World War 1 Military Timepieces

The production of military timepieces in World War 1 was spurred by orders from the main competing armies in Europe, Asia and the United States. The first military timepieces to appear were the ones made by the likes of Zenith, Omega. The watches they manufactured were wonderfully-crafted, but are not extremely hard to find, and may already be worth up to a thousand dollars or more. Popular watchmakers like Rolex of Switzerland were also tasked to develop wrist watches that withstood constant wear and tear, and performed superbly even under extreme weather conditions.

Swiss Watch Makers Designed Watches For Both Adversaries

A number of Swiss watch makers were commissioned to craft military timepieces for both the British and German armed forces. The Swiss utilized the same movements and dials for the watches they made for both the Germans and he British; however the difference is that the British army watch has to be snapped back into place, while the German version needed to be screwed into place with a tool.

Owning Classic Military Watches Is Like Owning A Piece of History

The art of collecting is like studying history, in its most tangible form. Just like collecting any other valuable item, collecting vintage military timepieces is like owning a piece of history, acquiring something which represents that period. During World War 1 and 2, wrist watches were made not for aesthetic fashion purposes. They were instead made to make the lives of soldiers easier when in the battlefield. One of the first military timepieces created for the US army in World War 1 was built by the Hamilton Company. The Hamilton 4992B and the Hamilton Model 23 Chronograph were among the most popular US army timepieces of that time. The Hamilton 4992B featured a 24-hour dial.

Other famous military timepiece makers include Omega, Rolex, Fortis, Elgin, Zenith, Doxa . The early army watch versions featured luminescent dials made from tritium illumination, and also featured navigation aids, measurement tools and a compass.

Before you start your own vintage army watch collection, do your homework and perform a lot of research on the backgrounds of each of the specific vintage military timepieces that are offered to you. For example, if you're feasting your eyes on a Longines British Navy Watch circa 1930's, and it's priced at $895, determine the veracity of the watch, and get extra information about it from historians, as well as from veteran classic military timepiece aficionados. Since you surely don't want to be collecting fake items, doing your due diligence should help to get you the right collector's item.

Military timepieces are prized for their durability, sturdiness, precision and usability, no wonder they're sought-after items in the battlefield. Despite the antiquated design of the early versions, they were accurate, truly functional, and very readable as well. Classic military timepieces also exude an air of elegance, as they were worn by generals, aviators, sailors, and the battle-scarred infantryman. Collecting these valuable timepieces will allow you to grab a part of history.

Companies such as Nite are still manufacturing watches used by the military today, such as their MX10 model. The same style, durability and accuracy of Nite’s watches which makes them perfect for military use also means they are ideal for use in extreme sports and as fashionable day-to-day wear.