I would like to share with the community the history of my watch through pictures. It was a fun experience to search. I was gifted this watch a couple years ago from my mentor when I was in my apprenticeship to become a bench jeweler. There was a name inscribed on the back which started it all. If anyone else has previous history on their current vintage watch, please share it.

 

That is a great story. I hope I can find out as much as you did! Thank you for sharing it.

 

Thank you! It was really a fun experience.

 

Thank you for posting. Great story!

 

I've a few watches with some information on the prior owner. Although not a Longines, a Gruen I have has some interesting history to it. I also have a WWI Waltham watch that belonged to an accountant from the early days of the oil boom.... From PA to MI to WY to TX.... Another Waltham was the possession of a funeral home owner in Iowa, and former member of the 351st Infantry that saw action in France; has some great provenance.

The Gruen though is my favorite:
https://sometimetospare.wordpress.com/2021/04/23/the-watch-of-lieutenant-colonel-w-a-marshall/
It is the connections to geology, Colorado and also having been a combat engineer.

 

Wow! That was fantastic. Thank you for sharing.

 

great write up

 

Great story - thanks for sharing.

 

Perfect story of why inscriptions are not a detriment and worth preserving.

 

Thank you.

 

these kind of things reinforce the feeling towards watches connecting people and carrying stories. very interesting thanks for sharing!

 

Just curious, how were you able to determine the right Edward M Corey?
In the early 20th century there is more than half a million Edward M Corey
in the United States so you must have at least one more piece of information.

There is no indication that the watch was used by anyone in the military from
what I can see. Also you have some timeline issues. Sgt Corey was in France in 1944.
The watch was delivered to New York Nov 1944. VE Day in Europe isn't until May 1945.
It will be easier for him to take a watch off of a dead soldier than get the watch
to him by mail.

 

Was this just for selling this watch ? He's never been back.

 

It absolutely wasn’t to sell the watch! Since you visit it every couple months I’ll explain how I know who owned the watch. I live in a small town. The watch was given to my friend who is a jeweler. Any other questions?

 

The watch was probably a gift from his parents when he got home. It is not a standard issue watch. The history of the previous owner is just a bonus.

 

But how were you able to determine that it is the correct Edward M Corey? In 1940s there are hundreds of thousands of people with that name in just the United States.

 

Because Edward M Corey gave it to my friend and teacher.

 

Thanks, just asking.

 

The total US population in the 1940s was around 130 million, so are you saying 1 in 100 men were called Edward M Corey ? That can’t be true. There must be a lot of duplication in those search results.

 

There are always lots of duplicates with these records, usually on average for the ones I have used for myself, there have been averages of about 5 or so duplicates. The point is that the name is so common in the USA, that finding one purely on the basis of name without an address or some uniquely identifying fact, even in the same city you might as well be looking for John Smith. I have to trust that the watchmaker met someone with the name of Ed. Why Ed would give a personalized gift from his parents to a watchmaker, it is a mystery. It is always interesting to learn how people have been able to associate a watch to a person. Sometimes it give me new insight into how to use public records.