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redpcar
·Typically have larger cases. Just picked this one off ebay on the cheap. 35mm case and a 30mm movement. Very cool.
Interesting Helvetia Watches
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Helvetia History
·Just thought I'd add this advert from 1945 with the same case as the first 2 watches in the thread.
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Helvetia History
·Hello Doreen,
I believe this watch is largely correct. Your are right when you say they normally came in the standard pilot's watch style case but I have seen several in this case and the numbering is correct, often the 4 at the beginning of the serial number was slightly askew like this for some reason.
The hands are of the usual type for this style dial, they did not use the 'Cathedral' type with this dial. The crown is a replacement I think but it is roughly of the correct type, again Helvetia did not use the more normal big 'onion' style crown with their pilot's watches.
In summary I think there are no major issues with originality and it has less common and more interesting dial, hands and case. Below are examples of similar dial and hands and another of the style of case.
Have a look at my page on these watches:
https://www.helvetiahistory.co.uk/1930s-pilots-watches
I will have to add something on these type of cases.
Thanks. Carl.
I believe this watch is largely correct. Your are right when you say they normally came in the standard pilot's watch style case but I have seen several in this case and the numbering is correct, often the 4 at the beginning of the serial number was slightly askew like this for some reason.
The hands are of the usual type for this style dial, they did not use the 'Cathedral' type with this dial. The crown is a replacement I think but it is roughly of the correct type, again Helvetia did not use the more normal big 'onion' style crown with their pilot's watches.
In summary I think there are no major issues with originality and it has less common and more interesting dial, hands and case. Below are examples of similar dial and hands and another of the style of case.
Have a look at my page on these watches:
https://www.helvetiahistory.co.uk/1930s-pilots-watches
I will have to add something on these type of cases.
Thanks. Carl.
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Vitezi
·I love the spinning propeller logo on these models 🥰
Just in case the buyer wasn't aware they were supposed to be pilots watches!
Just in case the buyer wasn't aware they were supposed to be pilots watches!
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Helvetia History
·D ds2615Hello Carl
Many thanks for all the watch information and the beautiful watch images. Excellent information and great watches there. I was very confused about the case; never seen one like this before. I just don’t know if $600 will be a fair price for this one or is a little to much considering the fact the second hand is broken and perhaps the hand are relumed too.
Any opinion on the price?
Thank you
Well it depends on what you think it's worth. These are on sale from between £200 and £2000. Price is based on demand and most people want a pilot's watch that has the standard hands, case etc. So even though this is more unusual it is not necessarily worth more. I think the hands have not been relumed, they can age differently like this. The seconds hand might be difficult to get one just like it but most watch part wholesalers sell similar ones you just need to be sure of the size.
I wouldn't pay what they are asking but I am not looking for one of these at the moment so I would only buy it if it was a really good deal anyway. The standard ones are selling on Ebay for £250 to £350 at the moment but they tend to be from Eastern Europe so it depends where and what type of shop you are buying it from.
Edited:
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Helvetia History
·I love the spinning propeller logo on these models 🥰
Just in case the buyer wasn't aware they were supposed to be pilots watches!
Have you seen the early logo with the static propeller? I bought this one, even though it has replacement hands, as I have only seen one other and this is the lowest serial number I've seen on any Helvetia Pilots watch. Didn't last long, looks like only a few months then they obviously thought the spinning one was cooler!
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Vitezi
·I bought this one, even though it has replacement hands, as I have only seen one other and this is the lowest serial number I've seen on any Helvetia Pilots watch
I noticed the ad used the spinning propeller:
For these watches, the Instagram account of @pilotswatch is a lot of fun to scroll through. Here is one of his images:
(thanks)
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Walrus
·I’m looking at one of these are the crowns typically branded?
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Helvetia History
·I’m looking at one of these are the crowns typically branded?
No, I've never seen a branded one. The crown should be like the one in the ad above not an onion or pumpkin one.
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Helvetia History
·😀 I would have done the same thing! 👍
I noticed the ad used the spinning propeller:
For these watches, the Instagram account of @pilotswatch is a lot of fun to scroll through. Here is one of his images:
(thanks)
The ad is from 1939, the earliest Helvetia ones seem to be from 1933 and the logo changed within a couple of months I believe.
I've seen the Instagram account. Aren't they great!
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Helvetia History
·Here's another ad from 1940.
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Helvetia History
·D ds2615You are perfectly right about price. They actually where asking $689 and I ended up buying it for $600. I’ve seen those Helvetia Pilot type ones going as you mentioned anywhere from $700 to $1900 on eBay. To me I think this particular model was quite worth the $600 especially like you mentioned it is more rare to be seen. All of the pilot version I’ve seen so far are the one you posted above with the “pocket watch case and the big lugs”. Those are very nice too is just that I like something that is more difficult to find like this one that I just purchased. I asume this is a Pilot version too?
Many thanks again for all your help
No problem. Someone showing an interest in Helvetia is always a good thing. Yes this is designed to be worn by pilots.
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Helvetia History
·D ds2615I’m looking to replace the mainspring of my Helvetia caliber 51-10. I was looking up online and I had a hard time to find one. I’ve contacted a few watch parts suppliers and they are all telling me, they cannot find any Helvetia under that caliber number 51-10. Is this caliber 51-10 derivative from some other movement?
I found a caliber 51LI that looks very close with 51-10 but I’m not sure if they are the same or not. This is all I could find to be similar with 51-10 (see attach image).
Any suggestions?
Here you are from the LCH 1939. The 51-9 is the lepine version with the stem at 12 o'clock, like in the diagram, the 51-10 is the savonette version with the stem at 3 o'clock.
Calibre 51 should be enough to get what you need but remember it is an old movement from the 1930s and suppliers may not know it.
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Helvetia History
·The 51S (which stands for 51 savonette) on Ranfft is the nearest to the 51-10. As far as I can tell it is the immediate predecessor and is used in early Helvetia pilots watches. However all the other variants of the 51 on Ranfft also use this mainspring so I think it's a safe bet. However I am not a watchmaker so I wouldn't swear 100%!
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Helvetia History
·D ds2615Many thanks.
I just got the watch shipped from Slovenia Europe and I would like to run some testing on the timegrapher. Any idea of the lift angle on this particular movement?
I did a lot of research online, unfortunately I could not find anything about this particular movement. I did found many other movements but nothing come out on Helvetia.
Under a fast inspection the movement clearly needs a cleaning and oiling as soon as possible. Maybe this weekend I will take care of that.
No, sorry I can't help.
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redpcar
·Not the set lever you need here but the set bridge. Correct?
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Helvetia History
·Sorry, can't help with parts, you don't tend to see spare movements very often, they were only ever really used in these pilots watches and so even parts watches tend to be expensive.
Helvetia was the main trading name of the General Watch Company so parts tend to be labelled 'General'.
Helvetia was the main trading name of the General Watch Company so parts tend to be labelled 'General'.
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redpcar
·Don't have a spare. The movement will still work as is. Just won't have the nice "click" when you set the time.
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WhereMadnessLies
·I'm not sure this would count as an interesting Helvetia but I thought it was quite pretty. I picked it up a couple of weeks back. It has the number 2021P on the case back. I assume this is the reference number? According to my watchmaker its got a cal 80C in it.
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hejsam
·I'm not sure this would count as an interesting Helvetia but I thought it was quite pretty. I picked it up a couple of weeks back. It has the number 2021P on the case back. I assume this is the reference number? According to my watchmaker its got a cal 80C in it.
Is it a steel case?
