Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

Canuck · Apr 18, 2021

TexOmega

Another not seen often

Smiths pocket watch

British issued GSTP for WWII

Screws at 3 and 9 on the dial are one tell, the other is "Made in England" inside the case back and no issue numbers on the back.
From what I read when researching, Smiths did not want to be identified and were heavily lobbied to even build these.
Please correct me if my research was incomplete.

Do I deduce incorrectly that the Smiths in an 8-day model? Looks it to me. Interesting dial with luminous dots at the five minute intervals, and just the 9,12, and 3 numerals with lume. And the hands, of course.

You mentioned that Smiths had to be “lobbied” in order for them to produce the watch! When it comes to supplying materiel for the military, regardless of who the company might be, they really have no choice. It’s a matter of DO IT, generally!

TexOmega · Apr 18, 2021

Must have been a written requirement, all my British Issued PW's have the luminous 3,9,12 and hands. (or evidence they once did)

30hr PW I believe....mine needs a repair.

The National 15 - D Read (contentfiles.net)

Fritz · Apr 19, 2021

Canuck
Do I deduce incorrectly that the Smiths in an 8-day model? Looks it to me. Interesting dial with luminous dots at the five minute intervals, and just the 9,12, and 3 numerals with lume. And the hands, of course.

You mentioned that Smiths had to be “lobbied” in order for them to produce the watch! When it comes to supplying materiel for the military, regardless of who the company might be, they really have no choice. It’s a matter of DO IT, generally!

Not too long ago I read a history of the battle of Britain. One section of the book was devoted to fighter aircraft production and I was amazed to read that during that dire time one of the biggest issues with getting enough aircraft to the front line units to keep the RAF functioning was labour actions... sit downs and strikes!
More recently reading one man’s experiences on Corvettes during the battle of the Atlantic I found one chapter of the book set aside for a rant against strikers and black-marketeers. I guess some people thought their own wallet was more important that their country’s freedom... WTF! So much for DO IT.

Canuck · Apr 19, 2021

If ever an individual involved in any phase of any war had reason to go on strike, it was the poor devils in the trenches, guys facing flak, torpedos, kamikaze, and on and on! By 1944, the Ford Willow Run plant was producing one B-24 Liberator every hour. Employees were paid 85 cents an hour. By the end of the war, the U S had produced over 300,000 aircraft. Strikers? Load ‘em up and send ‘em to the front!

Waltesefalcon · Apr 19, 2021

Fritz
Not too long ago I read a history of the battle of Britain. One section of the book was devoted to fighter aircraft production and I was amazed to read that during that dire time one of the biggest issues with getting enough aircraft to the front line units to keep the RAF functioning was labour actions... sit downs and strikes!
More recently reading one man’s experiences on Corvettes during the battle of the Atlantic I found one chapter of the book set aside for a rant against strikers and black-marketeers. I guess some people thought their own wallet was more important that their country’s freedom... WTF! So much for DO IT.

I think that is just the nature of people. Many will always angle for a better situation for themselves despite the ramifications. One of my favorite WWII novels is King Rat by James Clavell, about life in a POW camp. It really dives into what some people are willing to do for gains in the present.

TexOmega · Apr 19, 2021

Helvetia GS/TP 160942
British issued WWII
32A movement 16j 3 adj
circa 1938-9

Fritz · Apr 19, 2021

TexOmega
Helvetia GS/TP 160942
British issued WWII
32A movement 16j 3 adj
circa 1938-9

DIBS... soooo nice!

Fritz · Apr 19, 2021

Waltesefalcon
I think that is just the nature of people. Many will always angle for a better situation for themselves despite the ramifications. One of my favorite WWII novels is King Rat by James Clavell, about life in a POW camp. It really dives into what some people are willing to do for gains in the present.

I read that one years ago, there were some somewhat nasty characters in it as I remember.

And not all of them prison guards.

TexOmega · Apr 19, 2021

The British G.S.T.P. pocket watches - Topic (infopop.cc)

Where I found my comments on Smiths being heavily lobbied to produce a pocket watch.

