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A 1940S Unitas Military Wrst Watch

WillFly

By WillFly
in Your Watch Collection

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WillFly Distinguished Member

WillFly

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There are so many "military" watches out there at the moment, that you have to wonder how many of them are the real deal. However, I think I struck lucky with this one, which I'm collecting tomorrow. I have a soft spot for military pocket watches, but this is my first military wrist watch. Better pictures when I've collected it.

 

Unitas%20face.jpg

 

Unitas%20case%20outer.jpg

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WillFly Distinguished Member

WillFly

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They were indeed. From the state of the watch it looks as though it was never issued in anger. The "ATP" marking on the back, plus the number, categorise it as a WW2 "Army Time Piece" - but I doubt that it ever left the stores before being sold on by Bravingtons. There's some dispute as to whether the watches marked "Bravington" were actually sold to the military by Bravingtons under contract, or whether they sold them on afterwards - or both!

 

I've always considered Bravingtons as a seller of good military surplus watches.

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WillFly Distinguished Member

WillFly

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Picked up the watch this morning - from a watch seller on eBay who lives not far from me, and who I've bought from before - and it's running beautifully. I've taken some higher-quality pics of the face and case rear - but, try as I may, I can't get the case back off (it unscrews). It's probably not been opened since the 1940s - but it's winding well and keeping excellent time at the moment...

 

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Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

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That's great that you're pleased with your purchase Will.

Regarding the back:

try as I may, I can't get the case back off (it unscrews).

YOU SHOULD HAVE EATEN YOUR WEETABIX!!!!

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WillFly Distinguished Member

WillFly

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My research into "ATP" reveals that - contrary to my original reading - it stood for Army Trade Pattern, rather than Army Time Piece (though some writers also refer to Temporary Pattern - just to confuse the issue!)

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  • 2 weeks later...
WillFly Distinguished Member

WillFly

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Thanks - I wound it this morning - winds like silk and keeps perfect time. Not bad for a 1940s watch. I've just fitted it with a nice Zulu strap - might post a pic of it, and the old original strap, later on.

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WillFly Distinguished Member

WillFly

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 I've added some more pics here. The rear case was screwed so tight that all my best efforts with various case openers and case holders couldn't budge it, and I was scared of scratching the casing. The watch winds like silk and runs beautifully - to a few seconds a week after 75 years - so I wasn't worried about the movement. I just wanted to photograph it and have a small gloat.

Anyway, I popped down to my local horologist (Wheeler's of Worthing) this morning and they did the job for me in not time at all. So, here are some better pics of the thing. The movement is actually gorgeous - hope the photo does it justice.

I put a new Zulu strap on it - the pin bars are soldered in - but have included a pic of part of the original 1939 strap, which I'm keeping.

 

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WillFly Distinguished Member

WillFly

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As far as I can tell from my research, high-quality Unitas watches were sent over here in 1939 - but in much less quantity than other makes like Lemania, etc. The deal was that, when the war was over, any surplus stock had to be destroyed. The reason for that was that the British Government got them at a knock-down price - and Unitas didn't want them on the market competing with their normal-priced stock.

 

Obviously, they weren't all destroyed!

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Blacklab Distinguished Member

Blacklab

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As for getting the back off Will, next time get yourself a 17mm nut, stick it to the back with superglue and leave for 10 mins, place in a decent watch holder or vice with wooden blocks, undo with 17mm socket, drop the caseback with attached nut into acetone which will separate it.

 

Sounds drastic but it works & doesn't mark the back, additionally its the only time I have ever found superglue to work properly!

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WillFly Distinguished Member

WillFly

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As for getting the back off Will, next time get yourself a 17mm nut, stick it to the back with superglue and leave for 10 mins, place in a decent watch holder or vice with wooden blocks, undo with 17mm socket, drop the caseback with attached nut into acetone which will separate it.

 

Sounds drastic but it works & doesn't mark the back, additionally its the only time I have ever found superglue to work properly!

 

That sounds like a good tip!

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  • 6 months later...
WillFly Distinguished Member

WillFly

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The mainspring in this watch snapped a few weeks after acquiring it. I wasn't too sure what size mainspring to buy when, looking on eBay, I found another similar watch and another Unitas 173 movement - pure coincidence. So I got them both and, after some fiddling, I now have two nice ATP watches and a spare movement minus mainspring and barrel!

 

It's pure luck finding these things. I'm still after a Longines case for my beautiful cal. 280 movement... still looking but no luck so far!

 

And I'm still after a Longines cal. 30L movement to fit my very nice Longines case... :D

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WillFly Distinguished Member

WillFly

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In fact, Bob - I've been shifting my attention from pocket watches to wrist watches and selling off quite a few of the pocket watches. I'm really interested in Hamilton RR grade and military pocket watches, and just a few of those now hold my attention. But there's actually more scope for interest and variety in the wrist watch world - and I still like the old, military style wrist watch dials and quality movements.

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