This watch is brand-new but was displayed at the "Feria Internacional de Defensa y Seguridad de España" in Spain. We have only a few of these watches available, now offered at half price. While they are in perfect working condition, the packaging may show minor signs of wear or damage, and the plastic protectors may have been removed from the case and crystal.
___
SKU: ABACH/RLMPW
Military pocket watches, along with their civilian equivalents, are seeing a huge increase in popularity. Historically, they were often employed for land-based, airborne, and naval applications. During WWII, these watches were frequently used by German forces (Wehrmacht, Kriegsmarine, and Luftwaffe) as well as British and American forces. The primary reason for their popularity was that wristwatches at the time were usually very small and hard to read, with an average diameter of just 32mm. In contrast, the larger size of pocket watches, close to 50mm, made the time much easier to read.
This classic WWII-pattern Aeschbach* military watch features a small subsidiary dial second hand and is based on the typical designs used by the German Luftwaffe. Issued by the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM / German Air Ministry), these watches were given to Luftwaffe pilots on a mission-by-mission basis and returned to the quartermaster upon their return to base. Although original watches are now quite rare and fetch high prices, this watch is outwardly almost indistinguishable from Aeschbach's WWII models. It features a traditional 17-jewel hand-wound movement and has been upgraded to a glass crystal, which is superior to the easily scratched or damaged acrylic/plastic crystals used during WWII.
The original WWII watches made for the Wehrmacht, Kriegsmarine, and Luftwaffe were produced by a large number of Swiss and German manufacturers, including Aeschbach, which was founded in 1923 and continues to exist today. A group of military watch enthusiasts has compiled a list of these manufacturers, which can be found on their website: Military Watches. They would appreciate any contributions to fill in the few remaining gaps.
This particular pocket watch features a solid stainless steel case made from military-grade 316L stainless steel and a subsidiary dial second hand.
SPECIFICATIONS
Diameter: 47.5mm
Length with crown: 58mm
Thickness: 14mm
Crystal Width: 40mm
Crystal Type: Domed Glass
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Caseback: Stainless Steel
Luminosity: Luminova
Movement: 17-Jewel Hand-Wound Mechanical Movement
Complete with chain
Delivered in its original box with a 2-year factory guarantee
MWC is a factory-authorized distributor for Aeschbach watches.