Canuck · Apr 20, 2021

Those of you who also visit other topics on the MB, are likely as baffled as I am about people that fuss over watches that vary seconds in a day, sometimes a bit slow, and sometimes a bit fast. I’m wearing a 30-year old Rolex Date-Just today, that consistently loses about 13 to 15 seconds per month! I am confident I could adjust it to do better, but when does fussiness turn into OCD? For the last ten days (or so), I have been wearing a watch I have shown here, before. The subject watch is my 110 to 115-year old. Keystone Howard, (series 4 or series 9, depending on where I check). This watch was never railroad approved, and in the 25 years that I have owned it, it has never kept better time than it has since I last serviced it. It is averaging + 3 to 4 seconds per day. I’m quite tickled with that! It might be that there are magical properties in the @DaveK lanyard that is on it. I’d never worn the watch on that lanyard, before.

Fritz · Apr 20, 2021

Canuck
Those of you who also visit other topics on the MB, are likely as baffled as I am about people that fuss over watches that vary seconds in a day, sometimes a bit slow, and sometimes a bit fast. I’m wearing a 30-year old Rolex Date-Just today, that consistently loses about 13 to 15 seconds per month! I am confident I could adjust it to do better, but when does fussiness turn into OCD? For the last ten days (or so), I have been wearing a watch I have shown here, before. The subject watch is my 110 to 115-year old. Keystone Howard, (series 4 or series 9, depending on where I check). This watch was never railroad approved, and in the 25 years that I have owned it, it has never kept better time than it has since I last serviced it. It is averaging + 3 to 4 seconds per day. I’m quite tickled with that! It might be that there are magical properties in the @DaveK lanyard that is on it. I’d never worn the watch on that lanyard, before.

I too find myself being amused with those who whine about the accuracy of their modern watches. I have an fairly early Hamilton 992 which keeps time to the level it was designed for, that is within a few seconds a day. As I only wear these things 3 or 4 days at a time they are close enough to the correct time after their turn in the pocket as the day I last set them. My series five Howard performs the same as does my model 92 Walthams... while they have all been well tended to by my tame German watchmaker, I too have not rules out the magic powers of the @DaveK lanyard

I'm currently testing one on my Suzuki to see if I can get more speed out of the poor thing...

Isn't it sad how these postings continue to turn into excuses to post great lashings of porn and shameless promotion of the virtues of the mighty @DaveK lanyard!... tragic really.

noelekal · Apr 20, 2021

TexOmega

Another not seen often

Smiths pocket watch

British issued GSTP for WWII

Screws at 3 and 9 on the dial are one tell, the other is "Made in England" inside the case back and no issue numbers on the back.
From what I read when researching, Smiths did not want to be identified and were heavily lobbied to even build these.
Please correct me if my research was incomplete.

Love Smiths watch stuff. Haven' seen these wartime pocket watches before.

noelekal · Apr 20, 2021

I can already tell I need a Dave's lanyard. Maybe a bunch. I could affix them to the wrist watches as well for perhaps more accuracy.

Canuck · Apr 20, 2021

@Fritz ,

you showed the face side of a Hamilton, a Hamilton 19-jewel, and 3 1892 Waltham. Is watch # 2, the 19-jewel Hamilton a grade 962? Looks like it might be. Dam I like that model of Hamilton, Here’s mine:

Fritz · Apr 20, 2021

Nope. the Hamilton is an early 992, the bridge movement is my Howard series 5. I get sloppy when I get over excited.

Will it help make up for the mess if I throw in some gratuitous Elgin 156 shots...

Canuck · Apr 20, 2021

Now that you mention it, it IS a Keystone Howard series 5. How could I mistake that as being a 952? Duh! Good looking Elgin private label.

Fritz · Apr 20, 2021

Canuck
Now that you mention it, it IS a Keystone Howard series 5. How could I mistake that as being a 952? Duh! Good looking Elgin private label.

everybody makes mistakes... my brother once purchased a Gremlin with a V8...

Hell... the Americans once voted a twit with orange hair into public office!

and Porsche still hasn’t figured out which end of the car gets the engine.

Canuck · Apr 20, 2021

A Gremlin with a V-8 a mistake? In any shape at all, today, that would be grail for a lot of people! Exactly when would that have been considered a mistake? A Gremlin with a 4-cylinder engine? THAT would have been a mistake!

TexOmega · Apr 20, 2021

Leonidas GSTP

Fritz · Apr 20, 2021

Canuck
A Gremlin with a V-8 a mistake? In any shape at all, today, that would be grail for a lot of people! Exactly when would that have been considered a mistake? A Gremlin with a 4-cylinder engine? THAT would have been a mistake!

And... it had the Levis package too boot!