White dial "1928 Pattern" Flieger Pilots Watch

Hello all,

I have been on the look out for an example of the smaller, approx 36mm, Helvetia pilots watch with the Cal 81 movement for a while. Finding one in reasonable condition without an exorbitant price tag requires patience.

Trawling through my eBay searches the other day I noticed an example made by Helvetia for Helbros. These are fairly rare compared to the overall number of the Helvetia version and use the same cases as the Helvetias though they have the slightly later Helvetia Cal 82A movement fitted. From serial numbers I've found they seem to have been made 1942/43 and come in black and, unusually, white (or more accurately silver-ish) dialled versions. I've never seen any other brand of these pilots watches with white dials.

The one on eBay was one of the white dialled ones and, though it looked like it had had a knock as the bottom lug was a bit bent and the thick glass chipped at the bottom, the condition was pretty good. The starting price was $69 so I thought I'd keep an eye on it as I'd only seen one other come up for sale at over $1,000. Then I looked again, Buy It Now $69! I don't think I've moved as fast in years!

So now I've received it I'm very happy, I've given it a bit of a clean and it's come up nicely. The bezel and pointer move but are a bit stiff at the moment. I was thinking of perhaps replacing the glass with a thick flat mineral glass but the type of crystal in these is pretty iconic and in the flesh the chips aren't that noticeable. I'll wait and see I think.

Not bad for less than £50 plus fees.







While researching this I found one if the black dialled versions with an interesting history that I'm going to post about next.

Thanks.

Carl

While researching my new purchase above I came across the black dialled example below which is now in the collection of the State Library of New South Wales: https://www2.sl.nsw.gov.au/archive/c...tion=2&page=17



This watch belonged to Damien Parer the famous wartime film cameraman and was gifted to the collection by his son.

Damien Parer originally joined up as an official war photographer with the Australian Department of Information and was sent to Greece and North Africa where he made his name with films of the fighting around Tobruk and by filming action from ships and aircraft.

Later he was sent to New Guinea where he filmed along the Kokoda Trail including sequences used in the film 'Kokoda Front Line!' which won an Oscar in 1943.

Apparently disillusioned with Department of Information rules he joined Paramount News in the US and that is probably when he picked up this watch as Helbros were a US company and all these type of watches I've seen have the Helbros US import code HXW.

While with Paramount he filmed on Guam and then Peleliu where while filming walking backwards in front of advancing infantry he was killed on 17th September 1944.



Above is a picture of him from the fighting on Guam walking backwards behind the lead tank filming the infantry advance.

If you get a chance search for some of his pictures they do an incredible job of bringing home the reality for frontline troops in the pacific theatre in particular.



It is unusual to see pictures of someone wearing a watch and know exactly which watch it is but luckily Damien Parer had some photos taken, including a set on Guam, where his watch is visible and thanks to his son's gift and the distinctive style of the watch we do know. It also shows some of the uses that these 'Pilot' watches may have been put too.











Thanks. Carl.