1929 Helvetia waterproof watches are like buses...

[enfield]

...nothing for ages then two come along at once.

This is the first model Helvetia made, they only seem to have been produced from Sept 1929, when they patented their shock protection, through to 1930 when a slightly different, rounded lug version came in. I've seen 5 in total, all hallmarked for 1929/30, and two were in auctions that finished on Friday!





The first was on eBay and finished a bit too high for me:







Nice interesting watch. Being early waterproof and shockproof watches I think they were popular amongst the military.

Second was at an auction which I managed to snag, not really cheap but within what I wanted to pay. Interesting to see the differences in the watches with only a few months between them, the eBay one being slightly later.







They are quite a chunky watch for the time, as can be seen from this wrist shot of the first one I acquired a while ago (I hadn't cleaned it up yet).



For more info on Helvetia waterproof and shockproof watches have a look at my page here though I am in the process of rewriting it with a ton more information I've found out recently.

https://www.helvetiahistory.co.uk/1930s-sports-watches

Hopefully I'll have the new one in my hands in the next few days!

Thanks. Carl.

[JDB]

Interesting that Capt. Curtis took the precaution of inscribing his religious affiliation on the watch.

[enfield]

Interesting that Capt. Curtis took the precaution of inscribing his religious affiliation on the watch.

Yes. I think as well as marking it in case of loss or theft he was using it as an ID tag in case of death or injury. Soldiers often used to wear ID bracelets etc as well as their issue dog tags.

I had a look through the Army List for the period and I can only find a Capt Curtis from late in WW2 but it could have been engraved later than it was bought.

I need to have a more thorough look.