September 25, 2007, 23:14
David AbbeBrietling WWII Chronograph
When I bought some estate stuff, this turned up under a lot of rags. Any idea to it's value? There is a good front bezel, I removed it for detail. The case back has been re-done as a "display" cover, and I will be looking for the right kind of back cover.
September 25, 2007, 23:16
David AbbeSigned Dial Detail
September 25, 2007, 23:17
David AbbeMain Movement, Incredibly accurate!
September 25, 2007, 23:18
David AbbeMovement detial
September 25, 2007, 23:19
David AbbeSigs
September 25, 2007, 23:20
David Abbemore sigs
September 26, 2007, 15:52
Jim HesterI am not convinced about the WW II vintage nor about it being a military watch. My thought is it is more likely 1950s or maybe 1960s vintage for the civilian market.
I understand that Breitling (a Swiss company) bought Wakmann (a U.S. company) to get around the post-war U.S. restrictions on importing entirely Swiss-made watches to give American watch companies some breathing room to reestablish themselves in the civilian market after the war since the US makers had pretty much devoted their production efforts to the war. By assembling Brietling parts in the U.S. under their Wakmann front they could sell in the U.S. I also have heard that the WOG marking was the company code they applied to Breitling made movements that were marked as being made by Wakmann. As for the value I have no idea, especially since it is missing its back.
I am still trying to learn more about Wakmann, and find out exactly when the company began and when they started making their aircraft clocks.
September 26, 2007, 19:00
David AbbeJudging from the rest of the stuff, all of this was accumulated during the war in Wisconsin. The son who was in WWII navy had the stuff, and pulled it out of the sttic in respoonse to an ad we put in the paper. His Dad was a watch repairman during WWII and took in a lot of stuff then whic he conveerted to "stock" when it was not picked up. The most recent repair tag was 1948 and soon after that his son "inherited" this and kept it in a box since then.