Air Ministry "Dennison" Pilot's Wristwatch, c.1942

An excellent and original British assembled RAF issue pilot's wristwatch, made with a Swiss movement, c.1942. These watches hold a special place in the unfolding story of military timepieces and this one is offered in full working order and with a near-perfect dial - This steel-cased watch is in fabulous condition and an important stop-gap model issued at a time during the war when watches were a requisite item that was particularly difficult to get hold of from the mainstream suppliers.

World War 2 provides us with a number of examples that illustrate how agreements and pacts alone, don't keep the peace. To that end, even Switzerland's neutrality was at times in peril, with stability relying on a precarious convention that offered no absolute guarantee of freedom from invasion. In fact, the Swiss politicians governed over a nation of both, Allied supporters, together with those who would be sympathetic to the Nazi regime and with the German Army on their doorstep, literally, they trod carefully so as not to antagonise their waring neighbour, and to keep the status quo. This called for skilful diplomatic manoeuvring to appease those who had designs upon Switzerland and what she had to offer. Of course, in this instance, the belligerents were unified in their need for war-grade timepieces which collectively, the Swiss watch houses were in a position to supply all that was needed but their neutrality prevented them from doing so, at least openly.

Swiss watch companies were now faced with a number of dilemmas as to how best to circumvent Nazi dictates. A number of schemes were considered early on to help maintain commerce and relations with all their customers, Allied or Axis, yet keeping their operations secret for fear of reprisals, they needed to leave their diplomats scope for plausible denial in case of accusations of "war-trading".

This Air Ministry watch is just such example that highlights the intelligent way that the Swiss were able to support the Allies, by not providing war-critical timepieces but rather, by providing the raw watch movements to the "jewellery trade". The fact that the British jewellers were working on the behest of the Air Ministry and completed the assembly of the Swiss movement into a British custom made case, would not have been discussed openly with the Swiss, although the possibility of such activity would not have gone without comment in certain quarters. Hence their need to downgrade and sell these products as unfinished timepieces, and it is also very likely that these watches came to England without dials and hands, only Swiss products were a little sharper in execution and were proudly marked, "Swiss Made" on the face - Here, there is no such mark, which again adds circumstantial evidence to say that they were British printed dials.

The final process to finishing the watch was to have the British case maker, Dennison, provide suitable cases. As a long-standing contractor to the War Department, Dennison supplied the cases to the contractors to complete the assembly and the wristwatches were handed over to the Air Ministry, not as a premium military watch but as one that "would-do" under the circumstances. As a 6B/159 credited wristwatch, the watch was rated to a higher standard of timekeeping than might be expected from other forces wristwatches.

A fine example of a collector grade Air Ministry wristwatch.

A Premium Service can be requested for this watch, including a 12-month warranty.

Code: 51249