WWT Shows CLICK TO: Join and Support Internet Horology Club 185™ IHC185™ Forums

• Check Out Our... •
• TWO Book Offer! •
Go
New Topic
Find-Or-Search
Notify
Tools
Reply to Post
  
French WW I watch - can anybody identify it? "Click" to Login or Register 
posted
I bought this on eBay years ago from a seller who knew nothing about it. The brass case says "HONNEUR A LA FRANCE ET AUX ALLIES - 1914" around the porcelain 24-hour dial, and on the reverse there is a French "75" field gun and the legend "NOTRE GLORIEUX". There is no maker identified inside. For more pix see this album

 
Posts: 33 | Location: Charleston, South Carolina in the USA | Registered: April 28, 2010
posted
Face. I think the case is brass.

watch face
 
Posts: 33 | Location: Charleston, South Carolina in the USA | Registered: April 28, 2010
posted
works - the bridge says "REFASSER SECOND", or it may be "REPASSEE", which means "return".

works
 
Posts: 33 | Location: Charleston, South Carolina in the USA | Registered: April 28, 2010
posted
I think that is a really nice watch, I especially like the wording around the bezel.

Both during and especially after the war there were many companies who sold such rememberances to men who had fought in the war, and to their families. There were also many privately struck commemorative medallions and all kinds of souvenirs. This is a nice example of such a watch case. There are even some that are even fancier and made of silver or gold, or that have finely painted multicolor dials, and even some with photos transferred to the porcelain dials.

A person could make these souvenir watches into quite a collecting area. I've thought about it in the past but I am already collecting too many things.

The wording on yours translates as, 'Our glorious 75' which as you say refers to the 75mm cannon shown on the back, and 'Honor to France and to the allies - 1914'

I wish I could help in identifying the possible maker of the movement but I am not enough of an expert on these movements to do so. My guess is it is by one of the many Swiss companies who made and sold large quantities of movements to companies that put them in their own cases. Hopefully someone here will recognize the shapes of the parts in it and be able to give an idea of which company may have made it.
 
Posts: 871 | Location: Baltimore, Maryland USA | Registered: September 20, 2004
posted
It's a swiss movement made by Roshopf if I spelled the name right they made watches that were like the dollar watches made in the USA.And it's a pin set movement.Here is a link about the watch co.
http://www.musketeer.ch/watches/roskopf.html
 
Posts: 523 | Location: Northern California in the USA | Registered: November 23, 2008
posted
Thanks Mike. Great info on Roskopf at that link. I think you've nailed it. Now I believe I've seen that name on some other watch in my collection, so I'm peering into some "Dollar watches" I own.

This board has greatly increased my enjoyment of my collection. Thanks to all members!
 
Posts: 33 | Location: Charleston, South Carolina in the USA | Registered: April 28, 2010
  Powered by Social Strata  
 


©2002-2023 Internet Horology Club 185™ - Lindell V. Riddle President - All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Internet Horology Club 185™ is the "Family-Friendly" place for Watch and Clock Collectors