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  1. LouS Mrs Nataf's Other Son Staff Member May 18, 2014

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    A low intensity, many year search finally yields an acceptable example of a Signal Corps watch. These were supplied by several manufactures, Omega, Tissot, Vacheron, Moser & Cyma among them. I cribbed a likely spec from member "montana" over at MWF

    signal-corps-W3.jpg signal-corps-W4.jpg

    The Zenith example is 34mm and dates to 1919-1920.

    [​IMG]

    The case no longer has a black finish - in fact I've not seen one that does

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    The enamel dial and the lack of shock protection makes these relatively fragile and not so easy to find in decent shape. This dial is very good however, and the dial lume is well preserved and even. Whoever relumed the hands made a creditable match

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    12 ligne NVSI Zenith movement within

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    nickled metal case "easily opened without undue prying"

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    artsy shot of Zenith's distinctive snail cam regulator reflected in the inner case lid

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    genuine pigskin wristlet

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    any of you Omega mavens have an Omega or Tissot example?
     
    Bill Sohne, river rat, Gstp and 12 others like this.
  2. pitpro Likes the game. May 18, 2014

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    ewww nice Lou!
     
  3. ulackfocus May 18, 2014

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    Wow, didn't know your tastes went that far back. :thumbsup:
     
  4. LouS Mrs Nataf's Other Son Staff Member May 18, 2014

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    Thanks!


    Dennis, my problem is that I'm a completist ::screwloose::
     
  5. MMMD unaffiliated curmudgeonly absurdist & polyologist May 18, 2014

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    Nice. And the inner case back still functions as a signal mirror.
     
  6. papaebetu May 19, 2014

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    Great catch Lou.
     
  7. TexOmega Aug 8, 2015

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    My Omega with "of the era" pig strap with sterling silver buckle.

    Omega Signal Corps USA 1918 (Copy).JPG

    Trench with era leather strap(Copy).JPG

    Signal Corps USA.JPG
     
    Edited Aug 8, 2015
  8. Darlinboy Pratts! Will I B******S!!! Aug 8, 2015

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    :D
    Very nice one, the best I have seen. On a military bender, are you?:D
     
  9. MMMD unaffiliated curmudgeonly absurdist & polyologist Aug 8, 2015

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    Terrific strap, and a good old thread worth bumping. Here's mine.
    [​IMG]
     
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  10. Fritz genuflects before the mighty quartzophobe Aug 8, 2015

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    I dunno, the standard requires Demaskeened plates! You can't wear that nasty thing on my parade ground private!
     
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  11. TexOmega Aug 8, 2015

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    You couple these 1918 Signal Corps USA wrist with the Hamilton 1918 Engineer Corps USA pocket(grade 992) and one shall have the first USA mandated gov't issue watches. There are only 40 or so documented survivors out of the 1000 ordered and delivered. The specification mandated them to be numbered 1-1000.

    This one is not mine.

    correct case style and composition  Silveroid or oresilver.jpg


    This one is mine


    #992.JPG
     
    Edited Nov 11, 2017
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  12. nicolas07 Aug 9, 2015

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    Very nice condition Lou!
    And very interesting thread.
    Thanks for sharing.

    @TexOmega, what is the story behind the Engineer Corps watch?
     
  13. TexOmega Aug 9, 2015

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    http://mb.nawcc.org/showthread.php?36202-Hamilton-992-Engineer-Corps-U-S-A

    http://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/254108073/m/4783917577



    These threads discuses these 1000 watches, ect.

    Essentially, when the US entered the war, trainmen were sent to run the railroads shuttling supplies to and from the front. Just as the US Signal Corps ordered their watches with their specifications when the US entered hostilities.

    What's interesting, each arm of the military ordered what they required, after determining on their own what they needed.

    The Signal Corps, at the beginning of the war, had responsibility over the new-fangled aero-plane and the pilots, hence, the wristwatches.

    1918_Railroad_Trainman_Engineer_Corps.jpg
     
    Edited Aug 9, 2015
  14. nicolas07 Aug 10, 2015

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    Thanks for the link.
    Very interesting information.
     
  15. river rat Nov 11, 2017

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    Just picked this up today on Ebay on the anniversary WW1 ended 99 years ago on 11-11-1918 so I guess I just joined the club. Will be getting a better WW1 era type strap for it.
    [​IMG]
     
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  16. MMMD unaffiliated curmudgeonly absurdist & polyologist Nov 11, 2017

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    Very nice example, congrats!
     
  17. river rat Nov 11, 2017

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  18. river rat Nov 12, 2017

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    Some more info I dug up from one of my books Military Timepieces by Whitney. And in another book it said Zenith, Omega, Rode, Tavannes, CYMA, Ulysse Nardin, , Tissot all made these type of watches for the Signal Corps.Has any one ever got all makes 8 like the WWW dirty dozen ?
    [​IMG]
     
    Edited Nov 13, 2017
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  19. river rat Nov 13, 2017

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    Some more info from another book
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  20. river rat Nov 20, 2017

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    Well just got it in the mail today. Will need the crystal replaced and mite get it serviced at the same time.
    [​IMG]
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