This Watch

We have here a 1940s Helvetia, likely issued to the German military during the Second World War.  Germany were unable to produce watches for its own military and decided to approach Swiss watch manufacturers.  Starting in 1942, these watches had a D, DU and DH in their serial number to signify military property. 

The black dial has an outer minute track has Arabic numeral indexes marking the hours coated in luminance, at 6 o’clock a sub-second register clearly marked, elegant sword hands infilled with luminance complete this military wristwatch. At 12 o’clock we have the Helvetia motif.

The 34mm, chrome-front/steel back case has a subtle curve towards the tapered lugs with a lug-to-lug length of 40.5mm and a case thickness of 10mm, ensuring a comfortable fit on your wrist.  The back is engraved with '3190 / D18043H.'  Inside is the mechanical manual wind Helvetia caliber 82A-24, fully serviced by us and running strongly.  Helvetia produced this movement from the 1930s until the 1960s.  We've paired the watch on a leather strap but it looks great on anything.

 Very informative article on Helvetia watches 

Helvetia was registered in 1892 by Louis Brandt & Frere, who, in 1894, registered the brand name OMEGA.  In 1895 the new company ‘Société d’Horlogerie La Générale’ was formed in La Chaux de-Fonds, which was a joint venture between Louis Paul Brandt and Edouard Boillat of the ébauche company.  In 1897 the company was registered under its English name “General Watch Co.”  After the deaths of Louis Paul, and then César Brandt in 1903, Helvetia watches were built alongside Omega at their Bienne factory in Switzerland, until Omega left the General Watch Co in 1911.  During the First World War, they produced hunter and half hunter pocket watches with waterproof properties including a hinged lid to protect the dial from damage.  By 1924, they started to produce watches with shock protection, which they had initially developed for miners.  In 1929, Helvetia introduced their first waterproof and shockproof wristwatch and a new logo was designed at the same time.  Helvetia made waterproof watches during the 1940s for many brands including Aero, Aeroplane, Huber and Abercrombie & Fitch, while their big date watches were used by brands like Ditis, Mimo, Girard Perregaux and Angora and innovations in their pilots’ watches were used by brands such as Aero, Helbros, Huber and Savoy.  During the Second World War, they supplied watches to both the British and German armed forces.  Helvetia again changed their logo in the 1960s.  In 1968 Helvetia was one of the early founding members of the Société des Garde-Temps S.A. or SGT including Avia, Degoumois & Co., William Mathez, Fleurier, Silvana, and Eugene Vuilleumier.  In 1973 Helvetia S.A was dissolved but on the same day, Silvana S.A. changed its name to Helvetia S.A.  Through the 1980s and 90s, we saw many factory closures but the Helvetia logo and trademarks survived and today they are sold on a much smaller scale through a jeweller in Vienna. 

This watch comes fully serviced by our on-site workshop and with a 12 month, non-waterproof service cover.

What we think

It's not every day a that German military watch comes up, especially in this original condition.  The chrome is worn but expected from an issued watch which had surley seen action. The all important original black glass dial is in fantastic condition and likely protected by the solid screwback case, which is a good 34mm in size larger the the usual 32mm German DH watches. The watch comes fitted with a period style black leather nato style strap an we have included a brown swap out if needed. This is a piece of history and holds a story we will never hear, that is the fascinating thing about most vintage watches!

Spec Stuff