In WWII Ordnance watches were made for the US military by Waltham, Hamilton, Bulova and Elgin. The original watches were made of nickel-plated brass because wartime conditions precluded the use of stainless steel as a consequence the original watches were not very durable hence finding one in good and sound condition is very challenging. The original watches were very small and measured 33/34mm but we increased the size slightly to 36.5 mm excluding the crown and 39 mm including the crown.
The US Army Ordnance Department watches were intended for use by non-aviation personnel; the A-11 which is similar but with a black dial was the USAAF equivalent.
During the second world war Army personnel were issued with watches by the "ORD DEPT" In 1940, the Ordnance Department published the specific requirements and specifications for military watches hence all the various watches were very similar in basic specification and design.
The original watches were handwound, this particular watch retains the handwinding movement, there is also a self winding automatic version for buyers who prefer not to have to wind the watch each day.
For comparison the last two images were sent to us by a watch enthusiast and show original WWII watches.
Specification:
Case Diameter: 36.5 mm exc crown, 39 mm incl crown
Lug to Lug 43 mm
Thickness 13.5 mm
Lug Type: Solid fixed strap bars
Dial Colour: Black
Case Material: 316L stainless steel
Caseback: 316L stainless steel
Crown: 316L stainless steel
Water Resistance: 5 ATM (50 m)*
Movement: 21 Jewel Mechanical Handwinding
Subsidiarts second hand
Glass: Plexiglass / Perspex
Luminous Material: Luminova
Serial number on caseback
Strap: 18 mm Canvas as per original
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ESSENTIAL WINDING INSTRUCTIONS AND GUIDELINES
With a hand-wound watch, you can either wind it when it is still running or when it has completely run down, it is advisable to take it off the wrist when winding to avoid stress on the crown. The most important thing to remember, though, with a mechanical watch is not to overwind it. Stop winding as soon as you feel resistance on the crown. If you overwind it, you could damage or even break the mainspring.
Adhering to the recommended winding procedures ensures the longevity and proper functioning of the timepiece. To clarify, overwinding occurs when a mechanism is wound beyond its designated stopping point, posing the risk of damage or even destruction of the winding mechanism. It's important to note that overwinding is a concern primarily for manually-wound watches, not for their automatic watches which cannot be overwound.
