managed to find a packet of 2 in a cheap job lot 4 weeks ago. I have 2 goes at getting it right, putting it off for the time being, strange things happen when i ticker with a watch that has a lot of history. This one has already twisted my melon once when i first opened it up last year. Annnnyway. Here is its Military serial number on the back, and broad arrow with an S stamped through that indicates it was decommissioned and sold possibly to its owner ( dont ask me how but i think i have his name ) Moving swiftly on, Buser became part of the well respect MSR group in 1961 that included Phenix , Revue and Vulcain that made good quality timepieces. And looking inside this is no exception and still in good condition.The crystal is battered and i took a bit of a risk on the dial but it is perfect.

Nice, the Cyma isn't running. Probably the same problem.  I'll update everyone when I receive it. 

Just now, RichardHarris123 said:

Nice, the Cyma isn't running. Probably the same problem.  I'll update everyone when I receive it. 

I wasn't really interested in the Smiths. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

Posted this up a good while back, but seeing as it fits in well and with some good History . Here is my Nato redialled Record DD, inside a 022K. Also has a broken staff pivot but i have around 20 of these. The serial number on the dial is designated specifically to Record, other brand redials will have different serial numbers . Redialled i would guess as a matter of routine service when called into army stores and to decommission the radium lumed dials. Serial number beginning with the letter L as assigned to the Record company. As most will know the Dirty Dozen watch was nick named after the film. So called as the British military approached 12 Swiss watch companies ( there is currently a british company called Vertex making the Vertex DD with some kind of dubious family connection imo but marketing stories sell, just look at the Daniel Wellington name crock of shite )with the task of making their mill spec watches. Look for the WWW stamp on the back. Wrist Watch Waterproof. These 12  companies in alphabetical order as i remember them easier this way. Buren. Cyma. Eterna. Grana. IWC. JLC. Lemania. Longines. Omega. Record. Timor. Vertex. In actual fact as part of the story as i read it Enicar was also approached but dropped out for whatever reason. All are worth a few bob but the Grana is the one to really  look out for. Out of the approximate  250,000 DDs that were made the Grana (KF or KFG ) had an estimated manufacture of 1000 to 5000 ( not sure if anyone actually knows ) Coincidentally i do have 100 balance staffs for the Grana DD half fixed jewel half shock jewel.  Great i have 100 staffs that will likely never be wanted . 

[rehajm]

1 hour ago, RichardHarris123 said:

I wasn't really interested in the Smiths. 

They are indeed an economical movement or as we say in the South...crap. No stud screw is the worst of it...I will say as fiddly and pointless as they are as restorations I gained considerable practice with the staking set and a sense of accomplishment when my repaired sweep second Empire hugged zero on the tg. Also, Americans don't know much of the brand so Empire is to Everest is to Astral. My newly reborn Empire held court with its loud tick one cocktail hour while the GMTs and Panerais barely warranted attention.

Offer it on the EBay to the yanks, I say...

Edited April 12, 2023 by rehajm

[RichardHarris123]

10 minutes ago, rehajm said:

They are indeed an economical movement or as we say in the South...crap. No stud screw is the worst of it...I will say as fiddly and pointless as they are as restorations I gained considerable practice with the staking set and a sense of accomplishment when my repaired sweep second Empire hugged zero on the tg. Also, Americans don't know much of the brand so Empire is to Everest is to Astral. My newly reborn Empire held court with its loud tick one cocktail hour while the GMTs and Panerais barely warranted attention.

Offer it on the EBay to the yanks, I say...

An Empire was my first success, yes sounds like galloping horses.  I'm keeping that one but this will be resold. 

[RichardHarris123]

On 4/12/2023 at 1:05 PM, RichardHarris123 said:

Not sure yet. 

Has anyone seen an additional case before.  I'm assuming that's what it is. 

The Cyma arrived today.  Not winding but the hands set and better still the balance is good. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, RichardHarris123 said:

The Cyma arrived today.  Not winding but the hands set and better still the balance is good. 

Inside Pictures please Rich. 

Edited April 15, 2023 by Neverenoughwatches

[RichardHarris123]

42 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Inside Pictures please Rich. 

I had 20 minutes to spare so:

Strange thing is I can't see a caliber number. 

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, RichardHarris123 said:

I had 20 minutes to spare so:

Strange thing is I can't see a caliber number. 

Cyma's general service military was a 775. 

[RichardHarris123]

Just now, Neverenoughwatches said:

Cyma's general service military was a 775. 

Yes, it's a 775. Eventually found it under the balance rim. Posted about finding a spring for it.

[Razz]

This is an interesting little watch. The import code has been scratched out. Ipekdijian Bros Ltd somewhat crudely engraved. They are a diamond merchant or jeweler incorporated in NY in 1941. I haven't found a manufacturer caliber number yet. Runs very well. The back was on extremely tight. Dial has some scratches. Needs a new crystal. It was running at the time I snapped the photo, just caught it at the right time!

Edited April 30, 2023 by Razz
Typos

[thor447]

I don't own these, but I did service both of them recently for a couple of veterans I met through a local (non-watch related) group that we all belong to.

First is a Benrus GG-W-113 US contract pilots watch from July 1971.  It was issued to it's owner when he deployed to Vietnam, and then he later had it with him when he went to Libya.

 

The second is a 1961 Bulova Type A17A military issue navigation watch.  It's original owner was in the US Air Force, and it was re-issued to him in 1966.  The original strap had long since deteriorated, and I was lucky enough to find an original NOS strap from the correct US military contract and I surprised him with his rebuilt watch on a NOS strap that was identical to what was on it when he first got the watch.

I wish I owned these, but there was no way I would ever even ask to buy these from their owners.  They were the ones who put the scratches and dings in those watches, and clearly cherished the watches enough to hold on to them for several decades after they stopped running.  It was a pleasure to rebuild these watches.  I'd love to find some of my own, but I have larger wrists and these watches are quite small.  They just don't look very proportional on my wrist. 

Edited April 30, 2023 by thor447

[rossjackson01]

Not sure if you professional's would class this as a military watch.

I repaired this one. Beha watch with a Durowe movement.

The gentleman concerned had swapped a can of coffee for two of these in the 1950's in Germany. He kept one and his friend had the other. Stopped working over 20 years ago. Told could not be fixed. The hairspring was twisted around the innards of the watch. 

Disassembled, cleaned, oiled and a replacement balance complete fitted. The minute hand was broken so I had to replace it with a new one. Returned two month ago. I received a wonderful letter from the gentleman, 80+.

 

Edited April 30, 2023 by rossjackson01
grammar. spelling.

[Neverenoughwatches]

52 minutes ago, rossjackson01 said:

Not sure if you professional's would class this as a military watch.

I repaired this one. Beha watch with a Durowe movement.

The gentleman concerned had swapped a can of coffee for two of these in the 1950's in Germany. He kept one and his friend had the other. Stopped working over 20 years ago. Told could not be fixed. The hairspring was twisted around the innards of the watch. 

Disassembled, cleaned, oiled and a replacement balance complete fitted. The minute hand was broken so I had to replace it with a new one. Returned two month ago. I received a wonderful letter from the gentleman, 80+.

 

Ross bloody brilliant matey you should be well proud of that one especially after the suggestion that it could not be fixed. The smile on the old boy's face must have been priceless and now he can pass that down to his family. I love stories like this, you've just brought a tear to my eyes. My reputation as a tough guy is now diminished, good job I'm on my own