Can you please provide us with a photo of the front of the watch?
In the meantime, here is some decoding of the alphabet soup on the back - hopefully some of my colleagues here can provide more details.
Specification MIL-W-6433 This is the set of standard specs that was given to the manufacturer to build this particular kind of watch. These were built by more than one company and so by providing detailed specifications in the contract, all watches would be pretty much identical the same no matter which company built and supplied them. This MIL number is for a Type A-17 wrist watch that would be issued to pilots and other aircrew members for navigation. I'm not sure why it says Type A/D. Maybe someone else can chime in on that. The A-17 is not a high quality chronometer, but it would be a well made wrist watch built to withstand the shocks and vibrations of being worn by an air crew member in an aircraft of the time. It should have a hack function that would work by pulling out the crown to stop the second hand so everyone could make their watches tell the same time.
MFR'S SERIAL NO. AF-52-36348 This is the manufacturer's serial number. The AF stands for Air Force which is the part of the government that gave them the contract to supply these watches; the 52 would stand for 1952 which would be the year the contract was issued, but not necessarily the year the watch was constructed since a contract would tend to run for more than a year or two; and the 36348 would stand for the manufacturer's serial number of this watch under this particular contract - it was the 36,348th watch constructed and supplied to the Air Force under this contract for that particular company. I would guess this is late to post-Korean war vintage.
Posts: 874 | Location: Baltimore, Maryland USA | Registered: September 20, 2004
That is a recently made knockoff that was sold from an ad in the VFW magazine and other publications. It was advertised to be used as a gift for the WW-2 veterens so they could get one like they wore in the war. I think these sold for $14.95
Have one just like it. Only differences,,MOVT at bottom not there on mine but,,JAPAN is,, and it's not in quite as good condition.I have not opened it,,will I find this is battery operated?? Seems a bit dated for batteries,,but what do I know. Stamping on the back was not precise as well. On your photo,,what is the mark between the 10 and 11?
Posts: 2 | Location: Westminster, Maryland USA | Registered: February 26, 2007
If you can wind the watch by turning the crown it is mechanically powered. However, if the seconds hand moves in second-by-second increments it is a quartz movement powered by a battery.
Lindell
Posts: 10553 | Location: Northeastern Ohio in the USA | Registered: November 19, 2002
Ken, I have hot handled one, but my guess would be a pressed back. On inexpensive watches, threads for a screw back are an extra expense that the manufacturers do not like to do.
Look at the back under magnification. Look for a small notch where a knife can be used to pry it open. If there is no notch of any kind, it is a screw back.
If all else fails, take it to the mall kiosk and ask them to put a battery in it. THis lets them figure it out. THey do things like this every day.
i have one exactly like this (except mine is labelled "swiss mov't" at the bottom of the dial & it's a screwback. the back on mine looks like someone put a pipewrench on it or clamped it in a vice to get the back off, so they are probably on there really tight. the battery in mine is a #377, but since mine is a swiss made movement,you should double check yours before buying a battery.
Posts: 5 | Location: Old Hickory, Tennessee USA | Registered: March 09, 2007
Update on this wrist watch, it has a Japan Y121 movement and a #377 battery and its still running and keeping very good time....and the leather band is still intact.
Posts: 886 | Location: Nebraska, in the U.S.A. Heartland | Registered: November 22, 2002
