This is my first post here. This a pre-WW2 USN Waltham MK 1A, GCT navigation watch with Up/Down indicator. I've not seen any others but would like to, so post a picture if you have one.
Best,
James D.
Posts: 101 | Location: San Antonio, Texas in the USA | Registered: July 25, 2006
Thanks Samie. I don't have too many issued pocket watches (about a dozen) but it is my favorite. It keeps time to within +/- 8 seconds per day and is a work of art IMHO. Sometimes I'll just hold it and marvel that it is close to 70 years old! What's the census from everyone, which digits from the serial number (38-32)denote the year. Is it the 38 or the 32?
Posts: 101 | Location: San Antonio, Texas in the USA | Registered: July 25, 2006
It should be 1932. The normal serial numbering system used by BuAero in the 1930s was the serial number then a hyphen then the two digit year. Yours would then be the 38th watch of this type accepted by the US Navy Bureau of Aeronautics from Waltham in 1932. What is the Waltham serial number on the movement? Does it correspond to a 1932 date? This particular style of Navy navigation watch is shown in Whitney starting around page 292 and continuing for several pages. Unfortunately this is the Longines section and Whitney in his odd way of organizing his book doesn't have a corresponding section on Walthams. Also, these Longines ones are ones that were used on small Navy ships rather than being BuAero examples like your Waltham. Whitney says that the original specifications for this general style of navigation watch were first issued by the Navy in 1904.
Posts: 874 | Location: Baltimore, Maryland USA | Registered: September 20, 2004
