Is this watch so frikin cool everyone's stunned into silence?
Recently got this because I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Unfortunately the strap is beyond use as it's very fragile. I want to put a new strap on it but would like to know if anyone has any info on a watch this old, apparently it is WW2 era.
It's keeping really good time. How long should I expect from a a full wind?
TIA Spud.
Is this watch so frikin cool everyone's stunned into silence?
Something like that. :)
Do you feel confident to take the back off and photograph the movement?
Please don't take any risks!
It's definitely a 1940s JLC but not military. That may be why people are not responding?
Those types of designs are often mis-identified as "military" by unscrupulous sellers just because they are steel or chromed (as this one is) and have a black dial with luminous numerals and hands.
However this is a civilian design, just because there are numbers at the back doesn't make it military either.
Military watches have markings indicating what government issued them for which branch of their military. No such thing here.
Alternatively, if you have documentary proof (letters, photos, service records) that a watch has belonged to someone while that person was in the military, you have a watch with a military connection.
(that doesn't make it a "military" watch in the strict sense, though, but it has "military provenance").
There are several types of caliber it could have inside, hard to say without opening it.
However your best option is definitely to bring it to a professional watchmaker if you don't want to risk damaging the caseback.
(a real watchmaker, not just a jeweler or the guy who changes batteries in a store).
People who are not professionals only have themselves to blame when they gouge their caseback as can be seen so often -- and once that big scratch is there it's too late to cry.
Too bad the strap is fragile as it does look very cool.
Best regards,
S
Last edited by Plume; 26th December 2016 at 17:38.
.. .that looks like a black dial E159, likely with a cal.478 inside. My white dial looks as thus:
... and that had a 478 in. Late 40s/early 1950s, 'B' mark on the rear denotes chromium base metal plated I believe.
The other that crops up is an E109 - which has the cal.463 sub seconds in it (google will get you a variety of pictures). That one crops up
in what is reputedly a military watch but not issued nor confirmed (see threads passim on MWR for JLC & wehrmacht which should get you
the hits on that).
Nice watches- mine runs very accurately; the issue with the chromium/plated fellas is that they looked bashed quickly. Brendan (who serviced mine) can
replate if I recall, also.
cheers,
al
The good news is that no one has been telling porkies about this watch, just that I recommended to him that he be sure it didn't have a military provence before doing things like taking that old strap off. Glad to hear that he can get on with enjoying his watch how he wants to without worrying about destroying value.
I can't disagree with anything already stated above. I'd also recommend a trip to Zaf's vintage JLC forum:
http://www.classicwatch.com/phpbb3/viewforum.php?f=3
PS - forgot to add to original query - I get around c.40hrs worth from a full wind of my E159, but I did get a new mainspring when serviced.
al
No wonder no replies in the wrong section.
Does the back just pop off? I'm not overly precious about it (even though it cost quite a bit in the end) as it's had a beating throughout its life.
I've no reason to believe it's actually military although the autioneer described at as WW2. Maybe a little play on words if it's that era to gain more interest, who knows. I never bought it because it was WW2 but it would have made it more interesting.
I don't get 40hrs but over 24 that's for sure. There's a place called the Old Watch Shop in Southport which is not a million miles from me so I might go in there to ask his opinion on it's internal condition. He may have no interest whatsoever of course.
Thanks for all the other info I'll head over to the other forum to see if I can get anymore details.
BTW the white face looks really nice, where did you get the strap from?
Cheers Spud.
opps double post.
Actually I take it back about hte military thing. I've just looked at the description in the auction and it is in fact described as an "Army watch".
Mmm, seems I got a bit swizzed.
Depends if you paid much extra because you thought it was 'issued'. It's a lovely thing in its own right, from one of the best manufacturers, and apparently genuine and working OK by the sound of it. I'd be happy if I were in your shoes.
Plus you got to meet a few people and learn something :). For the next purchase?
I wouldn't say I paid "extra" because I thought it was military but I just expect what I'm buying to be what they say it is because it makes me feel somewhat diddled due to my lack of knowledge.
However I do really like it so I'm going to plough on and get a strap so I can wear the thing.
As for buying more I really have to stop because I've bought 4 watches off the forum already.
Last edited by spud767; 27th December 2016 at 15:01.
.. just one more to chuck in - the supposed 'wehrmacht' JLCs seem to be quoted with matching caseback and movement serials.
This has been done at much more length elsewhere also - see MWR / Zaf's classicwatch.com / Watchprosite - but AFAIR, those all were subsecond
cal 463s (happy to be corrected, though).
one oddity the OP's does have is non-spring bars - interesting to note that these cropped up elsewhere on civilian models, as..
for example on my other elderly JLC which is a civilian flavour of the 6B, looks like (on the left - cal463 fellow on the right gone elsewhere):
.. came with semi-fixed / shoulderless bars - i.e. had a collar that rotated but not removable without force.. [I had those removed
on mine but I still have one of them for posterity].
As noted to OP over PM, the strap on the left came from Martu leather in Chile - she's does a great vintage leather in custom sizes.
al
Hey Al,
thanks for the interesting info about the mysterious supposed Wehrmacht connection. Will have to look it up.
OP, it would be a pity to destroy that nice strap, some people would love an authentic weathered strap like that.
perhaps a skilled cobbler could reinforce it?
The Old Watch Shop would be an excellent ressource.
That's Mike Woods, a respected dealer, true gentleman, and most knowledgeable person on vintage (military) watches.
Last edited by Plume; 28th December 2016 at 00:21.
Interestingly these people seem to offer a restoration service though I suspect they probably have luggage more in mind:
http://sabelsaddlery.co.uk/restoration.html
Right then I've taken the back off and it looks nice in there to the untrained eye at least. There's some numbers scratched onto the case back that looks like 251/49 and 6,5004.
Regarding the strap it looks brilliant but if you see the wear to it on the underside I could probably break that if I pulled hard enough. I think it would have to be a strap person if it went for restoration.
I guess this also shows the case and movement don't match.
The leather can be fed but I think I'd just put that to one side in the strap drawer; good money after bad is the expression that comes to mind.
Sadly I think you're right. Shame though because I can't see many more of these being around and they suit the watch perfectly.
On a positive note at least when I've opened the back up there isn't a Chinese movement made last week in there. :-)
Watch straps are becoming the bane of my life. Who knew?
Also the JLC forum came up with the same conclusion that's it's a P478 which was rightly suggested earlier.
Here's a link to another members 478 with some interesting info. Although comparing to the inside mine it could probably do with a bit of a clean. Out with the screwdrivers lol.
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...syeHFlfsKCCx6w