Picked up this WW1 era Depollier case Waltham

[River Rat]

Been wanting to ad a depollier case watch after selling a cool water proof screw down crown Depollier some years ago. This one not as cool as the one I sold that rare as hens teeth. But the inscription on the case back the original owners name and USNR 1918. Since I did the navy reserve after active duty this watch spoke to me. Will need work like the hour hand relumed and maybe the dial.




Every thing looks original but maybe the crystal a replacement. Mite be a while until I get the relume and movement service use to be fast getting stuff done but I seem to have slowed down in our hobby. Looks like a original crown should have depollier marked crown.

[aikiman44]

Very nice!

[River Rat]

Here is the depollier it's replacing but the first one was cooler being one of the first watches with a water proof screw down crown wished I never sold it.


It was spring loaded just like a modern dive watch crown. Dam miss this watch.

[rockmastermike]

I've said before and I'll say it again, you have the coolest military watches, Mike

[toxicavenger]

dang that is a cool ass piece Mike!

[River Rat]

Mite have a good tip on locating a relative of the first owner of the watch. Some one at the Omega forum found a Albert B Ulrich III on face book and gave me his email I am third generation to my Grandfather who served in WW1 so a possibility. Just don't know if I want to bother some one mite think I am just a crazy watch collector I know I am that. One thing about trench watches bought by the soldier or sailor most have there name and other info it was like a dog tag to ID them if some thing happen to them. These trench watches with these military WW1 inscriptions are about the only time a inscriptions on case back don't devalue the watch.

[River Rat]

Know how Hamilton made a Khaki watch well it was not the first the watch above was Hamilton borrowed the name.

[River Rat]

These Depollier Khaki watches use to come with a cloth type strap some one on eBay makes a good remake strap of it so bought one they are a little high in price but thought I would give it a try to keep the watch original. eBay link of it.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/WWI-Khaki-Tren ... :jGEAAOSww

[River Rat]

Received it today


With his WW1 brothers. Been thinking I see US Army veterans engraved case backs on these trench watches this is the first Navy one I seen maybe rare.

[River Rat]

The USNR Navy connection being in the Navy reserve my self after active duty and my Grandfather serving in the US Navy during WW1 made it were I had to have this watch a few WW1 era photo's from my Grandpa






He joined the Navy way before WW1 went up the ranks as a aviation machinist mate all the way to Chief petty officer then became a mustang a enlisted becoming a Officer retired after WW2. The seaplane base was on Deering Island today it was filled in. Were Miami city hall is in Florida was were this Navy base once stood had to do some home work to find out were it was.

[gonzomantis]

Thank you for sharing this. Excellent stuff.

[River Rat]

I ask some one for help at the NAWCC forum who has a web site called time capsule with history of the watches owners in his collection. Only info about Navy in a news paper article were the reporter used a V instead of a B in the middle name more about what he did as a civilian. It's in the PDF file in the post. Check out his web site some cool stuff to read.
https://mb.nawcc.org/threads/time-ca...-watch.177047/

[River Rat]

Reading about the owners Dad seems like every war if a American citizen related to the country we are at war with we all ways give them a very hard time them being German and us fighting the Germans in WW1. He had to use his son in the navy to defend him self in a news paper article.

[River Rat]

If the info I got right he and his Dad were Musicians in symphonies in civilian life maybe he was in a Navy band most large ships had them and around 1916 the Navy was slowly making a permanent Navy band at the Navy yard in Washington DC until it became permanent in 1925. Photo of the Navy band on the USS New Mexico my Grandpa ship. The Navy band at the Navy yard started practicing at the sail loft in the Navy yard at Washington DC use to work in a sail loft at NAS Alameda dam working in a sail loft and hearing music at the same time would of been weird.


Little history on the Navy Band.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy_Band