Finally got Him, the Proud Warrior

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UncleBuck

·Aug 3, 2020

After years of looking at cracked dials and missing lume, I finally pulled the trigger on one of my most sought after watches.

I love the old stuff and as a Veteran, I've always had some interest in military watches. I have a WW1 era watch that was owned by a Mr. Daly, a draftee that tried his best not to go!
I have always thought of that watch as my "reluctant warrior".
https://omegaforums.net/threads/the-reluctant-warrior-100-years-later.81078/

Now, he has a mate that was built to serve and that proudly wears "SIGNAL CORPS U.S.A.".

It has a chipped crystal, wrong crown, doesn't wind and I can't get the dust cover off for nothing but I don't care!
I have my entire remaining life to sort it out mechanically. Right now I'm just trying not to drop it or snort too much radium.

Special thanks to Jim, @JimInOz, for being such a great help and great friend. He defines why this forum is a special place. He'll probably be pissed that I mentioned him.

 

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airansun

·Aug 3, 2020

🥰
Beautiful!

Movement shot, pretty please.

 

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UncleBuck

·Aug 3, 2020

airansun

🥰
Beautiful!

Movement shot, pretty please.

UncleBuck

I can't get the dust cover off for nothing

It's only arrived today and has totally whipped my ass at my first attempts to get the dustcover off.

I may need @Archer to make a house call.
Oh, wait, Canada wouldn't let him back in!

 

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SpikiSpikester

·Aug 3, 2020·@ ΩF

Congrats Jim 👍

 

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UncleBuck

·Aug 3, 2020

SpikiSpikester

Congrats Jim 👍

Your up late, my friend!
Thank you.

 

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SkunkPrince

·Aug 3, 2020

UncleBuck

wrong crown

In what way? Doesn't match a picture you've seen? Wrong color?

Gold crowns on silver cases, not uncommon. Not sure why.

Sternkreuz makes some really nice crystals for these in plastic.

 

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RonJ

·Aug 3, 2020

Very cool watch.

I really like the design element on the hands.
Is there a name for that style of watch hands? (sorry if it is a dumb quesiton, I'm a bit of a newbie).

.

 

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UncleBuck

·Aug 3, 2020

RonJ-in-VA

a name for that style of watch hands?

Cathedral, is what I see the most commonly used.

 

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RonJ

·Aug 3, 2020

UncleBuck

Cathedral is my belief.

Thanks for the info.

And, I think the "9" on the dial is interesting (same on both watches).
It is like an upside-down-G character.

I wonder if it was a military thing - to make sure the "9" didn't look anything like an "8".
They do they same thing in radio communications, they say "niner" instead of "nine" to make sure there is no mistake in understanding the number.
.

 

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UncleBuck

·Aug 3, 2020

SkunkPrince

Wrong color?

It's almost a pink, when I get a chance, I hope to get the dustcover off and get full pictures.

 

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UncleBuck

·Aug 3, 2020

RonJ-in-VA

I wonder if it was a military thing - to make sure the "9" didn't look anything like an "8".

The Daly watch was engraved on his draft day which was also his birthday in 1918. I don't feel it was a military watch, just a style of the period, Art Nouveau?

 

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Farmer

·Aug 3, 2020

Great watches, lucky bugger

 

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TexOmega

·Aug 3, 2020

Hold off changing the crown, it could be correct.

Great example!

Pigskin strap and sterling buckle of the era.

Edited: Aug 3, 2020

 

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Mossback

·Aug 3, 2020

Lovely lovely watch. What stories could it tell.
Fellow vet, US Army STRATCOM (signal corps) 1972-1975 MAG Taiwan.

 

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UncleBuck

·Aug 3, 2020

Mossback

Fellow vet, US Army STRATCOM (signal corps) 1972-1975 MAG Taiwan.

3 yrs. you served, so an R.A? STRATCOM, so you must feel this watch!
I didn't realize that the early Air Corps was a part of Signal Corps.
Me, US Army, 11B Infantry, 71-72, Korea, E-1, E-2, E-3, E-4, back to E-2, E-3 and finally E-4 (long story).

 

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Mossback

·Aug 3, 2020

We served nearly the same time. I was assigned to US Army STRATCOM (Strategic Communications) Taiwan from Ft Gordon Georgia as Nam was winding down.
I bought a Seiko quartz at the PX in 1974? I remember they had Rolex and maybe Omega too but everyone wanted the new quartz watches.

Edited: Aug 3, 2020

 

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UncleBuck

·Aug 3, 2020

Mossback

I bought a Seiko quartz at the PX in 1974? I remember they had Rolex and maybe Omega too

I bought the Omega at the PX in Korea '72, still have it.

Edited: Aug 4, 2020

 

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JimInOz

·Aug 3, 2020·Melbourne Australia

Glad to see it arrived OK Jim, I think it will be a real keeper once you've patched the old boy up.

UncleBuck

Cathedral, is what I see the most commonly used.

Omega referred to them as "Skeleton Radium" in AJTT, but Cathedral is the general descriptor.


As @TexOmega noted, the crown may be correct, it just looked too fresh to me. I've seen many trench watches with nickel/gun metal/silver cases and gold crowns, so the actual colour may be OK.

And if you want to put a period correct replacement crown on just let me know.

😁