Episode 7: Military Watches Deep Dive
Gabe’s Cartier Chronograph. Image courtesy of Wind Vintage.
In Episode 7, we go deep on military watches. We start by giving an overview of military watches, then chat affordable military watches to collect, tips for collecting watches from the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), the UK's Royal Air Force (RAF), the Argentine FAP, French Marine Nationale, and others. Then, we talk our military watch 'grails.' Enjoy episode 7, and let us know which areas of collecting we should do deep dives on next!
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CIA-issued Benrus Type 1. Image courtesy of @gva212
Benrus Type 1. image credit: Wind Vintage
Gabe’s Cartier Chronograph. Image courtesy of Wind Vintage.
“A small Longines "Tre Tacche" early water-resistant watch with stepped bezel today that looks to have seen better days, but it has also likely seen worse ones - June 6, 1944 for one. Based on the engraving on the back - "R. G. BUCKINGHAM / R.C.N.V.R / JAN. 1-41" - it appears it was owned by Robert George Buckingham of the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve. The January 1, 1941, date was when he was named a "Temporary Sub-Lieutenant" according to this 1943 Canadian Navy List and according to this 1944 Canadian Navy List he was then named "Temporary Lieutenant" on January 1, 1943. More relevant to today is the fact that Buckingham was in command of a Landing Craft Assault (LCA) flotilla of ships from the HMCS Prince David (a conflicting report says the HMCS Prince Henry) during Operation Neptune, which we know D-Day. Buckingham's name and his flotilla's landing experiences of the RCNVR on D-Day are detailed in the book "RCN in Retrospect, 1910-1968." So the forgivable reason the dial and hands may have some water damage could very well be from an eventful and terrifying journey in a landing craft toward a Normandy beach to rid the world of an evil Nazi regime.” - @ericmwind
Canadian Tre Tacche that likely was worn on D-Day. Image credit: Wind Vintage.
Rolex 'Prisoner of War' Pre-Daytona reference 3525. Image credit: Wind Vintage.
“An amazing Rolex chronograph reference 3525 originally purchased By Sergeant Anthony O’Brien in 1946 in Nairobi, Kenya from the Rolex retailer Dobbies Limited. Sgt. O’Brien purchased the watch after being liberated from the infamous Stalag Luft III. He was in charge of tunneling operations there and the efforts that he and his fellow prisoners made were immortalized in “The Great Escape” starring Steve McQueen.” - @ericmwind
Captain John Edward Barbey's Patek Philippe. Image credit: Wind Vintage.
“What kind of watch would you purchase if you were the scion of one of America's wealthiest families and a Captain in the United States Army Signal Corp preparing for what seemed to be an inevitable trip to Europe for the First World War? If it was 1918 and you were Captain John Edward "J.E." Barbey of Reading, Pennsylvania and a recent Yale graduate and the heir, there may be a few things you know:
1. Patek Philippe was *the* watch brand to have; 2. Thanks to trench warfare, pocket watches were becoming a thing of the past and the novel wristwatch was what you wanted to bring to the battlefield for a faster and more effective way to tell the time; and 3. Platinum was *the* metal to have, at least if Captain Barbey had been influenced by the Cres-Arrow marketing espousing the many virtues of the metal (swipe left to see samples of a 1912 Cres-Arrow pamphlet promoting platinum from gregsteer.net).
It was likely with some haste that Captain Barbey contacted Cres-Arrow to commission this watch for him to bring to the European theatre. The beautiful Patek Philippe movement is signed Tilden-Thurber, Providence, Rhode Island and according to Patek Philippe, started life in a different watch that we can only presume was a pendant watch. Captain Barbey then had Cres-Arrow transform it into a wristwatch in platinum with bright luminous markers and hands for visibility of the time in low-light and night conditions. He furthermore had his name and city engraved on the case back, often done so that the watch could have the possibility of finding its way back to the owner or his family in case of loss or tragedy. Remarkably, the watch was on what appeared to be its original brown alligator strap, over 100 years old and now disintegrating, and retains its original Cres-Arrow signed platinum buckle. The watch seems to have remained essentially unworn since the end of Captain Barbey's military service over 100 years ago.
Captain John Edward Barbey was the son of John Barbey who in 1899 founded the Reading Glove and Mitten Manufacturing. The company then changed its name to Vanity Fair Silk Mills, Inc. and was a leading American manufacturer of lingerie and garments.
John Edward Barbey remained involved in the company his whole life and took it public in 1951 with the Barbey family still retaining a minority interest. In 1969 the company was renamed VF Corp. Sound familiar? VF Corp now owns The North Face, Dickie's, Vans, Timberland, JanSport, Eastpak, and many other familiar companies, but became even more famous with its recent acquisition of Supreme for $2.1 billion. Can we call it a Supreme watch? 😜
I was fortunate to acquire this watch from the original family recently and have found it an amazing watch to research. Many thanks to the legendary @alkis.chronos for servicing it for me!” - @ericmwind
Show Notes:
Show Notes:
Rescapement interview with Jack Carlson featuring his WWI Waltham trench watch
Gabe's CIA-issued Benrus Ultra Deep
Eric's Benrus Type I
Rolex Daytona for the Argentine FAP
@watchsafari
Seikosha 'Kamizake' watch
Lange German military watch
RAF-issued Seiko Gen 2 chronograph
Gabe's WWW II-era Cartier chronograph
Affordable vintage military watch recommendations:
Benrus, CWC, WWII Dirty Dozen, IDF-issued Tudor Submariners and Eterna Kontikis, Breguet Type XX, Heuer Bundeswehr, IWC Mark XI, Smiths W10
A strange story of 40 Breitling 817 chronographs
Everything you need to know about the Zenith Carielli CP-2 chronograph
Marine Nationale, by Watchistry
Erika's Originals MN straps
Eric's Canadian Tre Tacche from D-Day
Rolex 'Prisoner of War' Pre-Daytona
Grail military watches
Rolex MilSub
RCN Tudor Snowflake
Captain John Barbey's watch
