Just received this Waltham 12s.hunter case 15 jewels and much to my surprise there was this sailor looking at me.Looks like he could be of WW2 vintage to me but don't know!!!

another

and the watch face

Can you get an idea from the watch the Sailor has on his wrist? My only guess so far is he was right handed & I would also guess that maybe the watch was his father's who carried his photo with him.

Can you see any type of ribbon or insignia on the uniform?

Tom

No,Tom I don't see anything on uniform or cap.Only one black spot on the left I take to be a breast pocket looks like a pen to me.I guess I will have to remove the pic.to see what is under it.Hate to feel like I am desercrating something!

Picture came off easily nothing there except casemakers stamp,A star and under that swg co.and under that an eagle with what appears to be olive branches in it"s talons.

Roger

Maybe one of our members who served in the Navy might be able to tell the approx date of the uniform, I do know the Navy did not change very much over the years.

Your case should be from the Star Watch Case Company, the eagle with the branches was one of their symbols.

Tom

The Sailor Uniform is WW2 period, there was the white which this man is wearing and the blue.Shame you can not see the right shoulder or see any insigna the u could be able to pin point more about him.

I did 20 years in the Navy (1981-2001) and my dad did 23 years in the same and the dress white uniform did not change very much at all. so I'm thinking the picture could be from who knows when.

Although your watch is a size 12, it could belong to a woman who put her sweetie's picture in the cover. The picture quality appears to be from a cheap WW II era box camera.
M.

The watch on his wrist seems to be too small for the military styles of WW2, looks more like the larger disposable type military watches of the 60’s-70’s era.

Thanks to all I guess we will never know and he will remain"Mystery Sailor"

My guess would be the Sailor is Post Nam era since the watch is worn underneath the wrist not on top....and the uniform did'nt have a ships name on the right shoulder so he was probably a land lubber....

Regards,

Jerry

I don't know about that Jerry. Both my late Dad and Father-in-law were in the Navy during WW2, and it was quite common to wear a wrist watch that way...especially if you were assigned duties on the bridge. I've seen photos of my Dad wearing his that way during that time period, but never saw him EVER wear it that way during MY lifetime.

The size of the watch also doesn't say much to me either, as my Dad wore his 15j Lipton Oyster he got from HIS Dad in 1943 until he gave it to me in the late 1980s, and it's even smaller than the one shown in the photo.

I have his official Navy photo when he got out of Great Lakes before shipping out in '43 sitting on my piano, and the Lipton is right there on his wrist in that photo.

Regards! Mark

You could be right on, Mark....My post started with "My Guess"....

My Dad was a SignalMan on board ship and his station of course was the Bridge and he never wore his watch underneath....

On the other hand, when I was in there were quite a few Radiomen that did wear it underneath and they told me it was because when operating the speed key it was easier to keep track of the time....

Also, there were a couple of Bosun's that wore theirs the same way for protection of the watch while on deck....

Anyway an interesting subject....

Regards,

Jerry

Understood, Jerry. I also started my reply with 'I don't know....' which is true more often than I like. (grins)

HIGH regards! Mark