Canadian Military Issue Pocket Watches

LawrenceN

LawrenceN

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Totally not gun related, I know, but a lot of us out there are also into military regalia so it can't hurt to ask. I picked up two pocket watches, Canadian Military Issue, at a local auction. One is a Waltham and the other has no name on the dial, but was sold as an 8 day for Sherman Tank. As you'll note from the pics, they're both serial numbered and marked with the C-broad arrow. I have no idea as to value or where to look for information on these. I did a cursory search on ebay and the prices are nuts, but I have no idea if that's what these are worth. Any input would be most appreciated.
*Post Image was down and I lost the pics. Scroll down and you'll see them and new information I've gathered. Most interesting bits of Canadian military history.
 
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LawrenceN said:
Nobody? All of us canucks out there and no interest or input?
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I like pocket watches, I have one in my pocket right now. I use them as much as wrist watches. I wasn't aware there were ever any issued in Canadian military service.

I'd like to see pictures of the two you acquired, but what I see displayed is four blue squares with white lettering. " post image free image hosting image not found or was removed "
 
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stencollector said:
Your photos are not there but I am guessing you have a GSTP (General Service Time Piece) and the sterile one will be for the watch holder on the Wireless no19 radio (and others).
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It would appear that the image hosting site was down, but it seems to be back up and running but with glitches. When they get sorted out, I'll attach the better pictures I took and perhaps that will generate more interest and input.
 
Dark Alley Dan said:
I like pocket watches very much, and look forward to seeing yours when the pics come available. :)
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Finally the site seems to be working properly again. The first group of pics is the Waltham which I'm told MAY be part of a sniper's issue kit. The second group is the white-faced watch that has been "sterilized" (I'm told) for issue to communications units to accompany radio sets. It may be, from my research thus far, a Girard Perregaux Swiss watch.


And the second
 
OK, thanks to some very knowledgeable folks both here and on some other sites, I have the white faced one pretty well nailed down. One gentleman speculated that it may be a Girard Perregaux made Swiss watch, but a guy who repairs and refurbishes civilian and military pocket watches is very definite that it's a Moeris. It was probably "sterilized" by the Swiss before sale to the British military as a nod to Swiss neutrality. The seller was using the information from the family history and the grandfather, who was armoured corps, said it was from a Sherman tank (as they understood it). My research thus far, combined with the family's oral history, suggests it was mounted on the radio inside the tank, perhaps a No.19 set, which had the bakelite watch holder. Though I can't definitively state it was from a tank radio, the back story strongly supports the theory. Now I have to try to get more information on the Waltham which, from the serial number, suggests 1940 manufacture. I'm told Canadian issue are scarcer than the English ones, and the Waltham watches are rarer still. Any other factual input would be most appreciated.
 
Be careful with the black faced one, the numbers are radioactive. It seems almost every watch maker was tapped to provide these time pieces for Commonwealth armies (primarily for radio sets) and the one to watch out for is a Rolex.

Most of my WW2 examples are still marked "Swiss made" which refutes the neutrality theory.
 
I never heard of those,never mind saw one.

Then again I have been to so many antique shops and flea markets chances are I saw one somewhere.

Black faced one is intriguing.
 
I just can across this post , I am usally in handguns, but collected watches. My book show 1941 for the Waltham, 17 j I think , hard to see
I don't do much with Swiss, so no help there.
I see quite a few Hamilton's 4992B and 3992B models, could be as I look for Hamilton's more than AWC
the one you have is Model 16-A moment , Crescent st model My book show one with a wind indicator adj 6 pos, 22 J which yours isn't by a long ways.
I will look in some others and run the serial number thou a web site, and see what pops up.
O.K. had a look serial # 30 553 959 941 , right? don't come up in the data base, but that just means that no one has done a search on this serial number
It is a mid low grade movement, but it is C milt, Value??? My guess 300.oo as a watch collector, But to a miltary collector, the grade of the movment don't really matter as much, so I could see higher to them That model 16 22j is a deck watch and price in my book is 1-2K us, depending on condition. that is a 2008 price .
 
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